International flava? - The Fans Speak Out - letters

Basketball Digest, Summer, 2002 by Dave Vecsi

I really enjoy your NBA draft preview and the depth that you cover with the college players. While the college game is one of the springboards to NBA stardom, you need to examine more high school and foreign players. There are countless hours of college games on cable and innumerable articles to read on college stars but there is not much attention paid to high school players; sure, there's the McDonald's All-America game, but that's about it. Meanwhile the first, second, and fourth picks of the 2001 draft were preps.

Information about foreign players? Forget it! How many people knew about Pau Gasol when he was drafted third in the 2001? I sure didn't. There were four foreigners picked in that first round, including the fantastic point guard Tony Parker from France. Did anyone know of Dirk Nowitzki when he was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks a few years ago? Yao Ming from China could be the first foreigner chosen No. 1.

America's game has gone global and younger. Let's forge ahead on the new frontier of talent.

Dave Vecsi
Portland, Oregon

Dave, we did miss the boat last year on Gasol, but hey, check out your cover--we're making up for it. And our 2001 draft coverage was rather thorough with regard to high-schoolers. This year's story [page 68] indicates that along with the NBA, BASKETBALL DIGEST has gone global: 11 international players are previewed among our Top 50 picks and draft sleepers, including Ming as our No. 1 prospect.