Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas blasts NBA ‘softening rules’ for European players

Gilbert Arenas claims to know why the NBA is no longer as competitive as it used to be.

On a recent episode of “Gil’s Arena,” his self-titled podcast, the former NBA All-Star claimed the NBA wanted to encourage the success of European players, hence why the league changed its rules to cater to those coming from overseas. The 42-year-old believes that because of the NBA’s physical nature, European players of the past did not have what it took to succeed at the highest level of basketball.

“The NBA took away aggression, they took away aggression, to open up the EuroLeague,” Arenas said. “When they first started getting here, it was too rough for them and they didn’t make it. They didn’t soften the rules for the Americans … so eventually, they softened the rules to open up international.”

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Arenas theorized the NBA will be run by European players within the next half-decade because of how the league has evolved to allow the “European style” of basketball to overtake the “American style.”

“So when they say the Euros are going to run the league in the next five years, why do you think that? More 3s, pass and cut,” Arenas said. “This is not our league, this is not the American style. This is the Euro style.

“It’s a 3-point shooting league because they’re copying Euro style … That was what the league was created off of, to have more of those guys in so they can expand the business.

“How they going to have a global game if it’s too physical and too athletic for them? So they figured out ways where they can exist inside of the game. Create more opportunities, bring in more shooters so they can survive.”

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Arenas’ claim the NBA has “softened the rule” for European players is at odds with comments from some of the NBA’s European stars. Players like Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic have all claimed EuroLeague basketball is more physical than the NBA, having spent numerous years in Europe before arriving in the United States.

The perceived skill gap between European and American players has considerably closed in recent years with the aforementioned stars making a big impact in the NBA. There remain stylistic difference between the sport on either side of the Atlantic, with European basketball predicated on more space, team play and an overall reliance on skill, compared to the American style of basketball which tends to focus more on isolation play and athleticism.

In that sense, the league transitioned to a pace and space offense thanks in part to how Mike D’Antoni and Gregg Popovich have implemented motion offenses to their game plan. D’Antoni is most famous for implementing the “Seven Seconds or Less” offense, which was based on getting the best available shot within seven seconds of the shot clock.

Meanwhile, Popovich’s offense evolved over time, from focusing on isolation basketball with Tim Duncan to a more free-flowing offense once Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker were given the reigns of the team. The best example of Popovich’s evolution was during the 2014 NBA Finals when the Spurs outshot, outpassed and generally outplayed the Miami Heat, with a predominantly foreign cast of players.

Steve Kerr then took what he saw from Popovich and learned from Phil Jackson and helped lead the Golden State Warriors to four championships during his tenure. Kerr’s new offense, paired with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson’s shooting ability, brought forth the “3-point Revolution,” which the rest of the league has adopted.

With the NBA embracing all forms of basketball, it is proving itself to be a global league. While Arenas is not entirely convinced that influx has been positive, there is no doubt the game continues to evolve.