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We've had threads for the Olympics and FIBA events in the past. I'd love to have one central place for all things international hoops.

Two points of discussion:

1) Assuming Howard and CP3 resolve their contract situations before next summer, I think the US Olympic team in London could be the best ever -- better than the original dream team, given the stage of everyone's respective careers:

Wade, Lebron, Kobe, Howard, CP3, Durant, Rose, Melo, are all probably locks in your top 8. Then mix in some combo of Bosh, Chandler, Love, Deron, Westbrook, Allen, Pierce, Curry, etc. = completely unstoppable.


2) Hypothetically, if the NBA were to do a super cool "USA vs. The World" exhibition at/for next year's All-Star game, who is on your international team? The pool is large than ever.

PG's: Nash, Parker
SG: Manu, Ben Gordon, Rudy
SF; Batum, Deng
PF: Dirk, Ibaka, Pau, Nene
C: Marc Gasol, Noah, Bogut

I think if you put a team together of 12 of those guys and gave them a few weeks to practice, they could give the americans a tough matchup.

Well, with the usual grain of salt that it doesn't matter how much talent you have, if you don't have enough practice time together you're going to lose, doesn't matter who's on your team.

That is a whole heckuva lotta talent on one team though.

Does anyone know if the Eurocamp is televised? No time to Google it now.

It's not free to watch, but the FIBA U19 Championship games are July 8-10 and the U.S. does have a team that's playing in warm-ups now.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketba ... 9691_x.htm

Our roster.
http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/u19/1 ... _adds.html

Link to watch games.
http://www.fibatv.com/page/Home/0,,12805,00.html

U.S. sneaks-past Lithuania 107-105, Jonas with another dominant performance putting-up 30 pts, 15 rebs, 4 blocks. 11/20 FG, 8/10 FT. Hibbert & Jonas both nabbed one pick ahead of us

Anyone think that France could be a threat to defending champs Spain at Eurobasket?
Spain has the front court advantage with the Gasol brothers

Ricky Rubio
Rudy Fernandez
Pau Gasol
Marc Gasol
Victor Claver
Calderon
Navarro
Serge Ibaka
Felipe Reyes
San Emeterio
Sergio Llull

But i'd give France the edge with their back court

Tony Parker
Roddy Beobois
Mickael Pietrus
Boris Diaw
Joakim Noah
Ian Mahinmi
Nicalos Batum
Ronny Turiaf

I've been trying to find an opportunity to strut and preen about this and, international hoops being the source of that urge, I'm doing it here.

In the past few weeks both Jonas Valanciunas and Nikola Mirotic have just been stupid good in international competition. Now who could have seen that coming?

Why Hoop, that's who! Congratulations Hoopalotta for being our Prescient Posting Predictor of Draft Thread '11, please claim your prize pack when you stop saying nice things about foreigners dunking on good wholesome American baskets.

Psssh, ya'll think I can't tell a good tall white sportsman from a bad one? If it's absent melatonin I am ownin' all the right insights.

Ed Wood wrote:I've been trying to find an opportunity to strut and preen about this and, international hoops being the source of that urge, I'm doing it here.

In the past few weeks both Jonas Valanciunas and Nikola Mirotic have just been stupid good in international competition. Now who could have seen that coming?

Why Hoop, that's who! Congratulations Hoopalotta for being our Prescient Posting Predictor of Draft Thread '11, please claim your prize pack when you stop saying nice things about foreigners dunking on good wholesome American baskets.

Psssh, ya'll think I can't tell a good tall white sportsman from a bad one? If it's absent melatonin I am ownin' all the right insights.

All one had to do was trust the experts. Chad Ford, SI, Givony, & Draf.net all had Jonas ranked Top-5 on their board, I think Givony had Jonas as the #2 prospect at one point. Mirotic was also ranked pretty high and was taken @ 23 despite the 3-year wait.

The boards were very skeptical about the unknown Jonas, but props to Hoopalotta (RIP, where is he? ), he was out-front early on Jonas when there was a lot of skepticism expressed about him. By draft-day things had turned around and most here were hoping that Jonas would slip to the Wiz.

Spain vs Lithuania is streaming now If anyone is passing-through here right now.
http://www.lshunter.tv/basketball-live- ... video.html

Eurobasket is underway, some of the games will be on ESPN360 and FIBA TV.
http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2011/8/31/2 ... any-israel

FIBA Americas too. There's some good ball out there right now (with actual coaches, defense, etc) and a decent sprinkling of NBA'ers too.

Italy vs Germany as well. Watching on SKY in the UK.

Unfortunately basketball is extremely unpopular in London, so can't watch at most pubs.

I love watching Euro ball, but wow the lack of athleticism and speed really is astounding. Gallinari looks like the most athletic guy out there by far, and in the NBA it's typically the exact opposite.

Germany vs France coming-up soon on ESPN 360, mayber we'll see Kevin today.
http://espn.go.com/extra/fiba/europe/schedule

Italy vs France today was great, a ton of NBA talent on the floor.

Gallinari
Bargnani
Belinelli
Noah
Batum
Parker
Diaw
Florent Pietrus (Mickael's brother...think he had a little NBA time)
Gelabale

Spain and France seem to be the top teams by far..........but I think Spain takes the crown pretty easily. Having both Gasol brothers down low puts them pretty far ahead of France. There WILL be a lot of Seraphin vs either Gasol which spells disaster for France.

Too bad, I'd like France to win.

Nice come from behind victory for France, Kevin WILL be needed for dirty-work down-low and his fouls on-occasion. Agree Induveca.

Terrible leg fracture suffered today by Edgar Sosa in the last few seconds of Dominican Republic over Panama today. Very reminiscent of Shaun Livingston and Joe Theisman, his leg was totally snapped in two.

Guy is in for a long recovery if he comes back. Really bad break.

Spain is a class above all other EU teams (possible exception of France). DESTROYING a very solid Serbia team right now 61-38 in the 3rd quarter. Wow.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:Terrible leg fracture suffered today by Edgar Sosa in the last few seconds of Dominican Republic over Panama today. Very reminiscent of Shaun Livingston and Joe Theisman, his leg was totally snapped in two.

Guy is in for a long recovery if he comes back. Really bad break.

Oh, poor guy. That sucks.

France vs Spain for the Eurobasket championship, Spain has to be favored to repeat.