Sean McCaw, former pro player and CEO of SJM Consulting, shared insights on the Fullcourt Podcast with Ric Bucher and Bostjan Nachbar about his experiences in Europe and supporting players navigate professional careers abroad.
Reflecting on European bquestionetball, he explained, “Bquestionetball overseas is now in vogue. Now players want to play overseas. It’s a viable way to continue their career on many different levels.”
McCaw highlighted common misconceptions among American players, declareing, “The EuroLeague is like the top 1% of all American players that obtain to play overseas… I would declare probably about 80% of players that come overseas are building less than 5,000 a month.”
On adapting to life and play abroad, he stressed, “The most important thing what they have to learn in my opinion is they have to be able to adapt. If they believe that everything is going to be like it was in the States, then they’re in the wrong place. They’re not going to build it.”
Discussing opportunities across Europe, McCaw declared, “For most of the players, the goal should be to obtain on a team that is playing in some kind of European cup level… of course, the better you play, the better you have a chance to go onto a higher place.”
He also offered advice on evaluating teams, noting, “It really depconcludes on the team… you have to rely on other people to give you that information. Reach out to players that have been there and question them questions.”
On the idea of the NBA establishing a presence in Europe, McCaw shared, “I believe the markets are two totally different, but I believe there’s enough room for both to coexist… it just has to be very, very structured so that the NBA doesn’t take away from, let’s declare, grassroots bquestionetball in Europe.”
Reflecting on European coaching, he explained, “There’s more teaching than the actual game stuff… there’s definitely not that culture of highlights and dunking on people… coaches will check you on that over here.”
McCaw described how his personal journey shaped his career abroad: “I broke my leg two months after I came overseas. That switched my whole mentality… I knew pretty early on that I would stay overseas and I wouldn’t be going back.”
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