Team Canada Basketball Thread V2.0

[JABRoy]

MY HYPOTHETICAL TEAM (2019)
...and potential new players in 2020

Starting Five:
J.Murray ‘97 NBA
S.Alexander ‘98 NBA
A.Wiggins ‘95 NBA
T.Lyles ‘95 NBA
T.Thompson ‘91 NBA
Bench
C.Joseph ‘91 NBA
Rj Barrett ‘00 NCAA
N.Stauskas ‘93 NBA
D.Brooks ‘96 NBA
D.Powell ‘91 NBA
K.Olynik ‘91 NBA
K.Birch ‘92 NBA

Potential new entry
K. Pangos ‘93 EL
L.Dort ‘99 NCAA
N.Alexander-Walker ‘98 NCAA
I. Brazdeikis ‘99 NCAA
M. Kabengele ‘97 NCAA
S. Shittu ‘99 NCAA
K. Alexander ‘96 NCAA
C. Boucher ‘93 2-WAY

[Hair Canada]

A very good night for our NCAA guys:

NAW with 25 points (equals his season high), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals

Wiggy with 27 points (season high) and two steals

Shayok with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists (the stability in his production is something else; he scored 17-26 points in all but two of Iowa State's 21 games this season).

Isiaha Mike with 25 (career high) and 7 rebounds, shooting 5-7 from 3 (5-5 in the previous game, which he finished with 20). He's been really good lately. Hope his game is starting to catch up to his talent.

Nembhard with 12 points, 6 assists, 4 steals and a big three-pointer in OT that all but sealed the deal for Florida

[rapsdotcom]

A very good night for our NCAA guys:

NAW with 25 points (equals his season high), 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals

Wiggy with 27 points (season high) and two steals

Shayok with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists (the stability in his production is something else; he scored 17-26 points in all but two of Iowa State's 21 games this season).

Isiaha Mike with 25 (career high) and 7 rebounds, shooting 5-7 from 3 (5-5 in the previous game, which he finished with 20). He's been really good lately. Hope his game is starting to catch up to his talent.

Nembhard with 12 points, 6 assists, 4 steals and a big three-pointer in OT that all but sealed the deal for Florida

I really like watching NAW play. He's a stud at this level and I hope his game will translate to the league. He's super smooth but not very explosive, so it will be interesting to see how he's viewed as a prospect. His shooting, wingspan and playmaking ability will no doubt be looked upon favourably.

[frumble]

That's two great games in a row for Wigginton (his two best of the season). Let's hope this is the start of a good, long run for him.

[Hair Canada]

That's two great games in a row for Wigginton (his two best of the season). Let's hope this is the start of a good, long run for him.

Yes. But let's also hope that he doesn't revert back to his old ways of having more TOs than assists as he had in this game. That's been a major knock on him as a lead guard prospect, which is what his size suggests at the NBA.

[aminiaturebuddha]

I just want to bump this thread as there's a lot of discussion of Barrett and NAW on the first page. Maybe we should move all the discussions back to this thread so it's all in one place.

[mojo13]

I don’t mind those threads running their course. It brings in some other voices as well.

Back to Team Canada....three weeks out from the final window. The results matter for seeding in the WC.
Considering the past and current avaialbity the mostly likely player pool seems as follows:

Phil Scrubb
XRM
Kaza Keane
Aaron Best
Brady Heslip
Duane Notice
Thomas Scrubb
Dyshawn Pierre
Melvin Ejim
Kyle Wiltjer
Conor Morgan
Anthony Bennett
Kyle Landry
J. Anthony

We may see a surprise addition here or there, but this group knows the system, has shown commitment and all played recently.

[mojo13]

Nik Stauskas traded to Cleveland.
Maybe TT can lock him down to play for Canada this summer.
I’d assume he is a bit of coin toss despite his stated desire to play. He’ll be a FA with not too many suitors.

[SharoneWright]

Kabengele 18 and 8 tonight, including 4/4 from 3 in a win over 'Cuse.

Brissett 16 and 12 in the L.

[BilboBanginz]

Roster for the Final Window Announced:
https://www.basketball.ca/en/news-article/roster-announced-for-sixth-window-of-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2

Guards:
Aaron Best
Brady Heslip
Kaza-Kajami-Keane
Mychal Mulder
Adika Peter-McNeilly
Phil Scrubb

Wings:
Melvin Ejim
Thomas Scrubb

Bigs:
Joel Anthony
Kyle Landry
Conor Morgan
Kyle Wiltjer

[TrueNorth31]

Thanks Bilbo.

