Team Canada Basketball Thread V2.0

[Hair Canada]

Another notable omission is that of 2020 guard Addison Patterson, who will likely be preparing for a Nike Peach Jam performance with his AAU team. That makes it 3 out of the 4 best players from last year's U18 tournament who will not be suiting up this year. Certainly not ideal and a bit reminiscent of the team from two years ago. But we had Barrett then, as well as a couple of guys with nice college experience.

[mojo13]

Too bad Nembhard is not in. The best and most important player on this team. Lawson will have to take charge, but despite having a higher long-term ceiling, he's not as advanced and adept at leading a team right now.

Emanuel Miller not being in is also disheartening. Arguably the second best player on last year's team and the most important and consistent presence on the frontcourt. Big loss, especially considering that Nick Ongenda, Jevonnie Scott and Ben Hendriks are also not on the camp roster. Seems like we'll be dependent on Samuel and the Bediako brothers, which for me, is not great news.

Karim Mane will be really interesting to watch here. He is one of the fastest risning recruits in North Americas going from unranked to 30 on 24/7 lastest ranking. Now at #2 for the 2020 class for North Pole Hopes with offers from 20 schools. 6’5 frame and over a 6’10 wingspan playing both guard positions.

[TrueNorth31]

Nick Nurse reinterates he'll coach Team Canada.

I'm amazed, his wife must be a saint given how busy this will make him this summer.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26988382/nurse-confirms-plans-coach-team-canada

[mojo13]

Read on Twitter

What y'all think of this?
I'm a little skeptical of Wiggins but hopeful that Nurse can bring the best out of him or at least relegate him to a role player if not. His talent level cant be discounted especially at the FIBA level and this addresses what could have been a huge hole on the wing (i had visions of Tommy Scrubb as our starting SF). Still the FIBA game may not be well suited to Wiggins strengths and could maximize his weaknesses (like team defense).

[Mattd97]

Read on Twitter

What y'all think of this?
I'm a little skeptical of Wiggins but hopeful that Nurse can bring the best out of him or at least relegate him to a role player if not. His talent level cant be discounted especially at the FIBA level and this addresses what could have been a huge hole on the wing (i had visions of Tommy Scrubb as our starting SF). Still the FIBA game may not be well suited to Wiggins strengths and could maximize his weaknesses (like team defense).

Seemed plenty suited to his game in FIBA Americas. Was one of the best players in the tournament. (Having said that he certainly seems to have regressed)

[Hair Canada]

Read on Twitter

What y'all think of this?
I'm a little skeptical of Wiggins but hopeful that Nurse can bring the best out of him or at least relegate him to a role player if not. His talent level cant be discounted especially at the FIBA level and this addresses what could have been a huge hole on the wing (i had visions of Tommy Scrubb as our starting SF). Still the FIBA game may not be well suited to Wiggins strengths and could maximize his weaknesses (like team defense).

Interesting development. One thing that I hope is that this signals wide commitment from the likes of Murray and SGA, potentially our two most important guards.

As for Wiggins himself, I've made it public that I'm not a fan of his game. But given the alternatives (especially with Brooks being very questionable), I'd be happy to have him in the team if he agrees to a more secondary role and leaves initiation to Murray and SGA (again, assuming they are coming) + shows commitment to team play and defense. I don't think we're in a position to give up this kind of talent at the SF (would be different if he was one of the bigs).

[Hair Canada]

The Athletic (Sam Vecenie's) final big board, with 120 players ranked:

3. Barrett
12. Clarke
16. NAW
26. Kabelgele
29. Dort
(37. Bol Bol!)
56. Iggy
60. Brissett
81. Simi
98. Shayok
108. Wigginton

HIS NOTES ON QUALITY:
Tier 1: Potential superstars (Zion)
Tier 2: Potential all-stars (Morant and RJ)
Tier 3: Potential high-end starters (4-6)
Tier 4: Upside bets (7-14)
Tier 5: Lower-level starters and rotation players (15-28)
Tier 6: Potential rotation players (29-46)
Tier 7: Interesting draftable lottery tickets (47-69)
Tier 8: Likely two-ways (70-93)
Tier 9: G League/Europe guys with two-way upside (94-120)


So if NBA teams follow his rankings/assessments, this would mean:

7 Canadians drafted, 5 in the first round (both numbers are clearly borderline).

8-10 new Canadians on NBA rosters next year (including two-way).

Seems like best-case-scenario to me.

[mojo13]

Kelly Olynyk basically signalling his intent to play:

Read on Twitter

No surprise here.

[frumble]

What y'all think of this?
I'm a little skeptical of Wiggins but hopeful that Nurse can bring the best out of him or at least relegate him to a role player if not. His talent level cant be discounted especially at the FIBA level and this addresses what could have been a huge hole on the wing (i had visions of Tommy Scrubb as our starting SF). Still the FIBA game may not be well suited to Wiggins strengths and could maximize his weaknesses (like team defense).

Given our weakness at wing I think this is good news.

