Genuine question about Noah Lyles’s comments.

Noah says that NBA Champ isn’t world champ. I don’t agree with his comments, but everyone argues that all the best players in the world play in the NBA. However, I want to consider an aspect of this argument that isn’t as discussed as much.

Example 1: Sergio Llull. Legit superstar in Euroleague, drafted into NBA, but he declined to play in the NBA by his own decision. In the Olympics and FIBA, he legit torched Team USA with players like Kobe and Chris Paul and Wade. I’m just wondering, if he had the talent to play as a legit superstar in the league like Jokic or Luka (insane shotmaking ability/playmaking), then is it actually true that the “best players in the world” come to play in the NBA?

Example 2: Yi Jianlian. Insane talent with good height and length but had problems succeeding in the NBA. I would assume that although he had insane talent, one of the reasons why he didn’t reach his potential was that he had problems communicating and acclimating to American life, especially with learning the language and living as a foreigner. Wouldn’t that aspect of acclimating to American culture, communicating, living USA lifestyle, limit the talent and potential that a foreign player can possess?

Example 3: Real Madrid beat both OKC and Dallas in Preseason. Although the starters didn’t play big minutes in those games, those were still NBA players. If even second, third string NBA players, which are still the top talents in the world, can lose to Real Madrid, would Real Madrid players have a legit shot at the NBA, but just due to some external reason other than basketball didn’t join the NBA?

Thank you for your inputs!

  • santimo87B
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    2 months ago

    Those are certainly exceptions, it clear the best players overall are in the NBA. Still not the world champions, NBA champions.