With the NBA experiencing a great uptick in offense and scoring, defense has faltered over the years, which was a staple for any team if they had hoped to win a championship.
This season alone we have seen several 70 point games along with the All-Star game reaching the 200 point mark for the first time in its history.
Well, Gilbert Arenas has a rather controversial solution to improve defense in the NBA.
On his podcast, Gils Arena, the former Washington Wizards star, had a simple fix to help improve defense in the NBA and that was to get rid of all the European players.
"I know what they can do. Get rid of all the Europeans," he said.
"You go to college and learn defense. What college do Europeans go to? They don't go to college whatsoever. They have no athleticism. They have no speed and no jumping ability. They are a liability on defense. They are 150 Euros in the league today... name the top defenders. None! Just Rudy [Gobert] and the Greek Freak. Other than that, they are offensive players. They're not defensive players"
"The NBA took away aggression. They took away aggression to open up the EuroLeague. When they first started getting here, it was too rough for them. They didn't make it. Eventually, they softened the rules. They didn't soften the rules for the Americans. They softened the rules to open it up internationally," Arenas added.
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Gilbert Arenas on the European Flare
Although the offensive dominance of Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic, or Hall of Famers like Dirk Nowitzki, shouldn't be understated; Arenas' argument discredits the great European players known for their defense throughout their careers.
Rudy Gobert has been a defensive anchor for both the Utah Jazz and the Minnesota Timberwolves throughout his career. Giannis Antetokoumpo has also been dominant on that side of the floor too throughout his career.
Furthermore, more players like Marc Gasol have made a career on the defensive side of the floor, winning Defensive Player of the year back in 2013.
Players such as American Dwight Howard and Tyson Chandler are both former NBA Defensive Players of the Year and didn't attend college, conflicting with Arenas' point on young players' transition to the NBA .
Victor Wembanyama is also one of the top defensive players in the league and is in his rookie season.
Professional basketball in Europe is where defensive fundamentals are taught, according to Euro Hoops.
"18 or 19-year-old (or younger if you are named Luka Doncic) players in Europe are actually taught the defensive fundamentals in practice but also in action while dealing with the pressure of professional basketball, which is unlike anything college players face. Their defensive baptism of fire takes place against older, bigger, and more experienced players - sometimes including former NBAers - in demanding situations."
It's no secret that the NBA has changed the rules to favor offense, but Arenas may have missed the mark badly with this take.
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