[mojo13]

What y'all think of this?
I'm a little skeptical of Wiggins but hopeful that Nurse can bring the best out of him or at least relegate him to a role player if not. His talent level cant be discounted especially at the FIBA level and this addresses what could have been a huge hole on the wing (i had visions of Tommy Scrubb as our starting SF). Still the FIBA game may not be well suited to Wiggins strengths and could maximize his weaknesses (like team defense).

Given our weakness at wing I think this is good news.

I’d rather have a healthy Dillon Brooks than Wiggins, but that might not be an option.

Wiggins had one of the worst statistical seasons of any high usage player in the modern history of the NBA. Doesn’t that scare the crap out of any of you?


https://deadspin.com/andrew-wiggins-update-ah-hm-well-the-thing-is-1833135884
paceandspacehoops.com/is-andrew-wiggins-the-worst-nba-player-of-all-time/
https://www.canishoopus.com/2019/3/5/18251900/the-sad-demise-of-wiggins-island-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-andrew-wiggins

[frumble]

What y'all think of this?
I'm a little skeptical of Wiggins but hopeful that Nurse can bring the best out of him or at least relegate him to a role player if not. His talent level cant be discounted especially at the FIBA level and this addresses what could have been a huge hole on the wing (i had visions of Tommy Scrubb as our starting SF). Still the FIBA game may not be well suited to Wiggins strengths and could maximize his weaknesses (like team defense).

Given our weakness at wing I think this is good news.

I’d rather have a healthy Dillon Brooks than Wiggins, but that might not be an option.

Wiggins had one of the worst statistical seasons of any high usage player in the modern history of the NBA. Doesn’t that scare the crap out of any of you?


https://deadspin.com/andrew-wiggins-update-ah-hm-well-the-thing-is-1833135884
paceandspacehoops.com/is-andrew-wiggins-the-worst-nba-player-of-all-time/
https://www.canishoopus.com/2019/3/5/18251900/the-sad-demise-of-wiggins-island-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-andrew-wiggins

I agree there is some risk, but if the other likely options are Thomas Scrubb, Dyshawn Pierre, and Jevohn Shepherd, then, yeah, I think Wiggins is an upgrade.

[Mirotic12]

Team France 15 man prelim roster announced:

Heurtel – Albicy – Ntilikina
De Colo – Fournier – Lacombe
Batum – Toupane – L.Cabarrot
Labeyrie – M’Baye – Moerman
Gobert – Lessort – Poirier

https://sportando.basketball/en/france-name-15-man-preliminary-roster-for-fiba-basketball-world-cup/

As a reminder we cross over to France's pool in the 2nd round (if we make it) and may need to beat them to get into the 1/4 finals. So for it is looking like France, Australia and Lithuania are preparing for China with pretty much full strength roster.

Mirotic/Ucanwill - Anyone of importance missing here for France? Whats your guess on a starting line-up / key players? I am not the biggest aficionado of French bball - but did my best at a depth chart above. Lauvergne is injured, Parker and Diaw have retired. Ajinça? Beaubois? Mahinmi? Séraphin? Noah? Or are they nowadays all just not really good enough for this team? I think there was issues with Ajiinca not getting alone with Parker/Diaw in the past, who still hold some sway.
This seems a good but definitely not unbeatable team to Canada. Would love to have seen Gobert missing - he is really the only intimidating piece.


EDIT - France announced 9 reserve players as well. Reserve players :
Théo Maledon – Alexandre Chassang - Moustapha Fall – Edwin Jackson – Lahaou Konate – Elie Okobo – Yakuba Ouattara – Léo Westermann – Guerschon Yabusele

Researching a rotation more, in backcourt obviously it will be Heurtel, De Colo, Fournier, Batum as the main 4. I can see Ntilikina not even making the team he is so bad on offense. Gobert is obvious with Poirier his main back-up. I'm lost at PF and could use some help there. Moerman it think had a better season an gets the nod?

I would guess that their top 10-12 depth chart would look something like this:

De Colo / Heurtel / Albicy or Okobo
Fournier / Ntilikina or Westermann or Jackson
Batum / Toupane or Westermann
Moerman / whomever, maybe Labeyrie
Gobert / Poirier / Lessort

Ntilikina isn't very good and neither is Toupane, but their coach usually favors any player that has played in NBA. Power forward position is kind of weak, although Moerman is an OK player. It's one of the weaker teams they have had in recent years. I would still say that talent wise it's comparable to Australia's team though, which people here are just endlessly raving about.

[mojo13]

Read on Twitter

?s=20


Around and around we go.


From the athletic article.

“A report on Monday cited Team Canada GM Rowan Barrett claiming that Wiggins had committed to play for the national team in the FIBA World Cup later this summer in China.
There appears to be, at minimum, some miscommunication on that front. Wiggins has not committed to play internationally this summer, league sources told The Athletic on Tuesday. Wiggins has been spending his time working out and hanging out with his infant daughter and has had no conversations with the national team about playing.

