FIBA World Cup 2023 (FIRST thread)

[Mickey8]

Pathetic from Jokić he skipped in 2019 too. Nuggets won't repeat anyway.

Yeah, sure he skipped it because he is focused to repeat it with Denver

[Mickey8]

I know I am OP and all, but as we all said, FIBA Olympics matter far more than FIBA World Cup, to everyone, and someone said its cold war remnant perception, what? Always been like this sadly, FIBA has no prestige, they just rely on Olympic fame in global comp, thats how it always been.

All NT tournaments matters. I don't think Serbian fans value more Olympic games than World Championship or Eurobasket. To me they are all equal and we want to see our best players compete in those tournaments. He's going to skip Olympics too because we wont qualify there anyways and even if we do he probably wont play there again.

[UcanUwill]

I know I am OP and all, but as we all said, FIBA Olympics matter far more than FIBA World Cup, to everyone, and someone said its cold war remnant perception, what? Always been like this sadly, FIBA has no prestige, they just rely on Olympic fame in global comp, thats how it always been.

All NT tournaments matters. I don't think Serbian fans value more Olympic games than World Championship or Eurobasket. To me they are all equal and we want to see our best players compete in those tournaments.

To me, it does all matter, I jsut watched Women's U19 final, and it mattered to me (USA won gold by the way), but in reality, players, federations and everyone involved care about OLYMPICS the most and it is clear.

[Swuul]

The Olympics are next year. There will be opportunities.

ROFLOL if you think Serbia will be at the Olympics playing basketball. Serbia ain't the host or USA or some obscure 5th rate basketball country from Asia, so no free tickets for Serbia to the Olympics.

[AleksandarN]

Not surprising though. Jokic views basketball as a job. Him playing games for free is essentially him doing them a favor/working illegally.

You can't teach just anybody to play like Jokic, but can't teach love for the game either.

He loves the game. He wouldn’t work as hard as has to become the player he has. Also he played for Serbia last season that helped them to qualify

[Mamba81p]

But I thought world cup is so prestigious. If a player from Serbia decides to skip the competition, that is very telling

[Johnny Tomala]

Pathetic from Jokić he skipped in 2019 too. Nuggets won't repeat anyway.

Yeah, sure he skipped it because he is focused to repeat it with Denver

Nuggets won't repeat as a champion, they lost Brown and Green, it's tough to win in this league. Fool yourself if you think this is the new dynasty.

[AleksandarN]

Pathetic from Jokić he skipped in 2019 too. Nuggets won't repeat anyway.

Yeah, sure he skipped it because he is focused to repeat it with Denver

Nuggets won't repeat as a champion, they lost Brown and Green, it's tough to win in this league. Fool yourself if you think this is the new dynasty.

Wow you have a crystal ball or something. Since you are so knowledgeable about the Nuggets what was Green averages for the season? What was his impact on the bench lineups? Look losing Bruce is going to sting. But the front office is confident inn the progress of their rookies from last year.

[Pachinko_]

Then Jokic can apply for American citizenship and we'll gladly accept him.

Reality appears to be lost on the Serbian fans. Jokic carried the Nuggets and played every game in 2021-2022 season, then he played in Eurobasket, then the 2022-2023 season + a finals run. Playing the WC would be overkill. He needs a summer off to rest.

Besides, the US is sending their B-team. The Olympics are next year. There will be opportunities.

Nah. He doesnt *need* a summer off to rest, he *wants* a summer off to rest. Look at Pau Gasol who never missed a summer with the NT in a 20 year career and Spain got 11 medals because of it. Jokic made his decisions and his people will call him a little b*, that's how it goes.

Just say you don't understand it because you're American and that's fine, we don't expect you to. It's our obsession, not yours, you have your NBA obsession.

[knicksfan974]

Pretty pathetic from star players to skip WC due to any excuse. Jokic has been resting for weeks now and there is even more than a month until the tournament starts. Someone needs to tell him Markkanen is in the Finnish army right now, preparing for the tournament. No extra rest needed when your country needs you!

[ChuckChilly]

Pathetic from Jokić he skipped in 2019 too. Nuggets won't repeat anyway.

Yeah, sure he skipped it because he is focused to repeat it with Denver

Nuggets won't repeat as a champion, they lost Brown and Green, it's tough to win in this league. Fool yourself if you think this is the new dynasty.

Green not coming back could actually be a positive thing. He'll be 38 by the end of next season. The Brown loss was big, but if MPJ would have played halfway decent in the playoffs, they wouldn't have even needed him much. But its crazy to think a team with 5 returning starters doesnt have a chance of repeating.

[azcatz11]

Pretty pathetic from star players to skip WC due to any excuse. Jokic has been resting for weeks now and there is even more than a month until the tournament starts. Someone needs to tell him Markkanen is in the Finnish army right now, preparing for the tournament. No extra rest needed when your country needs you!

