(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Serge Ibaka has spent a lot of time in the NBA but is now spending his time playing overseas.
He says that the difference between the NBA and European basketball is stark and it takes some getting used to.
Speaking with BasketNews, via Legion Hoops, Ibaka claimed that the European style of playing is actually harder than the NBA.
“Sometimes in the NBA you can rest a bit on defense because one guy is going one-on-one. Here, it’s not like that. You have to be involved,” Ibaka said.
Serge Ibaka says playing in Europe is more difficult than the NBA.
“Sometimes in the NBA you can rest a bit on defense because one guy is going one-on-one. Here, it’s not like that. You have to be involved.”
(via @BasketNews_com) pic.twitter.com/xCGdvKk3oe
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 24, 2023
This is a point that has been made by other basketball players: they claim that the NBA focuses much more on one-on-one, isolation play.
Meanwhile, European athletes are much more involved in a team defensive effort, where everyone is constantly moving, guarding, and working as a unit.
It is not too surprising to hear Ibaka’s comments because the NBA has long been a place that has often celebrated individual players.
From LeBron James to Kevin Durant to James Harden to Kyrie Irving and others, the league is a place where athletes can shine on their own with a combination of iso plays and highlight-worthy shots.
Players are typically instructed to guard just one player, which leads to the one-on-one action that Ibaka spoke about.
During 14 years in the league, Ibaka played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, and Milwaukee Bucks.
He last performed for the Bucks during the 2022-23 season but didn’t get a lot of time on the court and seemed unhappy with his role.
Since leaving the Bucks, Ibaka has spent his time playing European basketball for Bayern Munich in Germany.
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