State of the Union. Team Canada Basketball. (FIBA Americas Aug.31-Sep.15)

[Chuck Newhouse]

No it stems back from your original comment about them not being NBAer...Nothing i've said would have made any sense if I was arguing over that comment. I just posted that one because I couldn't find your original and I figured it was close enough.

I don't know why you guys are arguing about Bennett like it's a hypothetical situation. We just saw a performance that would have held up against any level of competition. I'm sure you have all watched enough basketball to just see the pure ability regardless of the competition. I think you have to be crazy to think he won't have a great NBA career as long as he stays healthy and in great shape. How many players his age could get 14 boards in in 27 minutes and shoot 3's and play above the rim like that who don't turn out great? Show me that list!

He has tools, sure. Too bad it takes a lot more than that to succeed. How many players have been as bad as him in their first 2 years and have turned out great?

It's hard to think of players that get off to bad career starts and then become stars on the spot, especially a high pick, so I decided to have a quick look at a random year from a few years ago (I picked 1997)... right away I saw a perfect example...Chauncey Billups. It does happen on a fairly regular basis I think.

[Jonn]

The fun part on the National Team is Murray and Wiggins get to play together. That will be fun. The qualifier wil be the first time ever will be excited to watch our National Team play. And not only play compete. I seriously think we have a chance to medal at the 2016 olympics. We just need the experiance.

[NBACommissioner]

Without this block I think US would have won.

[Young_Buc]

I don't know why you guys are arguing about Bennett like it's a hypothetical situation. We just saw a performance that would have held up against any level of competition. I'm sure you have all watched enough basketball to just see the pure ability regardless of the competition. I think you have to be crazy to think he won't have a great NBA career as long as he stays healthy and in great shape. How many players his age could get 14 boards in in 27 minutes and shoot 3's and play above the rim like that who don't turn out great? Show me that list!

He has tools, sure. Too bad it takes a lot more than that to succeed. How many players have been as bad as him in their first 2 years and have turned out great?

It's hard to think of players that get off to bad career starts and then become stars on the spot, especially a high pick, so I decided to have a quick look at a random year from a few years ago (I picked 1997)... right away I saw a perfect example...Chauncey Billups. It does happen on a fairly regular basis I think.

Happens with a lot of young guys who don't adjust to the Nba until later on. Just off the top of my head

Joe Johnson
Gerald Wallace
Jermaine Oneal
Steve Nash

[BrunoSkull]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLNv6SYzofU[/youtube]

[NBACommissioner]

No dude, you objected to me saying they had no legit NBA future...

No it stems back from your original comment about them not being NBAer...Nothing i've said would have made any sense if I was arguing over that comment. I just posted that one because I couldn't find your original and I figured it was close enough.

I don't know why you guys are arguing about Bennett like it's a hypothetical situation. We just saw a performance that would have held up against any level of competition. I'm sure you have all watched enough basketball to just see the pure ability regardless of the competition. I think you have to be crazy to think he won't have a great NBA career as long as he stays healthy and in great shape. How many players his age could get 14 boards in in 27 minutes and shoot 3's and play above the rim like that who don't turn out great? Show me that list!

i'm arguing for AB so I obviously agree. US team had 4 7fters and Ab had 14rebs that's impressive. Ab hitting NBA range threes in the clutch is impressive as well because it's not like people don't get open three's in the NBA. The crowd at Ryerson was also the same size as most Twolves games (around 3,000) so there isn't much difference.

[NBACommissioner]

I don't know why you guys are arguing about Bennett like it's a hypothetical situation. We just saw a performance that would have held up against any level of competition. I'm sure you have all watched enough basketball to just see the pure ability regardless of the competition. I think you have to be crazy to think he won't have a great NBA career as long as he stays healthy and in great shape. How many players his age could get 14 boards in in 27 minutes and shoot 3's and play above the rim like that who don't turn out great? Show me that list!

He has tools, sure. Too bad it takes a lot more than that to succeed. How many players have been as bad as him in their first 2 years and have turned out great?

It's hard to think of players that get off to bad career starts and then become stars on the spot, especially a high pick, so I decided to have a quick look at a random year from a few years ago (I picked 1997)... right away I saw a perfect example...Chauncey Billups. It does happen on a fairly regular basis I think.

