Team Canada Basketball Thread

[slothrop8]

Actually, there's a really simple and much more just solution for this. If you want 7 teams out of the Americas (as is the case), just have the fourth-place teams face each other in a neutral location. A total point differential system is always a source of problems and weird happenings. But does anyone really expect FIBA to come up with a reasonable solution?

That is a very good solution. I could even live with the team with the better record or differential of the two 4th place teams getting to host that hypothetical game. It would be fun and meaningful. For the Americas especially it's such a disadvantage being in the same group as the USA - they are going to hang losses on everyone - the ones without their NBA guys are going to be lopsided, and the ones with their NBA guys are going to completely obliterate your point differential. It's very unfair for the 4th place team in their combined group - you've got two guaranteed hellacious beatings on your record you have to overcome. A chance to at least play the 4th place team from the other side would be much more reasonable. Agreed that it's unsurprising FIBA didn't come up with that though.

[aminiaturebuddha]

Actually, there's a really simple and much more just solution for this. If you want 7 teams out of the Americas (as is the case), just have the fourth-place teams face each other in a neutral location. A total point differential system is always a source of problems and weird happenings. But does anyone really expect FIBA to come up with a reasonable solution?

Yes, this is clearly the easiest solution, which is also consistent with the goal of generating more interest, and would generate more revenue, but it seems far too logical for FIBA.

[aminiaturebuddha]

I've mentioned him before a couple of times, but I just wanted to take a moment to recognize how great of a senior season Trae Bell-Haynes is having.

He's led Vermont to a 25-6 record, and they're dominating the America East Conference at 15-1. And that's with their leading scorer Anthony Lamb having missed 17 games with injury. Bell-Haynes has definitely led the way with 14.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, and 3.9 apg on .515 FG%.

It seems the only negative is that his 3-pt % has dropped each year of his college career, something he'll definitely need to work on as he moves to a pro-league next year.

I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the NCAA against some tough competition to see how he fares. The only game I've seen him play this year against top-level talent was against Kentucky earlier in the year, and he had a decent game with 16 points and 5 assists, but seemed to struggle a little bit against the length of SGA at times.

I don't think he's an NBA level talent, especially if he can't become more consistent on his 3-pt shooting, but he's a very solid player, a great team leader, and someone that I think Basketball Canada really needs to make sure they bring into the fold for added PG depth.

[frumble]

I've mentioned him before a couple of times, but I just wanted to take a moment to recognize how great of a senior season Trae Bell-Haynes is having.
...
I don't think he's an NBA level talent, especially if he can't become more consistent on his 3-pt shooting, but he's a very solid player, a great team leader, and someone that I think Basketball Canada really needs to make sure they bring into the fold for added PG depth.

Who else in college now is a realistic possibility for summer 2019 (assuming we qualify).

Assuming he comes out this draft, SGA would have an NBA season under his belt and might be available.

Assuming the other notable freshmen (NAW, Wigginton, and Brissett) are two and done, they will have just been drafted (along with Barrett and Jackson) and, presumably, would be unavailable.

So, not counting guys those guys, anyone else who has a realistic chance of being considered for the team, assuming decent participation by our current pros?

SGA? Bell-Haynes? Kassius Robertson? Koby McEwen? Kyle Alexander? Anyone else?

[Hair Canada]

I've mentioned him before a couple of times, but I just wanted to take a moment to recognize how great of a senior season Trae Bell-Haynes is having.
...
I don't think he's an NBA level talent, especially if he can't become more consistent on his 3-pt shooting, but he's a very solid player, a great team leader, and someone that I think Basketball Canada really needs to make sure they bring into the fold for added PG depth.

Who else in college now is a realistic possibility for summer 2019 (assuming we qualify).

Assuming he comes out this draft, SGA would have an NBA season under his belt and might be available.

Assuming the other notable freshmen (NAW, Wigginton, and Brissett) are two and done, they will have just been drafted (along with Barrett and Jackson) and, presumably, would be unavailable.

So, not counting guys those guys, anyone else who has a realistic chance of being considered for the team, assuming decent participation by our current pros?

SGA? Bell-Haynes? Kassius Robertson? Koby McEwen? Kyle Alexander? Anyone else?

Yes, I think definitely SGA. Maybe also Bell-Haynes and Robertson, although I would probably prefer to go with guys like Pangos and Scrubb outside the NBA -- more experience as pros and with the FIBA system.

