Charles Barkley described the D-League as “just a bunch of guys who don’t want to get a damn job”, while D-League president Dan Reed calls it a real opportunity to open the door to the NBA.

No matter how many new successful D-League’s stories are born every season, American players who have succeeded in Europe don’t even consider playing in the NBA’s minor league. Moreover, they are not interested in going through the 10-day to guaranteed contract process and comparing Europe with the D-League usually makes them smile.

Former NBA player J.R.Giddens, who has decided to leave the USA and come to play in overseas this season, had a chance to evaluate both the D-League and Euroleague levels. Giddens, who has also played in the D-League for the Utah Flash in 08-09 while on assignment by the Celtics, believes the Euroleague is a higher-level competition.

“In Europe, I feel like teams are more organized and more stable,” said Giddens. “You have older guys who have been over here for years, some of them have been in the NBA and then they came back to the Euroelague. I feel like Euroleague is a higher level than the D-League.”

Of course, Giddens is not the only American, who sees more advantages in Europe than in the D-League. Euroleague title contender Olympiacos Piraeus guard Jamon Lucas also sees more reasons for leaving the United States to play in Europe.

“D-League will never be a part of my dream. Never,” Lucas told RealGM. “Because you never know, one player is sitting down and you’re playing great and then you have to get on the bench. You have to know in D-League there’s lot of things outside of basketball that matters. In Europe, best players play most of the time. You come out and show what you can.”

Darrick Leonard, currently playing in the second Lithuanian league, also would not take a chance to play in the D-League versus Europe, but understands athletes who made a different decision.

“Europe to me is more of an all-around experience,” said Leonard. “You get a chance to travel around the world, meet different people and experience their culture. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity! I feel blessed to be in a situation that allows me to do so. Not everybody gets this opportunity, and maybe some players would not choose it, which is why they choose the D-League route.

“I've met some great guys abroad and if I had a chance to play in the D-League versus come to Europe... I'd choose Europe 99 out of 100 times!”

Nevertheless, money is probably the most important factor for American players, who moved overseas. Some of them have never thought about playing in the D-League just because of incredibly low salaries.

“I never consider about playing in D-League,” said Panathinaikos Athens guard Drew Nicholas, who has played in Europe for seven years. “To be honest, those guys don’t make any money and they are chasing very very slight dream to get a call-up from the NBA and hopefully stick with the NBA team but those chances are so slim.”

According to the several sources, D-League players’ salaries are around $12,000 to $24,000 per season. That is less than a foreign player could earn in an average European second league’s club, while Euroleague players’ salaries usually start from $100,000 per season.

“I don’t want to make it a “money thing” but they don’t pay a lot for players, who could make more money over here. I see a lot of people losing a lot of money because of chasing the NBA,” Lucas said. “Playing for Olympiacos is like playing for low team in the NBA.”

Players in Europe also don’t have to pay taxes, unlike NBA players, and a club is also paying for player’s living expenses. And it seems that players from the States enjoy that.

“If I can play here for the rest of my life, I will do that,” Lucas said.

“We as American basketball players can always go back home and continue our American lifestyle,” said Leonard. “I think that's pretty easy but to experience other peoples lifestyle, and eat what they eat, live how they live, is a life changing experience.”