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

[Mattd97]

Do English, Doornekamp, and Cadougan play at the lowest possible level in Europe? I just can't see how they're professionals.

english is decorated in the spanish top league, and has played in the italian and greek top leagues as well as euroleague. hes probably the best canadian player in the world not named wiggins or nash

Maybe 3-5 years ago... English is 35 now and is having trouble defending. He's a smart player and will shoot better as the tournament goes on but am starting to think this is his last hurrah playing for Canada

im surprised hes on the team too, especially pan am. the natural progression of things has him being the alpha dog on a team where his role should no longer be the alpha dog. but good for him for still showing up to represent his country - even in an unheralded tourney

[curryking3]

Got a Team Canada highlight reel coming up..... just has to process on YT lol.

Be nice, first time I've made a highlight reel!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADKCKNIcuPU[/youtube]

If you watch on YT itself it should go up to 60 fps (not that it matters, since the source is not 60 fps).

And it should be up to 1080p60 later in the evening, enjoy and cheers

Full game here: http://panam.cbc.ca/videos/live/video/mens-basketball-1800-570569.html

[Mattd97]

"Sim Bhullar doesn't belong on a competitive team"

Whoever said that needs to apologize.

yeah definitely not apologizing after a couple solid quarters of round robin pan am basketball, but certainly his play has been a great surprise and encouraging and will lead to me apologizing down the road. its not like i want him to fail, ive just watched him struggle to stay on a court and help in any meaningful way to teams that hes played on. the u17s, u19s, nmsu, summer league, etc. hes usually too slow in speed and reaction. hes got great hands for his size, and is starting to show the ability to use those skills in these games so hopefully he can keep it up

[frumble]

The bigs have played well.

Assuming Thompson and Sacre participate for FIBA tryout camp, which guy do you cut out of:

Olynyk
Thompson
Nicholson
Bennett
Powell
Sacre

[Steven1562]

english is decorated in the spanish top league, and has played in the italian and greek top leagues as well as euroleague. hes probably the best canadian player in the world not named wiggins or nash

youre just showing your own ignorance. hes had a poor couple games, that doesnt change the fact that he's been a star player in the best leagues outside of the nba for years. hes on the opposite side of his career as the young guys, but if you put them in a single game english is the better player. that doesnt mean he should be leading team canada, and doesnt mean hes played well, but to act like he hasnt carried this team many times and is more accomplished than nearly any other canadian in recent memory is just wrong

Your saying Carl English is the best Canadian basketball player in the world after Wiggins when he can't even make it on an NBA roster. I respect Carl English for his great career in Europe and on Team Canada but right now i wouldn't even put him in the top 10 Canadians playing today.

[Dr Comeback]

"Sim Bhullar doesn't belong on a competitive team"

Whoever said that needs to apologize.

yeah definitely not apologizing after a couple solid quarters of round robin pan am basketball, but certainly his play has been a great surprise and encouraging and will lead to me apologizing down the road. its not like i want him to fail, ive just watched him struggle to stay on a court and help in any meaningful way to teams that hes played on. the u17s, u19s, nmsu, summer league, etc. hes usually too slow in speed and reaction. hes got great hands for his size, and is starting to show the ability to use those skills in these games so hopefully he can keep it up

You absolutely should apologize.

He stuggled to help in any meaningful way at NSMU huh? You mean where he went to 2 straight NCAA tournaments, 25.0 caerr college PER, WCC all defense team twice, two time WAC tournament Most outstanding player, but failed to contribute in "any meaningful way" hmm...

Didn't contribute anything meaningful at u19 either at 12 PPG, unde 60% shooting, while dealing with injuries? Not meaningful huh?

I guess he hasnt contributed anything meaningful in the d-league either assuming you've watched him play their. 20 PER as a rookie, but I'm sure it wasn't meaningful. Im sure the all defensive team and all rookie team he made in the different weren't meaningful contributions.

Saying that Sim Bhullar had no place on a competitive team didn't even make sense at the time, given that their is no defensive 3 in the key and the try out roster had no other C's.

and it looks worse now given how obviously effective he has been .

Instead of just admitting you were wrong you compound the issue by saying things that are flat out nonsensical things about his play at NMSU, and U19's.

[PoundTown]

Players to bring to FIBA:
Bennett
Nicholson
Heslip
And yes Murray.

Olynk/Powell/Sacre
Thompson/Nicholson
Wiggins/Benett
Stauskas/Heslip
Cojo/Murray/Hanlan?

With Mullings' play lately, I think he has a good chance of making the roster for FIBA.

Like it for the most part, except I put in Rautins instead of Hanlan. Also, possibly Powell for a 3rd point guard and Sacre and Joel Anthony are interchangeable to me, maybe I go Joel for the leadership and experience. Another guuy thats been part of an NBA championship helps in my mind.