Kobe, tmac

[Mattd97]

murray definitely had on his big boy pants. was doiminating a ball there a bit at the end but hard to fault him when hes making those plays, including some spectaular passes. and yeah even if you want to say doornekamp is there for defence - and i dont believe he is a better defender than ejim - why by chance is he out there with 10 seconds left in a tie game when we have the ball? ejims better offensively, bhullar in that situation gives a guy they cant play off as its an easy alley oop or put back, mullins has been dominating hustle plays and offensive boards, and i can think of another half dozen guys that should have been out there instead. team canada for whatever reason just defaults to him and i dont understand it. it will really suck if hes on the fiba team, let alone getting minutes.


also i find it weird that the US doesnt take these tournaments more seriously. obviously lebrons not playing, but if guys are gonna be playing in the summer anyways why not take those select teams they use to scrimmage against the main team? grow chemistry and have guys make a case for the main team. but even if not the B team, why arent guys like ross or amir, or whatever decent NBA guys interested? its not the olympics but its the only chance youll ever have to play for your country - the most dominant team in the world. doesnt that interest any of them?

[NBACommissioner]

I want Bennett to go somewhere where they actually give him a chance to play. He needs minutes.

I agree but at the same time I don't want him on Philly...I actually think Toronto is a decent fit seeing as how they don't really have a starting PF and Scola is old.

[Clementine9]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLNv6SYzofU[/youtube]

That hesitation move at 5:17

[Dr Positivity]

This tournament has been AWESOME

[EastBayBoy]

feel bad for CoJo. Murray is going to take his starting spot on team Canada and his roster spot on the Raptors next season

[Jonn]

feel bad for CoJo. Murray is going to take his starting spot on team Canada and his roster spot on the Raptors next season

Have a feeling Murray is just going to keep rising. I think he put himself in top 5 consideration for this tournament alone.

[Jonn]

I want Bennett to go somewhere where they actually give him a chance to play. He needs minutes.

I agree but at the same time I don't want him on Philly...I actually think Toronto is a decent fit seeing as how they don't really have a starting PF and Scola is old.

I do want AB as long as he plays. Hes been a beast in this tourney and thats the player he was in college. I feel bad for him because if he was taken 4th overal instead nobody would even care as much. But since he went first overal hes got this big label on him. Maybe coming home would be a welcome distraction. Give him something else to think about instead of being a first overal bust.

Its hard to imagine him not being successful in this league especially if he stays in this type of shape. His skill set is just to high for him not to be successful.

[frumble]

also i find it weird that the US doesnt take these tournaments more seriously. obviously lebrons not playing, but if guys are gonna be playing in the summer anyways why not take those select teams they use to scrimmage against the main team? grow chemistry and have guys make a case for the main team. but even if not the B team, why arent guys like ross or amir, or whatever decent NBA guys interested? its not the olympics but its the only chance youll ever have to play for your country - the most dominant team in the world. doesnt that interest any of them?

Nobody takes the PanAm games seriously. In 2011 we sent an all CIS team. In 2007 we sent some fringe national team guys.

[EastBayBoy]

feel bad for CoJo. Murray is going to take his starting spot on team Canada and his roster spot on the Raptors next season

Have a feeling Murray is just going to keep rising. I think he put himself in top 5 consideration for this tournament alone.

I was just joking around with that quote, and I too agree he will go too high for the Raps to have a chance at drafting him, but I don't think it will be because of this tournament. The talent level is just not good enough to evaluate (increase) draft status for any player.

[UcanUwill]

Missed the game, but was surprised USA's Keith Langford only played 7 minutes. I thought he would give Canada serious trouble, no one on Canada could defend his first step.

[GooniesNeverDie]

Murray has something very special about him that I don't think Wiggins has.

which is a handle.. murray can actually dominate the rock and make plays.. wiggins with the ball in his hand in crunch time would be derozan

[Kohanz]

feel bad for CoJo. Murray is going to take his starting spot on team Canada and his roster spot on the Raptors next season

Have a feeling Murray is just going to keep rising. I think he put himself in top 5 consideration for this tournament alone.

I was just joking around with that quote, and I too agree he will go too high for the Raps to have a chance at drafting him, but I don't think it will be because of this tournament. The talent level is just not good enough to evaluate (increase) draft status for any player.

Seriously? I know its not a bunch of marquee names, but that US team is better (talent, experience, skill) than almost all NCAA Div 1 squads. The Argentina guards play in the second best league in Europe and, again, are better than the majority of NCAA guards.

[azorian]

I really liked ab in this tournament. Too bad he's such a headcase. It seems like his mental state is made of glass. Probably a coaches nightmare. He has so much talent. Feel bad for the kid. Especially being drafted 1st.

I don't see Murray as a star but I think he's definitely shown scouts that he can handle himself against men. Hes clearly at minimum a rotation player right out of the draft. His handles are so smooth. Doubt he ever sees an all star game but if the clutch factor continues in his career I don't see why not!