Notice, Pierre and Kadre Gray out - Ejim and McNeilly back in and former Kentucky player Mike Mulder added.

Solid roster. I'm not surprised Mulder is the lone G-League guy. This is the time of year guys get 10 day call ups so I'm sure that's the focus of XRM and Bennett.

Glad to see J.D. Jackson still involved as a coach. He's a former national team player and was a long time head coach in the top domestic league in France and is in-between gigs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Jackson_(basketball)

[WellYouKnow]

Happy to see Mulder get a shot. He's been pretty good for the Bulls G league team.

[aminiaturebuddha]

Ejim's commitment to the team recently has been extremely impressive and commendable. He might have made it on the strength of his talent and fit alone, but if not, his dedication to the program should assure him of a place on the World Cup team for this summer. You always want a few guys on the team who are passionate about the team and the overall goal.

They also need to find a place for Joel Anthony somewhere in the program. I think he's about 10th on the depth chart for big men to be on the World Cup team, but he deserves a "thank you" position of some kind in the organization.

Heslip is another one who consistently shows up. Despite his limitations in almost every facet of the game when his shot isn't falling, I could also see him making the roster in the summer.

[mojo13]

Ejim's commitment to the team recently has been extremely impressive and commendable. He might have made it on the strength of his talent and fit alone, but if not, his dedication to the program should assure him of a place on the World Cup team for this summer. You always want a few guys on the team who are passionate about the team and the overall goal.

They also need to find a place for Joel Anthony someone in the program. I don't think he's about 10th on the depth chart to be on the World Cup team, but he deserves a "thank you" position of some kind in the organization.

Heslip is another one who consistently shows up. Despite his limitations in almost every facet of the game when his shot isn't falling, I could also see him making the roster in the summer.

I think we are going to see 3 to 5 of these guys on the summer roster.
Ejim I think is almost a lock...seems most here agree on that. He is a great swiss army knife role player that has a place on a full turnout team.
Tommy Scrubb is having a fantastic season in Italy - really expanded his offenisve game (always a great defender) and I think is actually fairly high up on our SF depth chart.
Heslip has a role as a deep role player and I can see him finding his way on the team depending on who shows up (I wouldn't be that happy about it though as it would mean we are missing much better options.

Phil Scrubb and Kyle Wiltjer could easily make the team depending on who else shows.


I still think the only really committed NBA guys we can rely on are Olynyk, CoJo, Powell and TT. Committed guys, played in the past no known contract or injury issues etc. I'd be surprised if any of those four did not play. Khem Birch, I'd add... but has some doubt due to his FA status. EDIT: CoJo is a UFA, I forgot about that....but I think he will be signed quickly and will figure out a way he can play.

Murray is an unknown and seems regularly banged up in the summer. He seems to want to play but we don't know what the Nugs or his agents think. SGA I have my doubts as well - young and prized by the Clips who are known to not be supportive of their guys playing FIBA. I'd throw Brooks in here in this "less than certain" group due to his injury.

Stuaskas I'd consider 50/50. At least he said publicly he want to play, but will be dealing with FA status in the summer and likely a new team (or even a whole new league/country). His FA status could easily drag out.

Lyles and Wiggins are low probability until proven otherwise.

Pangos I think wants to play...Tyler Ennis is uncertain due to injury. Boucher, Long, Barrett all seem uncertain and no better than many guys on this roster. Bennett.... Nicholson...who knows? and maybe no better than Ejim, Witljer etc.. Take it all in and I think we see 3-5 from this current roster on the WC team.

I really like this roster by the way and expect a 2-0 sweep. It looks like the best non-NBA team we have put together. I love the dedication of these guys...huge props.

[TrueNorth31]

I'd have to say I agree with your take Mojo as to potential roster players from the qualifications being in play for the Worlds.

In terms of Murray the situation is as follows. This is the summer Denver can extend him to a long term contract. They seem to like him and want to retain his services.The earliest they can do this is in July, but they can negotiate right up until just before the start of the season then the window closes. Last summer they extended Jokic on July 9/18 - so they didn't dick him around. If they choose to grind Murray for a lower contract they may not sign him until the end of October training camp ( this is the route they went with Gary Harris). This happened to Tristan Thompson as well , and he wasn't subsequently available for the 2015 Mexico qualifications.