[mojo13]

The bigs have played well.

Assuming Thompson and Sacre participate for FIBA tryout camp, which guy do you cut out of:

Olynyk
Thompson
Nicholson
Bennett
Powell
Sacre

I don't think that decision will need to be made, as I am betting there will be self selection. One of those group will not be able to play for some reason. Insurance, injury, contract etc. My guess is TT will not play. sacre I am a little unsure of too.

To answer your question though, if they all played....I am not sure. Id guess Bennett or Powell I suppose. I but I think there is room for all of them on the team. You really have only one true "big" in Sacre and versitle "swings" in Powell, Bennett, Nicholson and Olynyk.

[Dr Comeback]

I frustrating how dismissive and irrational many people are about Sim Bhullar. I've long been convinced their is something else at play here that just people spewing ignorant basketball opinions.

Basketball is a sport played on a 10ft hoop last I checked, and people somehow deluded themselves into thinking that a 7-5 guy who can catch the ball, and read the floor wouldn't have a spot on a roster with no other C's, in league that doesn't have defensive 3 in the key?

Like you guys get that being tall helps in basketball?

[Mattd97]

youre just showing your own ignorance. hes had a poor couple games, that doesnt change the fact that he's been a star player in the best leagues outside of the nba for years. hes on the opposite side of his career as the young guys, but if you put them in a single game english is the better player. that doesnt mean he should be leading team canada, and doesnt mean hes played well, but to act like he hasnt carried this team many times and is more accomplished than nearly any other canadian in recent memory is just wrong

Your saying Carl English is the best Canadian basketball player in the world after Wiggins when he can't even make it on an NBA roster. I respect Carl English for his great career in Europe and on Team Canada but right now i wouldn't even put him in the top 10 Canadians playing today.

cojo and tt have passed him in the last year or two, though he was as recently as 2013 winning player of the month awards and foreigner of the year awards in the ACB. The NBA is the best league in the world, but by no means does that mean player 15 on philly is better than player 1 on the euroleague champs. Im sure if age, potential, role, money, etc had nothing to do with it, english could easily supplant most of the canadians that have been hanging around the NBA's fringes. 2015 youre right hes no longer the best in the world, but even as recently as 2013 before cojo and tt really broke out, i dont think it was very close. In an open gym tomorrow I still say only cojo, tt, and wiggins are ahead of him. Though more pan am funk from him and murray continuing this display and we can probably add another.

[NBACommissioner]

Got a Team Canada highlight reel coming up..... just has to process on YT lol.

Be nice, first time I've made a highlight reel!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADKCKNIcuPU[/youtube]

Good stuff...after this Tourny is over you should split the highlights into individual players. Different reels for Murray, Bennett, Nicholson, heslip, etc.

[Mattd97]

I frustrating how dismissive and irrational many people are about Sim Bhullar. I've long been convinced their is something else at play here that just people spewing ignorant basketball opinions.

Basketball is a sport played on a 10ft hoop last I checked, and people somehow deluded themselves into thinking that a 7-5 guy who can catch the ball, and read the floor wouldn't have a spot on a roster with no other C's, in league that doesn't have defensive 3 in the key?

Like you guys get that being tall helps in basketball?

not really sure why youre getting so defensive about a basketball player, im really not attacking him and am hoping he continues his - in my view - improved play. i can assure if anything else is at play its only from you. there have been many tall guys who have been stuck on a basketball court when their skills didnt justify them being there, they dont all look like bhullar and theyve all had the same reactions from people who didnt see them succeeding. if its anything its his sheer size that turns people against him - people typically root for the small guy not the giant. you're right that i undermined his accomplishments at nmsu, i hadnt realized the resume he had pilled up, he just always seemed to be getting outplayed by smaller bigs to me, but clearly he carried himself better than i had remembered cause his numbers and accolades far outweigh the impact i thought i witnessed from him- i was wrong. that being said, are you putting him on a canada team trying to make the olympics? an nba team trying to make the playoffs?

[NBACommissioner]

The bigs have played well.

Assuming Thompson and Sacre participate for FIBA tryout camp, which guy do you cut out of:

Olynyk
Thompson
Nicholson
Bennett
Powell
Sacre

I don't think that decision will need to be made, as I am betting there will be self selection. One of those group will not be able to play for some reason. Insurance, injury, contract etc. My guess is TT will not play. sacre I am a little unsure of too.

To answer your question though, if they all played....I am not sure. Id guess Bennett or Powell I suppose. I but I think there is room for all of them on the team. You really have only one true "big" in Sacre and versitle "swings" in Powell, Bennett, Nicholson and Olynyk.

Bennett could be used as a SF so I don't know that's it's necessary to cut anyone.

[NBACommissioner]

I frustrating how dismissive and irrational many people are about Sim Bhullar. I've long been convinced their is something else at play here that just people spewing ignorant basketball opinions.

