State of the Union. Team Canada Basketball. (FIBA Americas Aug.31-Sep.15)

[Lucky26]

Jamal Murray will be the best player on this roster. That will be clear.

Uh... I would manage expectations. Maybe in a couple years.

Andrew Nicholson is probably going to be the best player on the Pan AM roster. Depending on the minutes I think he puts up about 20 and 8.

Normally I would agree, but Murray is a beast and isn't afraid to put up shots including spot up threes. He displays that confidence that it doesn't matter who the opponent is or what level.

[NBACommissioner]

Bennett got a workout in today in Toronto. He is not in good shape at all according to my friend who worked him out. Long breaks between reps and no desire to go full speed. Went down at George Harvey CI

Don't really believe your friend. There are a bunch of video out there of Bennett's progress this summer and he looks like he's in great shape...Also it was reported he lost 20 pounds or something.

Apparently today's workout was a lot better. looking forward to seeing him play at Pan Am

Maybe he just having a light workout the other day? I've already seen some footage of him at that Toronto pro am and he looked really good.

[NBACommissioner]

Bennet just broke a rim with a nasty jam, hope a video creeps up here soon if anyone on here was in attendance!

[img]IMG_3309.JPG[/img]

Post that vid if you got it...your image doesn't work.

[frumble]

Jonathan Givony is doing scouting reports on some of the top prospects at the FIBA U19s.

Here is his report on Corey Johnson:

Corey Johnson, 6-5, Harvard, Canada, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Not extremely tall at 6-5, but has a very long 6-11 wingspan and a frame that is continuing to fill out.
-Arguably the best shooter at the tournament. Picture perfect shooting mechanics
-Automatic with feet set. Deep range. Hits shots with a man in his face.
-Runs to the corners in transition and is a huge threat in the early offense
-Makes extra pass. Plays within himself. Rarely turns ball over. High basketball IQ
-Length gives him a chance to be a solid defender when combined with his competitiveness and smarts

Weaknesses:
-Somewhat one dimensional. Was taken out of games by aggressive defenders looking to deny his jumper
-Needs to improve his ability to come off screens
-Needs to improve his ability to make shots off the dribble
-Ball-handling skills are rudimentary
-Poor finisher around the basket. Lacks great strength and explosiveness. Doesn't create contact inside the paint and get to the free throw line
-Gets blown by off the dribble a little too often defensively. Can continue to improve here
-Like many Canadians, going into high school a year older than most US-born collegiate freshmen.

Outlook: High level shooter with good size, length, feel and competitiveness. A huge steal for Harvard. Went to a small high school in Ottawa and was off the radar screen of better colleges seemingly (even though we liked him quite a bit at the FIBA U18s last summer and wrote as much). Needs to continue to improve his all-around polish, but has all the tools to do so and plays a role that is extremely coveted in today's NBA.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/#ixzz3fJkEkB9P
http://www.draftexpress.com

[Patman]

Jamal Murray will be the best player on this roster. That will be clear.

Uh... I would manage expectations. Maybe in a couple years.

Andrew Nicholson is probably going to be the best player on the Pan AM roster. Depending on the minutes I think he puts up about 20 and 8.

This. Everybody under-estimates the value of experience in the big FIBA tourneys. There have been countless times where a country (including ours) has sent a young, talented team, only to be beat by an older, less-talented (in terms of NBA potential), but more seasoned team.

Even LeBron, Melo, and Wade got upset in their first big FIBA tourney together.

[mojo13]

Jamal Murray will be the best player on this roster. That will be clear.

Uh... I would manage expectations. Maybe in a couple years.

Andrew Nicholson is probably going to be the best player on the Pan AM roster. Depending on the minutes I think he puts up about 20 and 8.

This. Everybody under-estimates the value of experience in the big FIBA tourneys. There have been countless times where a country (including ours) has sent a young, talented team, only to be beat by an older, less-talented (in terms of NBA potential), but more seasoned team.

Even LeBron, Melo, and Wade got upset in their first big FIBA tourney together.

Agreed. People tend to get caught up in the hype. I'd argue Murray is probably one of the worst players on that team at this point in time - a kid playing with men at this point. It will change quickly, but English, Heslip, Devoe Joseph, Mullings and Anderson would school Murray today. that is probably why Murray is there. Learn, improve, get better quickly. Lock into Team Canada.

I remember when I was 17 and tried to stand up to my Pops. Boy did I learn what "Old Man Strength" was about in a hurry.

[NBACommissioner]

I wonder if Patrick Patterson would ever get a Canadian citizenship and rep us...I hear he's the only Raptor that stays in Toronto in the off-season. I guess Joseph probably does too.

