Philippines, 02 Apr 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Old, New Foreign Cagers Making a Difference As Pro League Enters Crucial Stage


PhilBoxing.com





The good news is the two most successful teams in the NBA 2024-25 season thus far are all-American or mostly composed of American starters.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, with a league-leading 48-10 slate, have a mostly all-American starting lineup starring Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland, with Canadian-born Luguentz Dort as the only foreign major player.

Meanwhile, the Western Conference top team, the Oklahoma City Thunder (47-11), made up of starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams, and Isaiah Joe, are essentially all-American, although top reserve center Isaiah Hartenstein is German.

But fancied squads like the Los Angeles Lakers and even the Golden State Warriors have added foreign flavors to their starting units, particularly the Lakers, which have been experimenting with a blending of Americans (LeBron James, Austin Reaves, et al.) with a Slovenian (Luka Dončić) and a Japanese (Rui Hachimura) with a great measure of success. The Warriors have a seven-foot Dutch player, Quentin Post, playing major minutes and contributing.

Post is just one of the latest foreign players fast becoming a household name in the world's premier professional basketball league. It has indeed long been a 180-degree turn in international caging where, before, American players were the most sought-after reinforcements in myriad leagues from Europe to the Middle East to Asia; now, it is players from these regions who have been flocking to America and making a difference for the various state squads.

From a handful that included Rik Smits, Dikembe Mutombo, Detlef Schrempf, and Toni Kukoč in the 1980s, followed by a gaggle that had Argentine Olympic standouts Manu Ginóbili and Luis Scola, it became an open floodgate with the likes of Yao Ming and Dirk Nowitzki leading the deluge of foreign players.

Foreign-born and raised players, with or without US college league eligibility, like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid (who has since acquired US citizenship), Rudy Gobert, and Nikola Jokić, have lately become stars and most important cogs in their respective teams.

Now it is the likes of Frenchman Victor Wembanyama and Egyptian Alperen Şengün who are making heads turn, although between the two, it is Şengün, playing for the Houston Rockets, who has the bigger chance for more exposure through the postseason playoffs than Wembanyama, who is with the struggling San Antonio Spurs. Then we have the Wagner brothers, Moritz and Franz, who are mesmerizing for the Orlando Magic.

We can expect Giannis (Milwaukee Bucks), Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Jokić (Denver Nuggets) to lead the charge for their respective teams for spots in the playoffs and in the postseason. Likewise with Kristaps Porziņģis for defending champion Boston Celtics, together with Dominican Al Horford and Portuguese Neemias Queta.

Meanwhile, silently but effectively, the pairs of Ivica Zubac and Bogdan Bogdanović for the LA Clippers and twin towers Domantas Sabonis and Jonas Valančiūnas for the Sacramento Kings are making their difference.

This early, get used to hearing and reading about these eerie, mostly tongue-twisting names, as they will figure prominently as the pro league enters its crucial stages in the few months to come.

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Melvin the Avenger
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 02 Apr 2025
  • WORLD-RANKED LIGHTWEIGHT ARMANDO MARTINEZ RABI TO FACE ALBERTO GUEVARA IN MAIN EVENT OF FISTS OF FURY 6
    , Wed, 02 Apr 2025
  • Carlos Flowers Shines on Day One for Team USA in World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2025
    , Wed, 02 Apr 2025
  • Tellez Sisters Reina and Gabriela Sign with Boxlab Promotions
    , Wed, 02 Apr 2025
  • Arena Grand Master Mohamad Sacar sweeps 1st Vientiane Open FIDE Rated Standard Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 02 Apr 2025
  • Unbeaten junior middleweight prospect Anthony “ATV” Velazquez Ready to bust out of New England
    , Tue, 01 Apr 2025
  • BOOTS VS. STANIONIS – ‘MAKE THE DAYS COUNT’ PREMIERES NOW
    , Tue, 01 Apr 2025
  • “THE FILIPINO FLASH” NONITO DONAIRE TO MAKE FIRST VISIT TO CANASTOTA FOR 2025 HALL OF FAME WEEKEND FESTIVITIES
    , Tue, 01 Apr 2025
  • Tokyo Olympian Rashida Ellis signs long term management contract with Trifon Petrov
    , Tue, 01 Apr 2025
  • Fightbook Adds Brendan Gibbons to Lead Athlete & Fan Activation Strategy
    , Tue, 01 Apr 2025
  • BOXLAB PROMOTIONS RETURNS TO ORLANDO FOR ACTION-PACKED FIGHT NIGHT ON APRIL 18
    , Tue, 01 Apr 2025
  • Takeaways From Last Weekend's Fights in Japan
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 31 Mar 2025
  • Lope Tenorio: El Bulakeño Matón (The Bulacan Brawler)
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Mon, 31 Mar 2025
  • Luka Doncic's Shock Factor for LAL Dissipating? Dallas Mavs Getting Playoff Bid Boost From AD
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 31 Mar 2025
  • Jerusalem Easily Repeats Over Shigeoka, Spoils A Huge Boxing Weekend for Japan
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 31 Mar 2025
  • THE INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME REMEMBERS LIVINGSTONE BRAMBLE
    , Mon, 31 Mar 2025
  • IIEE GenX 3-peat, SAEP Millennial Champ in PTC WED Basketball
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 31 Mar 2025
  • Jerusalem dominates Shigeoka in rematch, retains WBC World title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 30 Mar 2025
  • AND STILL! WILLIAM "EL CAMARÓN" ZEPEDA RETAINS WBC INTERIM LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE WITH MAJORITY DECISION VICTORY AGAINST TEVIN "2X" FARMER
    , Sun, 30 Mar 2025
  • A Second Coat of Paint: Mikaela Mayer Defeats Sandy Ryan in Action-Packed Rematch
    , Sun, 30 Mar 2025
  • Cartel, 5 others share lead after Day 1 of 6th AQ Prime Standard Open Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 30 Mar 2025
  • Jerusalem, Shigeoka successfully make weight for their WBC World Title rematch
    , Sat, 29 Mar 2025
  • Rematches Rule the Day with Zepeda/Farmer & Mayer/Ryan on ESPN and DAZN
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 29 Mar 2025
  • Three Lions Promotions Official Weights from Hamilton, Canada
    , Sat, 29 Mar 2025
  • Weights from Las Vegas: Mikaela Mayer - 146 lbs., Sandy Ryan - 145.5 lbs.
    , Sat, 29 Mar 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.