Denver has a pretty clean cap sheet moving forward and hopefully they don't want to risk alienating a young star player so I'm optimistic his extension will get done early. Murray is on the record as to wanting to play for Canada if his contract situation is resolved.

[aminiaturebuddha]

I just edited my post because I realize I wrote it quickly and my sentences concerning Anthony made no sense. Sorry.

I'd agree with your take mojo, and actually I think it's not necessarily a bad thing for the team. Some of those guys might understand their role and play complementary basketball more than someone like Wiggins would, for example.

Also, it sends a great message for future qualifying games, that if you show up and play hard, you have a chance of getting a spot on the team, and won't just be replaced by the basketball equivalent of a carpetbagger from the NBA.

I'm a little more confident than you are about SGA. He's under control for a few more years by the Clippers, so there aren't any contract issues there. Also, he's been pretty committed and vocal about his interest in playing for Canada in the past. The Clippers are going into an off-season where they're going to be making pitches to big free agents. They won't want to be seen as a non-player friendly team.

My biggest question will be about Barrett. Incoming NBA rookies rarely play in the FIBA events, but there are a few things he'll have going for him, including the fact that it is later in the summer, and by that time he'll have already signed his entry deal, and the timing won't conflict with any NBA summer league games. I think if he's available and interested he'll be on the team, especially since I'm assuming Wiggins and Brooks won't be there, and he can slide over to a SF slot pretty easily in international ball.

[mojo13]

I really hope you are right with SGA. I'd just love for him to be on this team - he'd be a huge add.
However I think clubs (and agents) hold a tremendous amount of sway over their players and the Clippers seem to have a Cuban-esque ""F-FIBA" attitude and history. Boban, Teodosic and Gallinari all skipped out this summer - despite a couple of them publicly announcing they intended to play. Perhaps injuries crept in and were legit reasons to skip out on what was not the most important summer for NT duty. The Nuggets have exerted pressure on Jokic already, and I expect they do the same to Murray (like the Bucks have done with Giannis). Now the WC creates amore important offseason and players will push their clubs harder to play, but don't expect these clubs to be supportive (yes they can't bar guys from playing, but who really wants to piss off their employer that badly?). Then there is the agent wildcard too - loads of stories of them pressing young stars not to play before the big payday.

I'm not saying Murray or SGA are unlikely to play - just that they are far from locks. Each maybe a little better than a coin toss? (IDK).
Worse for Murray is he seems to be always a little banged up and that is a great excuse to be held out of NT duty.

[WellYouKnow]

Anybody think theres a chance we start Wiltjer and Ejim together in the frontcourt?

They're our 2 best players so I'd like to see it given a shot, but Anthony is probably still better defensively at the 5 than either.

I'd like to see something like
Scrubb
Best
Scrubb
Ejim
Wiltjer

But i imagine we'll continue to see a 3 guard line up with Anthony starting at the 5.

[mojo13]

Anybody think theres a chance we start Wiltjer and Ejim together in the frontcourt?

They're our 2 best players so I'd like to see it given a shot, but Anthony is probably still better defensively at the 5 than either.

I'd like to see something like
Scrubb
Best
Scrubb
Ejim
Wiltjer

But i imagine we'll continue to see a 3 guard line up with Anthony starting at the 5.

As you say, Anthony likely starts with Wiltjer first off the bench. He will still get plenty of minutes and likely will be a leading scorer.

Venezuela just announced their roster. The 12 chosen: David Cubillán (Trotamundos de Carabobo), Gregory Vargas (Guaros de Lara), Heissler Guillent (Guaros de Lara), Yohanner Sifontes (Guaros de Lara), Elder Giménez (Titans of Barranquilla), José Vargas (Guaros de Lara ), José Materán (Weber Bahía Basket), Javinger Vargas (Spanish from Talca), Luis Bethelmy (Guaros de Lara), Miguel Ruiz (Club Trouville), Néstor Colmenares (Guaros de Lara) and Windi Graterol (Universe Brasilia). In case of any eventuality, Edwin Mijares (Deportivo Viedma) and César García (Barcelona of Guayaquil) were left in reserve.

Seems mostly the same with maybe two new names? Looks like they are pushing to win the pool. Sucks for DR as Argentina left their three best players off their roster.



Aaaaaand... Nik Stauskas traded to the Rockets. Could be a solid fit.

[WellYouKnow]

No Echenique for Venezuela?

That could be huge. He was they're only player with legit center size from what I remember and has gave us trouble in the past

I believe he's their only guy who plays abroad