Anonymous
Years ago
http://bros-stories.com/manu-ginobili-patty-mills-tony-parker-boris-diaw-ep-2/
Was watching this clip where he says if he doesn't get a gig in the NBA he would like to play a season in Australia, some where near the Barrier Reef.
He's a great player, not an alpha dog top, but still a very smart player who can do it all. Would be a good centre in this league.
Would give Jawai a run for his money if he didn't have to keep his fitness at a reasonable level for NBA. But always like reading when he strolled in and broke a vertical leap test.
The beauty of Boris Diaw's NBA career has always been the juxtaposition of his plump, indifferent appearance with remarkable innate talent. As this wonderful Marc Stein feature reveals -- and there's way more good stuff in there besides this anecdote -- Diaw isn't just deft. He's got some genuine bounce buried in there as well:
"Boris walks into the gym one day wearing flip-flops and holding his customary cappuccino, which was a staple for him every morning," Griffin recalled. "It was during pre-draft workouts, so he sees the Vertec [machine] and asks what it is.
"We tell him it measures your vertical leap by determining how many of the bars you can touch. He asks what's the highest anyone has ever gone, and we tell him Amare' [Stoudemire] cleared the entire rack.
"Boris puts down the cappuccino, takes off his flip-flops and clears the entire rack on the first try. Then he calmly puts his flip-flops back on, picks up his cappuccino and walks away, saying, 'That was not difficult."
Amar'e Stoudemire's pre-draft vertical was measured at 32 inches standing and 35.5 inches max. Boris Diaw -- albeit a young, slenderer Boris Diaw -- matched that in one try, barefoot, with a belly full of coffee and probably a pastry or six. And then he said, "That was not difficult."
SteveK2
Years ago
He sounded more like reciting a holiday itinerary than serious about competition. After Josh Powell and Al Harrington, I'm not quite convinced of the 'impact' an old, ex-NBA players in holiday mode would have in NBL nowadays.
Come to think of it, his style is pretty close to Al Harrington isn't it? Michael Aylen would be trembling with anticipation whistling him for travels.
paul
Years ago
The difference with Boris from the other guys is he knows the international-style game very well (something that helped Childress) and has a basketball IQ to match his girth.
I think he would be a good pick-up for a team, not a dominant force but someone who will make his team better through his smarts and versatility.
Doubt he would be a good fit, would probably want in his contract a non training clause and expect to only show up to games plus free house and car like Europe. And who would want to watch an old overweight ex NBA player who's only real asset now is his IQ. Better to get a hungry (pun intended) young guy who won't think he knows more than the coach and doesn't have more money than the owner.
Diaw doesn't have the ego to ask for an arrogant contract like that, he will do what he has to do in his usual passive way.
Diaw hasn't been athletic for years but still gets by due to his smarts, shooting and passing. Plays good positional defence. He would be a handy role player for any team, just don't ask him to be the star as it's not in his personality.
Zodiac
Years ago
Why are people talking like there is a possibility Diaw would sign with an NBL team? There are NBA teams interested in signing him.
Baller#3
Years ago
Anytime you can get someone with his name you do it. Even if its just on a crowd drawing factor. Plus he played multiple seasons at the spurs hes clearly not a douche...
twenty four
Years ago
I'm not one for hyperbole, but if this actually happened one day, it would probably be the greatest thing to happen to Australian basketball ever.
koberulz
Years ago
Even if its just on a crowd drawing factor.Would Diaw be any more of a draw than a Harrington, Childress, Flynn, Mills, Young, Warrick, etc? They didn't exactly bring in millions.
Good to see personal friends of Boris on here to talk about his passive manner, who would have known that a Frenchman wasn't arrogant. He only wants to come as a paid holiday.
And crowds would flock in to see an out of shape old man who has great fundamentals.
LV
Years ago
Thanks for posting.
Boris Diaw is such a great passer.
Ricky
Years ago
You'd have to bring in real marquee type guys at the end of their careers ala Del Piero, Yorke, Fowler to bring the game to the next level in terms of fans..
A-League did a good job there.
Sadly, money is not there for the NBL.... yet.
Ricky those players were past it at that stage. Don't think it helped A-League at all.
Ricky
Years ago
Helped heaps. Knew people who flew over to Sydney just to watch Del Piero play and Juventus fans who went to Glory vs Sydney games over here just to see him.
Media exposure, ticket sales, jersey sales and they actually performed well.
But anyway, chances of that happening in the NBL are still slim atm.
Yes Ricky it helped maybe in those specific games where people went to a game or two to see him? Did they remain supporters of an A-League club afterwards? Nope. Just fans of individual players who were over the hill playing for the final time in their career in Australia for that last bit of coin.
Those were stars, if Iverson came out to play I'd go see him, not a good role player.
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