From the younger ones, I'd maybe add (at least) two Usports (CIS) guys to the mix, depending on how they develop as pros:

Manny Diressa has been I think Ryerson's best player (and Ryerson is one of the better team in the Usports). A really nice guard (about 6'4 I think), with some speed and good body control. Not an amazing athlete, but really solid scorer, with great shooting range and also very good vision, although he's more of a combo than a PG. I think he already got a chance to play with the national team this summer. If he can make a good jump to the pros, he might be worth looking at again.

The other player that I really like is Kadre Gray, playing for Laurentian (6'2 PG). Only a sophomore, so maybe not for this campaign, but he's been really impressive. Rookie of the year in Ontario last year, and this year he's been putting up fantastic numbers, with a couple of pretty amazing 40-point games. Second in Usports in scoring (24.4 a game), with an excellent 43% from 3 and 51% from the field, first in assists (7 a game), and top 20 in rebounds (8 a game). Laurentian is not bad, but obviously not at the level of Carleton (which is the only Canadian college that can comfortably compete with the American high-major colleges). Ryerson and Laurentides are more at the level of the American mid-majors. But so are Vermont (Bell-Haynes) and Canisius, where Kassius Robertson played until this year...

[mojo13]

Diressa and SGA have both laced it up for the SMNT in the last two years - you'd have to think they'd be leading candidates. Its amazing and bodes well that we can likely come up with a long, long list of names. But I'm with Hair on this and I'd much rather see proven FIBA veteran pros like Pangos, both Scrubbs, Pierre, Doornekamp, Wiltjer, Ejim, Nicholson, Heslip filling the holes around NBA players and likely instead of a few NBA players like Stuaskas and Ennis. Let the kids bake for a few years in the various pro leagues.

But if you are looking for NCAA names - I'll throw down the name of Brandon Clarke once again as seemingly having pro potential and maybe NBA potential depending on the how he develops this redshirt year for Gonzaga. I still think he is a most under the radar high potential guy out there that not many know about. He definitely has NBA athleticism but very weak outside shooting as of last year. I've seen a couple obscure mock drafts include him in their 2019 draft projections. I sometimes liken him to a cool indie band you found that none of your friends know about. Could be awesome, but could just as easily suck, but you overly like them because not many others know about them.

[frumble]

Yes, I think definitely SGA. Maybe also Bell-Haynes and Robertson, although I would probably prefer to go with guys like Pangos and Scrubb outside the NBA -- more experience as pros and with the FIBA system.

But I'm with Hair on this and I'd much rather see proven FIBA veteran pros like Pangos, both Scrubbs, Pierre, Doornekamp, Wiltjer, Ejim, Nicholson, Heslip filling the holes around NBA players and likely instead of a few NBA players like Stuaskas and Ennis. Let the kids bake for a few years in the various pro leagues.

Yeah, I think we are all in agreement that we have many non-NBA pros who would be far ahead of current NCAA guys.

I wasn't suggesting that guys like Robertson and SGA be ahead of guys like Pangos and Scrubb, but wondering what new guys might be in the mix if participation rates (among NBA and non-NBA pros) are similar to what they have been in the past (which forced reliance on guys much lower on the depth chart than Pangos and Scrubb).

[aminiaturebuddha]

Dwight Powell with possibly the best game of his NBA career tonight in a one-point overtime loss to the Thunder. 21 points (on 10 of 13 shooting), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He hit the bucket that tied it up to send the game to overtime. But also strangely was only 1 for 6 on his free throws in the game. Still, nice to see what he's capable of.

[slothrop8]

But if you are looking for NCAA names - I'll throw down the name of Brandon Clarke once again as seemingly having pro potential and maybe NBA potential depending on the how he develops this redshirt year for Gonzaga. I still think he is a most under the radar high potential guy out there that not many know about. He definitely has NBA athleticism but very weak outside shooting as of last year. I've seen a couple obscure mock drafts include him in their 2019 draft projections. I sometimes liken him to a cool indie band you found that none of your friends know about. Could be awesome, but could just as easily suck, but you overly like them because not many others know about them.

I think you're very safe to throw your support behind Clarke - he's not going to suck. The Mountain West is a good league and he was 1st team and 1st team defense as a soph and has now sat for a season and worked on his game in one of the better developmental programs in all of NCAA hoops at Gonzaga. Their leading scorer and rebounder graduates and Clarke is going to fill that role and likely be a star for them right out of the gate. They'll be a top 10, maybe even top 5 calibre team next year and will have every opportunity to make a deep tourney run and Clarke is going to front and centre.

[Hair Canada]

Dwight Powell with possibly the best game of his NBA career tonight in a one-point overtime loss to the Thunder. 21 points (on 10 of 13 shooting), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He hit the bucket that tied it up to send the game to overtime. But also strangely was only 1 for 6 on his free throws in the game. Still, nice to see what he's capable of.

