FIBA World Cup 2023 (FIRST thread)

[UcanUwill]

https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/news/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-power-rankings-volume-one-who-are-the-favorites

First Power Rankings by FIBA for the World Cup. Good to see Finland getting respect at #11, after a top10 of basketball powerhouses, leaving behind countries such as Italy and Lithuania.

First nine are ok, but Brazil, Finland and Dominica over Lithuania and Argentina does seem stupid, no? Anyway, we dont even have teams now, who does power rankings now? Spain is number 1 ranked team in the world, but are they really deserve number 2 spot in power rankings, how did they base this list? Argentina were second last time but nowhere to be found...

I would probably go with :

1. USA
2. Serbia
3. Canada
4. France
5. Australia
6. Germany
7. Greece
8. Spain
9. Argentina
10. Lithuania

[Mirotic12]

First nine are ok, but Brazil, Finland and Dominica over Lithuania and Argentina does seem stupid, no? Anyway, we dont even have teams now, who does power rankings now? Spain is number 1 ranked team in the world, but are they really deserve number 2 spot in power rankings, how did they base this list? Argentina were second last time but nowhere to be found...

I would probably go with :

1. USA
2. Serbia
3. Canada
4. France
5. Australia
6. Germany
7. Greece
8. Spain
9. Argentina
10. Lithuania

I thought Argentina failed to qualify?

[UcanUwill]

First nine are ok, but Brazil, Finland and Dominica over Lithuania and Argentina does seem stupid, no? Anyway, we dont even have teams now, who does power rankings now? Spain is number 1 ranked team in the world, but are they really deserve number 2 spot in power rankings, how did they base this list? Argentina were second last time but nowhere to be found...

I would probably go with :

1. USA
2. Serbia
3. Canada
4. France
5. Australia
6. Germany
7. Greece
8. Spain
9. Argentina
10. Lithuania

I thought Argentina failed to qualify?

Oh damn, I forgot Man, yeah, there is no Argentina, phhhhhh man, I am getting old/

Put in SLovenia there then. SLovenia probably over Lithuania, should have been there in the first place...

[Rainwater]

This is not embarrassing for Paolo because the dude is not even Italian. It's more embarrassing that Italians will be booing a guy who chose to play for his home country.

For the bilion time: the problem is not the final choice ... it was what happened in the past 3 years, and the manners of Paolo and his entourage in these last days (with zero communication to the italian basketball federation).

It is completely the fact he changed his mind that is the problem because if his final choice was yes there would be no issue. Are you really telling me you are upset that he told Italians that he planned to play for Italy was the issue? Pretty certain it was the fact he changed his mind is the probem.

[Sphynx]

The whole national thing has become a joke in basketball and most sports in general, aside from Lithuania/Serbia (mens)/maybe some African teams no other countries use only people of their own in basketball. Why even have a countries competition if your not using the people of your own country.

It's basically a crap verision of Euroleague with a good/elite at times USA teams in general.

Australia uses what imports?

As far as I can tell, all their star players are born and bred Australian's.

[knicksfan974]

The whole national thing has become a joke in basketball and most sports in general, aside from Lithuania/Serbia (mens)/maybe some African teams no other countries use only people of their own in basketball. Why even have a countries competition if your not using the people of your own country.

It's basically a crap verision of Euroleague with a good/elite at times USA teams in general.

Finland?

[SpreeS]

https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/news/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-power-rankings-volume-one-who-are-the-favorites

First Power Rankings by FIBA for the World Cup. Good to see Finland getting respect at #11, after a top10 of basketball powerhouses, leaving behind countries such as Italy and Lithuania.

First nine are ok, but Brazil, Finland and Dominica over Lithuania and Argentina does seem stupid, no? Anyway, we dont even have teams now, who does power rankings now? Spain is number 1 ranked team in the world, but are they really deserve number 2 spot in power rankings, how did they base this list? Argentina were second last time but nowhere to be found...

I would probably go with :

1. USA
2. Serbia
3. Canada
4. France
5. Australia
6. Germany
7. Greece
8. Spain
9. Argentina
10. Lithuania

Lithuania will have only 3 high level players Valanciunas, Brazdeikis, Jokubaitis and couple role players from EL teams or LKL teams.

[Swuul]

The whole national thing has become a joke in basketball and most sports in general, aside from Lithuania/Serbia (mens)/maybe some African teams no other countries use only people of their own in basketball. Why even have a countries competition if your not using the people of your own country.

It's basically a crap verision of Euroleague with a good/elite at times USA teams in general.

Finland?

