We pretend we need Southeast Asian startups to fill out the starting five of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. So who made the cut?
The Splash Brothers. The Death Lineup. Super Team. Dub Nation.
Whatever the nickname du jour, the Golden State Warriors are clearly the best team in basketball. Are they guaranteed to win the championship? Of course not. But any argument, like for example, the defending champion Cavs are better, betrays a fan who is not paying attention to the 2016-2017 NBA season.
The Warriors are the best. Period.
One of the more interesting discoveries in my time in the startup world is the NBA enjoys a significant-minority of fans within the community.
e27 (well to be frank, I) took a shot at building the best “Warriors roster” using Southeast Asian startup brands. We did our best to match characteristics between companies and players — plus, there are some bonus players at the bottom (who is LeBron James?).
Also Read: Grab: How we grew a business from 40 to 630,000 drivers
Let us know what you think! Are there better matches?
Kevin Durant: Grab/Go-jek
The thesis: Kevin Durant is a top-5 player in the NBA (I think he is second-best but that is always a debate). Grab and Go-jek are of similar importance to the Southeast Asian ecosystem.
Explanation: Honestly, I grouped Grab and Go-jek for the simple reason of entertainment. These two companies are of such importance in Southeast Asia that they could each get their own roster spot on this dream team.
Here is why the two are more like Durant and not, say, Stephen Curry. Much like Durant, we have seen the Grab/Go-Jek model before. Uber, Ola and Didi Chuxing are all offering a similar service to Grab/Go-jek. Before Durant, the NBA had silky-smooth scorers like George Gervin (the most common comparison), Dirk Nowitzki (Durant stole his one-legged fadeaway) and James Worthy (the ability to run the floor and finish at the rim).
Stephen Curry, as explained below, is a more transcendent talent. And thus, the Grab/Go-jek comparison is not accurate. However, I would argue that Durant is better than Curry, much like how both Grab and Go-jek are far ahead of more groundbreaking startups.
Problem: Outside of the “tech bubble”, Grab and Go-jek may be the most recognisable brands in the region — a strong argument that these two should nab Stephen Curry’s roster spot. Steph Curry is easily the most popular player in the league — and Grab/Go-Jek enjoy a similar status in their respective markets.
However, as explained below, Curry is a unique talent with a skill-set we have never seen before, which is why there is another company that is a better fit.
Stephen Curry: Tokopedia
The thesis: Stephen Curry changed the game. Tokopedia did the same by proving e-commerce could work in Indonesia. Curry is a two-time MVP and NBA champion. Tokopedia is Indonesia’s first Unicorn.
Explanation: The NBA has changed more rapidly in the last two years than the previous two decades combined — and basketball fans have Stephen Curry to thank.
A once-in-a-generation talent, Curry’s unlimited range broke defences — he could hit 30 foot bombs with regularity, which opened up the defense for dunks and lay-ups. The NBA is now a ‘trey or lay’ league (referring to the desire by many teams to shoot only 3-pointers or lay-ups). Stephen Curry is the face of the transformation.
Also Read: Meituan adds ride-hailing feature to take on Didi
Tokopedia made a similar impact on its environment, proving that not only is e-commerce possible in a Southeast Asian island nation, but that startups can thrive in the industry. Tokopedia did more than just survive. It thrived, and it reached limits no Indonesian startup had ever touched. Eventually, it became the country’s first Unicorn.
Furthermore, Tokopedia is adapting — planning to add more fintech services over the coming year — much like how Curry grew from injury-prone point guard to devastating sharpshooter.
The Problem: Is Tokopedia a household-name like Curry? Outside of Indonesia, the answer is no. But, for anyone involved the startup scene, they will quickly learn where the company stands in the ecosystem. It is not quite an equal comparison on the ‘fame’ metric, but I believe the transcendent nature of the company is more important.
Klay Thompson: Garena
The Thesis: On a day-to-day basis, we may forget about Klay Thompson and Garena, but every now and then, they flex their muscles and remind us why they are so successful.
Maybe it is the nature of their jobs. Klay is an elite shooter, but needs a playmaker for open looks. Garena is an internet platform with many services, but they all have different brands.