Yes, he was great. He is now a starter for Dallas (if you think about it, the only other Canadian starters are Wiggins, Murray, and Brooks), and rightfully so. In February he put up 14.2 points (shooting a great 62% from the field and fantastic from the line, except for this last game) and 8.4 rebounds, adding 2 assists and a steal per game. These are certainly the numbers of a starting center in this league, which is the position he now plays at, alongside Dirk. I would even say a GOOD starting center. Yes, it's only Dallas, but still, quite surprising given what he's shown in his first 4 seasons in the league.

[aminiaturebuddha]

Dwight Powell with possibly the best game of his NBA career tonight in a one-point overtime loss to the Thunder. 21 points (on 10 of 13 shooting), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He hit the bucket that tied it up to send the game to overtime. But also strangely was only 1 for 6 on his free throws in the game. Still, nice to see what he's capable of.

Yes, he was great. He is now a starter for Dallas (if you think about it, the only other Canadian starters are Wiggins, Murray, and Brooks), and rightfully so. In February he put up 14.2 points (shooting a great 62% from the field and fantastic from the line, except for this last game) and 8.4 rebounds, adding 2 assists and a steal per game. These are certainly the numbers of a starting center in this league, which is the position he now plays at, alongside Dirk. I would even say a GOOD starting center. Yes, it's only Dallas, but still, quite surprising given what he's shown in his first 4 seasons in the league.

It's especially nice to see his assist numbers ticking upward. He was a very good passer at Stanford, where they even ran a bunch of their offensive sets through him by the time he was a senior (and averaged 3.1 assists per game), but he hasn't had a chance to show that part of his game much yet in the NBA. Hopefully he'll be able to keep it up as a starter.

Big man combo lineups of Powell-Olynyk or Powell-Lyles (and of course Olynyk-Lyles) for the national team would have very good ball movement.

[frumble]

Yes, he was great. He is now a starter for Dallas (if you think about it, the only other Canadian starters are Wiggins, Murray, and Brooks), and rightfully so. In February he put up 14.2 points (shooting a great 62% from the field and fantastic from the line, except for this last game) and 8.4 rebounds, adding 2 assists and a steal per game. These are certainly the numbers of a starting center in this league, which is the position he now plays at, alongside Dirk. I would even say a GOOD starting center. Yes, it's only Dallas, but still, quite surprising given what he's shown in his first 4 seasons in the league.

Powell has the best numbers of any Canadian this season. IMHO his development has been the best Canadian story so far this season (NBA or NCAA) (ahead of Brooks winning and keeping a starting job, and the progression of Murray and Lyles).

[Hair Canada]

Yes, he was great. He is now a starter for Dallas (if you think about it, the only other Canadian starters are Wiggins, Murray, and Brooks), and rightfully so. In February he put up 14.2 points (shooting a great 62% from the field and fantastic from the line, except for this last game) and 8.4 rebounds, adding 2 assists and a steal per game. These are certainly the numbers of a starting center in this league, which is the position he now plays at, alongside Dirk. I would even say a GOOD starting center. Yes, it's only Dallas, but still, quite surprising given what he's shown in his first 4 seasons in the league.

Powell has the best numbers of any Canadian this season. IMHO his development has been the best Canadian story so far this season (NBA or NCAA) (ahead of Brooks winning and keeping a starting job, and the progression of Murray and Lyles).

Agreed. Particularly interesting to compare him with Nerlens Noel. Powell signed a three-year deal this summer for less than 10mil a year (last year player option). When he signed it, many actually considered it an overpay and a bad deal by Dallas. Noel, at the same time, was offered a 70+ million contract for 4 years--about 18mil a year--and turned it down (is that the worse decision ever by a player? No one is going to offer him anything even close this summer). Since then Noel has been mainly injured and disappointing when he does play (4 points, 4 rebounds a game) and Powell is getting better by the month...

[mojo13]

Yes, he was great. He is now a starter for Dallas (if you think about it, the only other Canadian starters are Wiggins, Murray, and Brooks), and rightfully so. In February he put up 14.2 points (shooting a great 62% from the field and fantastic from the line, except for this last game) and 8.4 rebounds, adding 2 assists and a steal per game. These are certainly the numbers of a starting center in this league, which is the position he now plays at, alongside Dirk. I would even say a GOOD starting center. Yes, it's only Dallas, but still, quite surprising given what he's shown in his first 4 seasons in the league.

