Playing overseas growing in status

0 Comments | USA TODAY, August, 2008 | by Jon Saraceno

Thus far, as the NBA marches toward world conquest, the league has enjoyed a favorable trade imbalance in basketball's international marketplace, importing far more players than it has exported.

Continental expansion is designed to mostly benefit the NBA, but as agent Lon Babby observed this week, "We've now learned that the path of globalization runs in both directions."

The league's offseason free agency market has produced a mini-surge in overseas relocations by a handful of mostly young reserves seeking more compensation, court minutes and perhaps a life-altering experience. The signing last month of Atlanta Hawks swingman Josh Childress by the Greek club Olympiakos for $20 million over three seasons caught many off guard because he is a young, emerging...