[Mattd97]

I wonder if Patrick Patterson would ever get a Canadian citizenship and rep us...I hear he's the only Raptor that stays in Toronto in the off-season. I guess Joseph probably does too.

i remember 2pat getting a muskoka cottage for a while last summer. baffles me why more dont. i understand maybe some inner city guys arent gonna love it, but there are plenty of rural players in the league and thats some of the best country in the continent for luxurious, private outdoor living

[frumble]

Draft Express scouting report on Dillon Brooks:

Dillon Brooks, 6'7, Oregon, Canada, 1996

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Good size for a small forward. Strong frame
-Extremely aggressive offensive player. Led the tournament in usage rate
-Has excellent scoring instincts. Averaged 30 points per-40 minutes pace adjusted at the U19s. Last summer averaged 40 points per-40.
-Can score in a variety of ways. Pushes the ball in transition. Can post up
-Can create his own shot. Plays some pick and roll as the ball-handler from the power forward position, which is very difficult for opposing teams to defend. Can score in isolation situations
-Gets to the free throw line at a tremendous rate (over 11 per-40 at U19s)
-Capable shooter, both with feet set and off the dribble. Hit 35% of 3-pointers as a college freshman. 82% of his free throw attempts
-Hits off the dribble 3-pointers
-Strong rebounder. Averaged just under 10 rebounds per-40. Allows him to see some minutes at the power forward spot without hurting his team on the glass

Weaknesses:
-Good not great athlete
-Somewhat stuck between the small forward and power forward positions, particularly defensively
-Streak shooter. Hit just 21% of his 3-pointers at the U19s in Crete on a decent number of attempts. Shot-selection is often the culprit, but tends to elevate too high on his pull-ups at times, giving him a varying release point.
-Average finisher around the basket. Lack of length and average explosiveness make it difficult for him to convert in traffic, especially with his often extremely aggressive shot-selection
-Decision making is poor. Tends to force the issue. Calls his own number too often. Passes up wide open shooters to settle for tough shots instead.
-Averaged an outrageous 8.5 turnovers per-40 minutes (5.1 last summer). Really hurt his team
-Indifferent defender. Doesn't get into a real stance. Lacks length and lateral quickness, which combined with his average fundamentals make him very ineffective here. Can get some stops when he locks in.

Outlook: Tremendously aggressive scorer who was somewhat of a one-man show at times for Canada. Relishes the opportunity to be a go-to guy, sometimes at the expense of his team's ball-movement. Very gifted offensive player who was very effective as a freshman in the Pac-12 in a more moderated role. Will be very interesting to see how he performs in an expanded role as a sophomore at Oregon now that Joseph Young is off to the NBA. Has obvious talent, but needs to improve his role-player potential to find a niche in the NBA, including becoming a more consistent outside shooter, and defending the perimeter.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/#ixzz3fPTZ8g82
http://www.draftexpress.com

[frumble]

And on Justin Jackson (I didn't realize that reclassifying to 2015 was still on the table for Jackson; I thought that given how late it is, he had decided to remain a 2016):

Justin Jackson, 6'6, UNLV, Canada, 1997

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Sports a chiseled frame at 232 pounds, and an incredibly long 7-2 wingspan. Big hands
-Fluid and mobile athlete
-Very talented offensive player. Can do a little bit of everything
- Has improved his perimeter shooting ability. Form on jump-shot is solid. Made 40% of his 3-point attempts at the U19s on a limited number of attempts.
-Can create his own shot effectively. Did quite a bit of ball-handling for Canada, in transition, isolation and pick and roll ball-handling situations
-Uses hesitation moves effectively. Uses body to create space. Has nice footwork, can spin and score inside the paint. Aggressive going to the basket. Creates contact inside the paint and gets to free throw line
-Nice touch on floaters
-Tremendous rebounder for a wing. 11 rebounds per-40 at U19s
-Has great potential defensively with fluidity, body and length
-Impressive instincts for steals and blocks. Posted over 2 per game in both categories.