Federiko Federiko, if he is chosen to play for Team Finland, was born in Kairo Egypt (EDIT: even though ESPN claims he was born in Helsinki he wasn't; though he moved to Finland with his family when he was a baby), although he spent most of childhood in Finland. Other than that, all the players assumed to be on Team Finland have been Finnish citizens from birth.

[Swuul]

doublepost

[Buckets22]

FIBA has a rule of a single naturalized person playing per team, I dont see what the big deal is.
Heck I think it is stupid to have a limit, each country should decide to whom and why to give a passport, not up to FIBA to decide are they "real" citizen or not.

If Lithuania had half a brain they could've found a PG and won a few golds in the 00s...

[jk31]

FIBA has a rule of a single naturalized person playing per team, I dont see what the big deal is.
Heck I think it is stupid to have a limit, each country should decide to whom and why to give a passport, not up to FIBA to decide are they "real" citizen or not.

If Lithuania had half a brain they could've found a PG and won a few golds in the 00s...

as long as the naturalized players have any ties with the country, that would work for me too. at least in germany they only naturalize players that have any ties with the country. but other countries just invite any "random" US player to be naturalized who has never every stepped any foot inside the country. If you would open that then we would see especially smaller countries just bring up lineups of (ex-)americans to play. whats the difference to club basketball then?

national team play I always thought about as a competition of which system brings up the best players. would completely take that out if you allow every team to just bring every player they want.

[durden_tyler]

The purists (almost racists) may want to have a DNA test for all when they submit their 14-man rosters? LOL

[knicksfan974]

The whole national thing has become a joke in basketball and most sports in general, aside from Lithuania/Serbia (mens)/maybe some African teams no other countries use only people of their own in basketball. Why even have a countries competition if your not using the people of your own country.

It's basically a crap verision of Euroleague with a good/elite at times USA teams in general.

Finland?

Federiko Federiko, if he is chosen to play for Team Finland, was born in Kairo Egypt (EDIT: even though ESPN claims he was born in Helsinki he wasn't; though he moved to Finland with his family when he was a baby), although he spent most of childhood in Finland. Other than that, all the players assumed to be on Team Finland have been Finnish citizens from birth.

Exactly my point, in Team Finland you will never find an american mercenary with no real ties to the country, who probably couldn't even point the country on a map. Federiko has been raised in Finland and is a completely different case than some random foreign mercenary.

It is such a shame many countries do not have this kind of pride for their own players that for example Finland and Lithuania show. Spanish Eurobasket win will always come with an asterisk for me due to the american mercenary leading the team. Even if the rules allow it, it don't mean you have to do it to risk your reputation. Just play with your own and if you win, great, if you don't, then at least you went to fight with your own and can take pride in that.

[LuDux1]

FIBA has a rule of a single naturalized person playing per team, I dont see what the big deal is.
Heck I think it is stupid to have a limit, each country should decide to whom and why to give a passport, not up to FIBA to decide are they "real" citizen or not.

If Lithuania had half a brain they could've found a PG and won a few golds in the 00s...

In 00s Lithuania had Jasikevicius. Even Spain didn't hire mercenary until their starting PG got injured

Currently Lithuanian citizenship can be awarded only in special cases, for people with special merit fort Lithuanian state or who lived in Lithuania for 10 years (less if married to Lithuanian), etc

[Buckets22]

FIBA has a rule of a single naturalized person playing per team, I dont see what the big deal is.
Heck I think it is stupid to have a limit, each country should decide to whom and why to give a passport, not up to FIBA to decide are they "real" citizen or not.

If Lithuania had half a brain they could've found a PG and won a few golds in the 00s...

In 00s Lithuania had Jasikevicius. Even Spain didn't hire mercenary until their starting PG got injured

Currently Lithuanian citizenship can be awarded only in special cases, for people with special merit fort Lithuanian state or who lived in Lithuania for 10 years (less if married to Lithuanian), etc

Jasikevicius was a great player but lacked speed/dribbling ability to exploit gaps in the offense and was a bit of a liability on defense. Put Tyrese Rice or Tyus Edney in there alongside him and Lithuania wins a Eurobasket or two.


Exactly, this is the choice of your country. If another country has more liberal citizenship laws - what is the problem to take advantage of it? Who is FIBA to say so? The Prince of Monaco or Lichtenstein can hand out passports because he likes the person and they field 10 NBA players - so be it.

[knicksfan974]

FIBA has a rule of a single naturalized person playing per team, I dont see what the big deal is.
Heck I think it is stupid to have a limit, each country should decide to whom and why to give a passport, not up to FIBA to decide are they "real" citizen or not.

If Lithuania had half a brain they could've found a PG and won a few golds in the 00s...

