_jin wrote:UcanUwill wrote:_jin wrote:Because the FIBA rankings are meaningless and really have little value when it comes to evaluating a team's current form. The rankings are over a 8 years period, that's why Argentina is still a top ranked team despite being really bad at the moment, they didnt even qualify for last year's WC. Same reason why Spain is #2 thanks to their past successes when nobody thinks they're the 2nd best team in the world currently.
I agree that the qualification system is not great, only having 2 European teams qualify when Americas also get 2 and Oceania gets 1 all by itself is really not fair. But even if there were more spots for Europe, Spain finished last WC as the 7th best European team, they'd never qualify directly.
FIBA ranking still based on last 8 year point system? It always was like that, but in recent years I know they altered it, and it became very convoluted and I dont even know how it is counted, I believe now even individual game scores can give you points. In previous years, tournament ends and they would not officially update ranking for a few months, but it wasn't even needed, because you could math if yourself, it was super easy, just minus the points from 8 years ago and add points from newest thing. Now, I think everyone waits for that official ranking, cause only FIBA seem to know how they count that.
But yeah, either way, it is not power ranking, it is just arbitrary point system that takes into account several years of progress, and while Spain are European champions, and were defending World champions in 2023, last year they werent top 2 Euro team in World Cup, which was the requirement to make Paris directly.
It's still over 8 years but now there's a time-decaying factor in the calculation so older performances dont count as much as a recent ones. 8 years is still too long though. And the method has become a lot more complicated, I have no idea if it's better or not. I think migrating to an Elo system like soccer did a few years ago would be better and more accurate.
Only the top2 European teams from the WC make it straight to Paris but your point still stands.
Yes, top 2 euro teams. I edited my post before you qouted me, but yes, brutally hard to make Olympics.
FIBA rankings obviously always been suspect, now they give most points for World Cup, since it is their flagship event, altho everyone freaking knows people value and care about Olympics far more. Also, it always favors Asian and African teams, because they constantly earn points, and make world tournanents. FIBA arbitrary decided that Asian and African tournaments earn far less points, but it still earns you points. That is why China almost always remain top ten in FIBA rankings, but we all know if they were in Europe, it would be hard to imagine them even making the Eurobasket to begin with. That is why China can be 9th. While Israel for example will be in the 40s, but Israel spanks China in talent department.
But my example is probably old, cause i check now, China is nowhere at the top, Australia and NZ joining them really screwed things over for Chinese.