Powell has the best numbers of any Canadian this season. IMHO his development has been the best Canadian story so far this season (NBA or NCAA) (ahead of Brooks winning and keeping a starting job, and the progression of Murray and Lyles).

Agreed. Particularly interesting to compare him with Nerlens Noel. Powell signed a three-year deal this summer for less than 10mil a year (last year player option). When he signed it, many actually considered it an overpay and a bad deal by Dallas. Noel, at the same time, was offered a 70+ million contract for 4 years--about 18mil a year--and turned it down (is that the worse decision ever by a player? No one is going to offer him anything even close this summer). Since then Noel has been mainly injured and disappointing when he does play (4 points, 4 rebounds a game) and Powell is getting better by the month...

This provides a good detailed look at Powell and how much he has improved:
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2018/2/27/17057074/dallas-mavericks-dwight-powell-is-good

Keep in mind he is succeeding in a very specific role (elite rim running, PnR finisher) and is very reliant on the players around him. He also still has some serious deficiencies (not much of an outside shot, subpar rim protector, ok rebounder). It would be interesting to see if he could be utilized like this for Team Canada - I can see Olynyk and/or Murray gelling well with him.

Great thing is he seem very interested and invested in Team Canada. Always rumors that he is at camps even when he is unable to play. He was big on Tweeting about the u19 win and other things like that.

[frumble]

This provides a good detailed look at Powell and how much he has improved:
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2018/2/27/17057074/dallas-mavericks-dwight-powell-is-good

Keep in mind he is succeeding in a very specific role (elite rim running, PnR finisher) and is very reliant on the players around him. He also still has some serious deficiencies (not much of an outside shot, subpar rim protector, ok rebounder). It would be interesting to see if he could be utilized like this for Team Canada - I can see Olynyk and/or Murray gelling well with him.

Great thing is he seem very interested and invested in Team Canada. Always rumors that he is at camps even when he is unable to play. He was big on Tweeting about the u19 win and other things like that.

Interesting article - thanks for posting.

Re Olynyk and Powell, my recollection is that they played very well together for Canada on an exhibition tour in southeastern Europe during one of those summers when we had no meaningful games (probably 2014). I can't find any boxscores from those games, but my recollection is they had good chemistry and I was (and still am) really looking forward to seeing that combination in games that matter.

[Hair Canada]

Look at that from Wigginton. Growing on me by the game.

Watch on YouTube

[RaptorsLife]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

finally made nba roster

[mojo13]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

finally made nba roster

Great news for XRM!

And there seems to have been truth to the rumor that he passed on Team Canada as he was expecting a call up. Great to see.


What do you guys think about his ability to stick? He seems to have the size (really good rebounder) and defensive ability for the NBA, but his long distance shooting is still a work in progress and perhaps his play making skills are still under developed? A more constant three point shot and I think he could stick.

[Hair Canada]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

finally made nba roster

Great news for XRM!

And there seems to have been truth to the rumor that he passed on Team Canada as he was expecting a call up. Great to see.


What do you guys think about his ability to stick? He seems to have the size (really good rebounder) and defensive ability for the NBA, but his long distance shooting is still a work in progress and perhaps his play making skills are still under developed? A more constant three point shot and I think he could stick.

I agree. It's good news, but in order to carve out a permanent spot, he'll definitely need to shoot better. That said, Memphis is probably one of the best options for him. They really don't have much in terms of leading PGs with Conley out. And there's another Canadian there, so that might also help.

[aminiaturebuddha]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

finally made nba roster

Great news for XRM!

And there seems to have been truth to the rumor that he passed on Team Canada as he was expecting a call up. Great to see.


What do you guys think about his ability to stick? He seems to have the size (really good rebounder) and defensive ability for the NBA, but his long distance shooting is still a work in progress and perhaps his play making skills are still under developed? A more constant three point shot and I think he could stick.

I agree. It's good news, but in order to carve out a permanent spot, he'll definitely need to shoot better. That said, Memphis is probably one of the best options for him. They really don't have much in terms of leading PGs with Conley out. And there's another Canadian there, so that might also help.

Well, they gave him 26 minutes tonight in his debut to see what he had. Looks like he responded fairly well. 8 pts, 2 rbs, 5 asts. Nothing extraordinary, but a solid debut. You're right, Memphis might be a perfect spot for him.

I really like the fact that a few of the Canadians in the NBA are getting a chance to play together - Murray and Lyles, and now Brooks and XRM. Hopefully this just helps build camaraderie and familiarity that'll come in handy in future national teams when there's so little time to build cohesion before the tournaments.