Weaknesses:
-Not particularly explosive. Lacks the verticality needed to be a high-level finisher around the basket. Made only 46% of his 2-point attempts in Crete, and 19/43 overall attempts inside the paint.
-Struggles to make shots off the dribble
-Jump-shot still prone to streakiness. Release point is inconsistent at times. Mechanics get a bit rigid when tightly contested
-Decision making not always there. Tends to settle for wild shots
-Needs to improve advanced ball-handling skills, and ability to weave in and out of traffic. Tries to simply overpower defenders. Drives into brick walls.
-Feel for game is average. Not a great passer.
-Very inconsistent from game to game. Looks like a lottery pick some games, and a future D-Leaguer in others.
-Shot just 45% from free throw line in Crete. Focus level isn't always there

Outlook: Extremely talented wing (probably should have been in our shooting guard article) who alternated from impressive to frustrating seemingly without rhyme or rhythm. Undecided still on whether to enroll at UNLV next season or remain at Findlay. Neither appear to be perfect options. Needs serious structure and guidance to reach his extremely high ceiling.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/#ixzz3fPTu0eM4
http://www.draftexpress.com

[aminiaturebuddha]

Melvin Ejim seems to be getting serious burn for one of Orlando's summer league teams. Anyone know if they're genuinely looking at him for a roster spot?

[bballCT]

Melvin Ejim seems to be getting serious burn for one of Orlando's summer league teams. Anyone know if they're genuinely looking at him for a roster spot?

I also noticed, he's doing pretty good based on stats.

[frumble]

Draft Express on Kigab:

Abu Kigab, 6'7, St. Francis (Ontario), Canada, 1998

Jonathan Givony

Strengths:
-Great athletic profile. Good size. Strong frame. Long arms
-Plays the right away. Hustles. Makes extra pass
-Has decent touch on jump-shot. Made a handful of jumpers, showing his shooting potential is not hopeless
-Good in transition
-Excellent potential defensively. Can guard multiple positions. Plays hard. Moves feet well. Can develop into a huge weapon on this end of the floor in time
-Willing to take charges.
-Rebounds very well. 14 rebounds per-40
-One of the youngest players at the competition. Has a huge amount of room to grow in many different areas.

Weaknesses:
-Extremely unpolished offensively
-Very off-balance on jumpers. Elbow flails out. Mechanics need serious work
-Can't create his own shot. Very rudimentary ball-handler
-Struggles to pull-up off the dribble.
Ugly shooting stroke.

Outlook: Played an important role for Canada, despite being only 16 years. Has great physical tools to go along with a strong motor and some budding skills. Very unpolished in virtually every area as you'd expect from a 16-year old. Has huge potential if he continues to work and improve. Defense alone gives him a great foundation to build off.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/#ixzz3fPXEsxQY
http://www.draftexpress.com

[aminiaturebuddha]

Thanks for those scouting reports, frumble. Those were the four guys I also thought are worth paying attention to on the U19 team. They all come with question marks about how they'll develop over the next couple of years (well, it seems more clear what kind of player Johnson will be, the question is what level he will reach), ably pointed out by Givony, but at least they're four more guys to throw into the mix for the national program going forward.

[frumble]

Melvin Ejim seems to be getting serious burn for one of Orlando's summer league teams. Anyone know if they're genuinely looking at him for a roster spot?

I think they put their most promising prospects on their Blue team, but it is still good that he is getting consistent minutes for the White team.

This article says that of all the undrafted guys in the Orlando Summer League, he is the 5th most likely to make the NBA (but this may be a case of damning with faint praise - I am not sure if even 2 or 3 undrafted guys from Orlando Summer League will make NBA rosters).

http://www.nba.com/magic/gallery/cohen-8ball-ranking-undrafted-players-orlando-summer-league-most-likely-make-nba-roster

#5 Melvin Ejim, Magic White

Ejim is similar to DeMarre Carroll. He is long, a willing defender, terrific in transition and an excellent slasher. Ejim is also a top-notch rebounder at his position (small forward) and capable 3-point shooter (35 percent his junior and senior seasons at Iowa State). Playing overseas last year, Ejim is on the radar of teams searching for an athletic and versatile forward.

With Hoiberg now head coach of the Bulls, maybe he gets a look there?

[Rhettmatic]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/619186682450083840[/tweet]

[TheFutureMM]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/619186682450083840[/tweet]

Insurance? Pretty confused about this.

[NBACommissioner]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/619186682450083840[/tweet]

Insurance? Pretty confused about this.

He has a new team so he will likely need the Raptors approval. Could you imagine if Raptors actually held him out, I'd have a hard time supporting them if they did that.

[TheFutureMM]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/619186682450083840[/tweet]

Insurance? Pretty confused about this.

He has a new team so he will likely need the Raptors approval. Could you imagine if Raptors actually held him out, I'd have a hard time supporting them if they did that.

I would be shocked. Would be very Raptor/Team Canada-esque if it were to happen though haha.

[duppyy]

After what happened to Paul George teams will be hesitant to allow players to participate in these games.