This episode will only contribute to the complicated history between Wiggins and Team Canada. The one-time face of the nation’s growing basketball profile last participated with the national team in 2015, when both Vanterpool and Bryan Gates, who was added to Saunders’ staff on Monday, were on the coaching staff.

In the past, Wiggins has said he declined to participate in national team activities because he was focusing on his own game. He expressed disappointment in April that Jay Triano is no longer the coach.

While saying he was open to the idea of playing for Team Canada in April, he said then that the decision would ultimately be up to him. And, sources say, he has definitely not decided to play.”

[frumble]

Looks like six cuts have been made to the U19 team - roster down to 13 for upcoming exhibition games.

http://www.basketball.ca/en/news-article/13-athletes-selected-for-exhibition-games-ahead-of-fiba-u19-bask

The six players who didn't make it are:
Darius DeAveiro
Benjamin Krikke
Malachi Ndur
Wheza Panzo
Luka Sakota
Connor Vreeken

Panzo and Vreeken were on the U18 team at the Americas last summer.
Sakota and Krikke were on the U17 team at the Worlds last summer (and I believe Ndur was in camp but didn't make the final roster).

HairCanada,
Any surprises here?

Thanks.

[Hair Canada]

Looks like six cuts have been made to the U19 team - roster down to 13 for upcoming exhibition games.

http://www.basketball.ca/en/news-article/13-athletes-selected-for-exhibition-games-ahead-of-fiba-u19-bask

The six players who didn't make it are:
Darius DeAveiro
Benjamin Krikke
Malachi Ndur
Wheza Panzo
Luka Sakota
Connor Vreeken

Panzo and Vreeken were on the U18 team at the Americas last summer.
Sakota and Krikke were on the U17 team at the Worlds last summer (and I believe Ndur was in camp but didn't make the final roster).

HairCanada,
Any surprises here?

Thanks.

Not many. DeAveiro is a 2021 and really not at this level yet (I actually doubt he'll get there; not sure why he was even invited to begin with). Krikke also a year younger. Nice player but limited long-term potential and not better than any of the bigs that made it. Ndur I thought might have made it, but again he's not better than Samuel or Ambrose-Hylton at the 4. Both Panzo and Vreeken were on the team last year, but both did not make much of an impression and seemed very expendable. Sakota is the one guy I would probably keep (I like his game and he also looked good in previous FIBA tournaments and has some important experience). But again, he would be a bench player and I can see the logic in giving some experience to a younger guy like Primo (class of 2021), who should be one of the leaders on next year's U18 team.

As a whole, not super excited about this team. Without Barrett (easy to forget he's still eligible for this), Nembhard, Miller, and Patterson, plus guys like Scott, Ongenda, Caston, Edwards, and Taryn Todd, it's clearly not the best team we can put forward. And the talent level really drops significantly after the first 4 I've mentioned).

Will still be interesting to follow a couple of the guys -- Lawson, of course, who should be the focal point on offense, Mane, Alexnder-Moncrieffe, and Neath. The backcourt is certainly interesting and should be able to compete well. The frontcourt not so much it seems to me. Overall, with what teams like Spain, Serbia, France, and Latvia are going to bring, I wouldn't say we're medal favorites, although it's certainly not impossible.

Maybe I'll write some more before the beginning of the tournament.

[mojo13]

Mfiondu Kabengele was just invited to the Green Room - the 23rd invite so this likely puts him in the 21-26 range give or take.

Clarke, NAW and Barrett will all be there as well.

Interestingly the Knicks are working out Garland today which could be a sign Barrett could be bumped from the three spot (doubtful though).

[frumble]

Mfiondu Kabengele was just invited to the Green Room - the 23rd invite so this likely puts him in the 21-26 range give or take.

Clarke, NAW and Barrett will all be there as well.

Interestingly the Knicks are working out Garland today which could be a sign Barrett could be bumped from the three spot (doubtful though).

Latest SI Mock has:
Barrett 3
NAW 16
Clarke 17
Kabengele 23
Dort 35
Brazdeikis 57

[Mattd97]

I really think shi-ttu is a gem at 59

[super_balls]

I really think shi-ttu is a gem at 59

I’ll be really happy if Masai goes with Simi Shittu or Daquan Jeffries or Cody Martin (if he slips)

[Hair Canada]

An article on JR Barrett, but also with some speculation on the Canadian team for the WC.

Highlights:

"If Canada is to qualify for Tokyo, it will have to do so without Barrett. As is common practice with rookies looking to play internationally, NBA responsibilities are the priority, namely Summer League."

"Rowan Sr. announced earlier this week that Andrew Wiggins will play at the World Cup, while going on to say that no one he has asked to play has said no yet. Presumably, that would mean Jamal Murray, Cory Joseph, Tristan Thompson, and Kelly Olynyk, all established NBA players, are in."

https://www.app.com/story/sports/nba/2019/06/19/nba-draft-knicks-rj-barrett/1483285001/