Basketball is a sport played on a 10ft hoop last I checked, and people somehow deluded themselves into thinking that a 7-5 guy who can catch the ball, and read the floor wouldn't have a spot on a roster with no other C's, in league that doesn't have defensive 3 in the key?

Like you guys get that being tall helps in basketball?

He's a bit out of shape but he definitely makes an impact. When Bennett was out with foul trouble I don't think we would have survived without Bhullar.

[curryking3]

Got a Team Canada highlight reel coming up..... just has to process on YT lol.

Be nice, first time I've made a highlight reel!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADKCKNIcuPU[/youtube]

Good stuff...after this Tourny is over you should split the highlights into individual players. Different reels for Murray, Bennett, Nicholson, heslip, etc.

I already deleted the individual clips

But I kept the final movie I made haha. Seriously though I don't have time for that, this was hella intense for me already

Took a bit longer because I decided to take recordings by the middle of the game so I had to DVR rewind to find all the early plays lol.

If I do it from the beginning next game should be much easier

[Dr Comeback]

I frustrating how dismissive and irrational many people are about Sim Bhullar. I've long been convinced their is something else at play here that just people spewing ignorant basketball opinions.

Basketball is a sport played on a 10ft hoop last I checked, and people somehow deluded themselves into thinking that a 7-5 guy who can catch the ball, and read the floor wouldn't have a spot on a roster with no other C's, in league that doesn't have defensive 3 in the key?

Like you guys get that being tall helps in basketball?

not really sure why youre getting so defensive about a basketball player, im really not attacking him and am hoping he continues his - in my view - improved play. i can assure if anything else is at play its only from you. there have been many tall guys who have been stuck on a basketball court when their skills didnt justify them being there, they dont all look like bhullar and theyve all had the same reactions from people who didnt see them succeeding. if its anything its his sheer size that turns people against him - people typically root for the small guy not the giant. you're right that i undermined his accomplishments at nmsu, i hadnt realized the resume he had pilled up, he just always seemed to be getting outplayed by smaller bigs to me, but clearly he carried himself better than i had remembered cause his numbers and accolades far outweigh the impact i thought i witnessed from him- i was wrong. that being said, are you putting him on a canada team trying to make the olympics? an nba team trying to make the playoffs?

I guess I'm reacting more to that Sim Bhulllar thread around draft time that was so unrelentingly negative. IMO opinion he's maybe 20-30 pounds away from being an effective situational weapon in the NBA like a Roy Hibbert. If I was an NBA team I would absolutely want to try and develop him.


and I would want him on team canada because there is no defensive 3 in the key. Imagine a zone with Wiggins, Cojo and Ejim adn Bhullar in the middle, I think that could really be effective in certian situations.

[SharoneWright]

Joseph/Murray/Hanlan(PG/SG)
Stauskas/Heslip
Wiggins/Ejim
Thompson/Lyles/Nicholson
Olynyk/Sacre

-Ennis injured

-Bennett is the last cut; but he doesn't beat Lyles or Nicholson as a 4 or Ejim as a 3...

-Hanlan doubles as the 3rd PG and the 3rd SG

[mojo13]

Got a Team Canada highlight reel coming up..... just has to process on YT lol.

Be nice, first time I've made a highlight reel!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADKCKNIcuPU[/youtube]

If you watch on YT itself it should go up to 60 fps (not that it matters, since the source is not 60 fps).

And it should be up to 1080p60 later in the evening, enjoy and cheers

Full game here: http://panam.cbc.ca/videos/live/video/mens-basketball-1800-570569.html

Thank you so much for the highlight reel on YouTube. I am outside the country and can't access the CBC stream. Your highlights was all I got to see and they were great!

[Dr Comeback]

Joseph/Murray/Hanlan(PG/SG)
Stauskas/Heslip
Wiggins/Ejim
Thompson/Lyles/Nicholson
Olynyk/Sacre

-Ennis injured

-Bennett is the last cut; but he doesn't beat Lyles or Nicholson as a 4 or Ejim as a 3...

-Hanlan doubles as the 3rd PG and the 3rd SG

\

I'm sorry Lyles over Bennett? Trey a completely unknown commodity, has little FIBA experience and is 19 years old. not sure how you justify that.

[SharoneWright]

Joseph/Murray/Hanlan(PG/SG)
Stauskas/Heslip
Wiggins/Ejim
Thompson/Lyles/Nicholson
Olynyk/Sacre

-Ennis injured

-Bennett is the last cut; but he doesn't beat Lyles or Nicholson as a 4 or Ejim as a 3...

-Hanlan doubles as the 3rd PG and the 3rd SG

\

I'm sorry Lyles over Bennett? Trey a completely unknown commodity, has little FIBA experience and is 19 years old. not sure how you justify that.

He's better.

With a greater track record in intl play.