In 00s Lithuania had Jasikevicius. Even Spain didn't hire mercenary until their starting PG got injured

Currently Lithuanian citizenship can be awarded only in special cases, for people with special merit fort Lithuanian state or who lived in Lithuania for 10 years (less if married to Lithuanian), etc

Jasikevicius was a great player but lacked speed/dribbling ability to exploit gaps in the offense and was a bit of a liability on defense. Put Tyrese Rice or Tyus Edney in there alongside him and Lithuania wins a Eurobasket or two.


Exactly, this is the choice of your country. If another country has more liberal citizenship laws - what is the problem to take advantage of it? Who is FIBA to say so? The Prince of Monaco or Lichtenstein can hand out passports because he likes the person and they field 10 NBA players - so be it.

Well this would be the death of international basketball as we know it and that would serve absolutely no-ones interest. Let's just hope we don't need to witness anything even close to this scenario ever.

[Pachinko_]

The whole national thing has become a joke in basketball and most sports in general, aside from Lithuania/Serbia (mens)/maybe some African teams no other countries use only people of their own in basketball. Why even have a countries competition if your not using the people of your own country.

It's basically a crap verision of Euroleague with a good/elite at times USA teams in general.

Τhe purpose of FIBA, literally their mission statement, is to promote the sport around the world. Thats the goal.
Having a better tournament with better players and as many stars as possible, and get as many eyeballs as possible, that is what serves the purpose. Being too anal with the eiligibility rules probably doesn't.
Get Embiid in there, give that man a passport ASAP. Joker, Luka, Giannis, get as many of them as you can, add some mercenaries, play some hoops and get people excited. If some teams want to make it all about their nationality, then sure, they can do that too. But the main goal is basketball.

[Swuul]

https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2023/news/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023-power-rankings-volume-one-who-are-the-favorites

First Power Rankings by FIBA for the World Cup. Good to see Finland getting respect at #11, after a top10 of basketball powerhouses, leaving behind countries such as Italy and Lithuania.

First nine are ok, but Brazil, Finland and Dominica over Lithuania and Argentina does seem stupid, no? Anyway, we dont even have teams now, who does power rankings now? Spain is number 1 ranked team in the world, but are they really deserve number 2 spot in power rankings, how did they base this list? Argentina were second last time but nowhere to be found...

I would probably go with :

1. USA
2. Serbia
3. Canada
4. France
5. Australia
6. Germany
7. Greece
8. Spain
9. Argentina
10. Lithuania

Dominica beat Argentina both home and on their turf to eliminate Argentina from the World Cup. Which means Argentina power rating for the World Cup is around zero, as they are not even in.

Lithuania has relied on their twin towers of Sabonis and Valanciunas, and even with both of them in the line-up they have been mediocore the past years. Now that twin-towers is broken up, and Lithuania does look to be weaker than in Eurobasket last year, and they weren't convincing even there. To place Lithuania in Top 10 for in Power Rankings this World Cup would require an unhealthy dose of hopium.

Brazil has made it to every single FIBA World Cup ever arranged. Not only do they have the tradition of being one of the top teams of the tournament, their team this year actually looks like a good mix of experience and youth. To leave them outside current Top 10 of Power Rankings for World Cup, and especially placing Lithuania (not to mention Argentina) ahead of them, requires a heavily alternate reality world-view.

As for Slovenia being #5 in the official ranking, well...
Slovenia will not be able to field a competetive team this year, sadly. Luka will do what he can, but his trusty side-kicks from 2021 and 2022 are not with the team anymore. I can see no reason for that position in the Power Rankings outside of marketing reasons. Luka is massively popular in Japan, but it seems tickets for the matches in that group can still be bought. I guess the Power Ranking position might have come as a directive from the marketing department, to get the japanese crowd interested in buying the hefty priced tickets.

[UcanUwill]

Well, Lithuania still seem ok to me. I mean they keep failing, but they lost Eurobasket 1/8 final by one point at last second, in the OT, To Spain, who then went and won the whole thing. What I mean, one possession goes different, and the results could have been drastically different, nature of the game. I think having Brazil, Dominica and FInland over them seems like a reach.

[Swuul]

Well, Lithuania still seem ok to me. I mean they keep failing, but they lost Eurobasket 1/8 final by one point at last second, in the OT, To Spain, who then went and won the whole thing. What I mean, one possession goes different, and the results could have been drastically different, nature of the game. I think having Brazil, Dominica and FInland over them seems like a reach.

Brazil for sure isn't behind Lithuania. For this years World Cup, any Power Rankings which place Lithuania above Brazil have to be written with green font