Furthermore, they are major contributors to their industry, but do so quietly. Klay might be the best shooting guard in the NBA, but he is the fourth-most popular Warrior. Garena is one of the most successful startups in Southeast Asia, but it doesn’t have the same brand awareness as Grab.
Yet, when both decide to strike, they make waves. Klay went off for 60 points in three quarters (above), Garena raised US$170 million. Klay single-handidly took the Warriors to the finals, Garena’s Shopee is now a leading m-commerce company in Southeast Asia. Garena is said to be worth US$3.75 billion, Klay is flirting with the 50-40-90 statistical line (an elite club of hyper-efficient offensive performance).
Both player and company are titans in their industry, and while they may not have the flash, they quietly drop-in 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists (or the startup equivalent).
The Problem: Klay Thompson is one of the most enthusiastic Harry Potter fans around. We have zero evidence to support Garena shares the same intense love for the wizarding world.
Draymond Green: Carousell
Thesis: Draymond Green and Carousell are not the Kings of the Court, but they are indispensable to their respective ecosystems.
Explanation: Much of last year, the saying went: “Stephen Curry is the MVP of the league; but Draymond Green is the MVP of the Warriors.” Sure, the Warriors have the talent to be a great team, but Green brings the toughness that turned them into champions.
Carousell has a similar role in Singapore’s startup community. Is it as big as Garena? Or as famous as Grab? No. But it is an incredibly successful homegrown startup. Like Green, Carousell has its haters (Carousell is a fairly vibrant online community), but all it does is win-win-win.
The point is, despite Green averaging somewhat pedestrian numbers of 10 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists per game, it is hard to think of a more important person to the Warrior’s success. Carousell holds the same status in Singapore’s startup scene.
The Problem: Personality. Green is brash, aggressive, and prone to land a stray leg in the opposition’s groin area.
After having met the Carousell guys a few times, they basically the opposite. Exemplified by their mandate to do their part to grow the community at-large.
Javale McGee: Flipkart
OK. So Javale is not actually the starter. But injuries happen and the basketball gods shone brightly on this humble writer.
Thesis: Much like Flipkart, Javale is full of talent and has even put together long stretches of excellence … and yet, things just seem to get in the way.
Explanation: Javale McGee, the King of Shaqtin’ A Fool, tantalised NBA scouts everywhere with his length, athleticism, and touch around the rim. Whether it is because of his time on the all-knucklehead Washington Wizards (circa 2010) or just a lack of focus, McGee has become more famous for his spectacular blunders than any real success on the court.
Flipkart is following a similar path. After titillating India as the country’s answer to Amazon, a series of gaffes has turned off public sentiment, and provided opportunity for its American competitor to take control of India’s e-commerce race.
Also Read: What I learned from the Avengers of Southeast Asia’s venture capital scene
Flipkart has exposed a tendency to lean on protectionism when it runs into adversity — but instead of motivating patriotism, the move backfired in Javale-esque glory.
The Problem: The problem is while Javale’s is famous for his errors, they are innocent and lean towards entertaining.
Flipkart, however, is stirring anti-foreign sentiment to fuel sales. That is far more nefarious and quite a bit more serious than failed dunks or hilariously terrible defense.
Bonus Round
Lebron James: WeChat
Lebron has everything — amazing court vision, above average shooting, exceptional passing and a championship pedigree. What Asian app is famous for being able to do everything? WeChat.
Karl Anthony-Towns: BIG CAT Entertainment
KAT looks like the next superstar in the NBA on an up-and coming team. So who would fit this mold? For an ‘up-and-coming team’, let’s go with Vietnam. One Vietnamese company that has the metrics and support is the entertainment company BIG CAT.
James Harden: Alibaba
Harden is extremely valuable to his team, highly marketable, and very fun to watch — Sounds like Jack Ma, no? However, Harden also a key weakness (defence). So does Alibaba (counterfeit goods).
The New York Knicks: Just kidding. Equating any company to the New York Knicks is an insult unworthy of even the most spectacular failures.
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Kevin Durant: Copyright: zhukovsky / 123RF Stock Photo
Featured Image: Copyright: marvin6969 / 123RF Stock Photo
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