Soccer, As an NBA Training Tool

Billy Witz has a rather fantastic story from Sunday's New York Times (via BallHype) talking with various NBA stars about how much playing soccer as a kid influenced their basketball abilities. That Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash are soccer fiends is a well-known fact, but Witz takes it further, discussing internationals like Hakeem Olajuwon, Pau Gasol, and Ronnie Turiaf.

My favorite quote comes from new Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni:

"The whole culture is they appreciate the guy who passes the ball to the guy who gets the assist and passes to the guy who scores," D'Antoni said in an interview Thursday. "They appreciate the work that went into it. Even the guy who is not getting the stat is important in the whole function of the team and the goal that is being made. That, to me, is fundamental."

It's dead simple, but it's sort-of brilliant. Comparisons between the sports have always been made, but the discussion always seems to center around the obvious logistics. That soccer theory and basketball theory should collide -- and in effect have collided under D'Antoni -- is a rather fresh thought, at least in my eyes.

And if this results in Eddy Curry The Goalkeeper, my year has been made.