Lol…

But seriously, who cares? He played high level for like 8 months in a row including the finals obviously. I would do the same damn thing he’s doing. Screw country pride

[GeorgeSears]

Pretty pathetic from star players to skip WC due to any excuse. Jokic has been resting for weeks now and there is even more than a month until the tournament starts. Someone needs to tell him Markkanen is in the Finnish army right now, preparing for the tournament. No extra rest needed when your country needs you!

First time in a long time. He played all of the 2021-2022 season, then he played Eurobasket, and then he played a regular season plus a finals run. If anyone's earned an extra couple of months to rest before the season starts, it's him. The Serbian fans will be upset, understandably so, but he'll start the season rejuvenated and will be an MVP front runner and the Nuggets will be the best team in the West. They'll have a lot of good things to cheer about.

[Johnny Tomala]

Actually he played in 2019. Jokić so far played in Olympics 2016, World Cup 2019, EuroBasket 2022. He skipped EuroBasket 2017, this will be his 2nd skipped tournament. 3/5 not so great, I would be mad if I was a Serbian.

[Pachinko_]

But seriously, who cares? He played high level for like 8 months in a row including the finals obviously. I would do the same damn thing he’s doing. Screw country pride

Well, only because you're asking seriously: the whole basketball world outside of America cares.
Again, we get it, Americans don't care about their national team, that's fine. Don't try to project it to other people though.

And it's not just "national pride", I don't give a crap about that either. But it's also a celebration and promotion of basketball globally, a monitoring of progress of a bunch of countries, and most of all it is interesting and exciting basketball to watch. Just because in your country you're used to watching baseball or whatever this time of the year it doesn't mean everybody else does the same.

[Nate505]

But seriously, who cares? He played high level for like 8 months in a row including the finals obviously. I would do the same damn thing he’s doing. Screw country pride

Well, only because you're asking seriously: the whole basketball world outside of America cares.
Again, we get it, Americans don't care about their national team, that's fine. Don't try to project it to other people though.

Sure we do. We just care about the event that matters, the Olympics.

[Pachinko_]

But seriously, who cares? He played high level for like 8 months in a row including the finals obviously. I would do the same damn thing he’s doing. Screw country pride

Well, only because you're asking seriously: the whole basketball world outside of America cares.
Again, we get it, Americans don't care about their national team, that's fine. Don't try to project it to other people though.

Sure we do. We just care about the event that matters, the Olympics.

Yeah sure, we don't agree.

[Mickey8]

Pretty pathetic from star players to skip WC due to any excuse. Jokic has been resting for weeks now and there is even more than a month until the tournament starts. Someone needs to tell him Markkanen is in the Finnish army right now, preparing for the tournament. No extra rest needed when your country needs you!

First time in a long time. He played all of the 2021-2022 season, then he played Eurobasket, and then he played a regular season plus a finals run. If anyone's earned an extra couple of months to rest before the season starts, it's him. The Serbian fans will be upset, understandably so, but he'll start the season rejuvenated and will be an MVP front runner and the Nuggets will be the best team in the West. They'll have a lot of good things to cheer about.

Sure we are nuts about the prospects of him winning another championship for his NBA club and his billionaire owners Its not that he was carrying bags of cements for 8 hours a day , seven days a week so he's so tired. He was playing child's game, while enjoying all luxury he could get , private planes etc. He will have plenty of time to rest when he retires , since the basketball career is very short. And he's getting all the provisions and favors from the government in Serbia, so he can buy and build whenever and wherever he wants to, so he should at least reciprocate that by representing his country in the World cup. Since he' was bragging last year how he has the best time when he's playing for his NT, well back it up buddy

[Mickey8]

Then Jokic can apply for American citizenship and we'll gladly accept him.

Reality appears to be lost on the Serbian fans. Jokic carried the Nuggets and played every game in 2021-2022 season, then he played in Eurobasket, then the 2022-2023 season + a finals run. Playing the WC would be overkill. He needs a summer off to rest.

Besides, the US is sending their B-team. The Olympics are next year. There will be opportunities.

Nah. He doesnt *need* a summer off to rest, he *wants* a summer off to rest. Look at Pau Gasol who never missed a summer with the NT in a 20 year career and Spain got 11 medals because of it. Jokic made his decisions and his people will call him a little b*, that's how it goes.

Just say you don't understand it because you're American and that's fine, we don't expect you to. It's our obsession, not yours, you have your NBA obsession.

That's why Pau is the man and in my eyes the bigger European basketball legend than Jokic.

[durden_tyler]

Will never be solved-- NBA stars skipping FIBA Worlds-- until NBA actually takes over that FIBA organization. Of course it won't happen so FIBA can settle for scraps forever.