Team Canada Basketball Thread

[Bobby Plump]

Yet another Canadian was selected to play in NBA All Star festivities. Andre De Grasse will be playing in the Celebrity game on Friday, Feb. 16th. That what I call fast break basketball. Andre's career could potentially go up smoke if tears up a knee or rolls an ankle. Minor risk, I suppose.

[Cheesin]

Yet another Canadian was selected to play in NBA All Star festivities. Andre De Grasse will be playing in the Celebrity game on Friday, Feb. 16th. That what I call fast break basketball. Andre's career could potentially go up smoke if tears up a knee or rolls an ankle. Minor risk, I suppose.

2020 olympics we medal in basketball and get 1st in the 100 metres...prolly 200 metres as well.

The two biggest events at the olympics imo

[Mirotic12]

So who the heck is Gordie Herbert?
Never heard of him and is our new head coach for the Feb Qualfiers. Anyone?

He used to coach in EuroLeague.

http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=WBR

[mojo13]

So who the heck is Gordie Herbert?
Never heard of him and is our new head coach for the Feb Qualfiers. Anyone?

He used to coach in EuroLeague.

http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=WBR

Ok - feeling a little better after seeing his resume. From his Bio section:

Career Notes
Head Coach UU Korihait (1994-96)…Head Coach Honka Espoo (1996-99, 2009-January'10)…Head Coach Oberwart Gunners (1999-00)…Head Coach Wurzburg (2000-01)…Head Coach Frankfurt Skyliners (2001-04, April'10-2011)…Head Coach Racing Paris Basket (2004-06)…Head Coach Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (2006-07)...Head Coach Aris Thessaloniki (2007-08)...Assistant Coach Toronto Raptors (2008-09)...Head Coach Alba Berlin (2011-....)

Miscellaneous
won the 2003-04 German National Championship with Skyliners Frankfurt...won the 2007 French National Cup with EB Pau-Orthez...won the 2010 Finnish National Cup with Honka Espoo.

Honors
Named Coach of the Year for the Austrian League (1999-00).

Notes
Finnish U-18 National Team Coach (1995-97, 2010)…Head Coach Georgian National Team (2005-2006)…Assistant Coach Canadian National Team (2002).

Wikipedia profile:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Herbert

Had no idea he coached the Georgian National team or was an assistant for Canada and the Raptors at one point. Let alone his long coaching history in Europe. Aris was a pretty high profile coaching job at that time period, right Mirotic? I frankly hope they stick with him through this qualification process. We need some consistency.

[slothrop8]

So who the heck is Gordie Herbert?
Never heard of him and is our new head coach for the Feb Qualfiers. Anyone?

He used to coach in EuroLeague.

http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=WBR

Ok - feeling a little better after seeing his resume. From his Bio section:

Career Notes
Head Coach UU Korihait (1994-96)…Head Coach Honka Espoo (1996-99, 2009-January'10)…Head Coach Oberwart Gunners (1999-00)…Head Coach Wurzburg (2000-01)…Head Coach Frankfurt Skyliners (2001-04, April'10-2011)…Head Coach Racing Paris Basket (2004-06)…Head Coach Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (2006-07)...Head Coach Aris Thessaloniki (2007-08)...Assistant Coach Toronto Raptors (2008-09)...Head Coach Alba Berlin (2011-....)

Miscellaneous
won the 2003-04 German National Championship with Skyliners Frankfurt...won the 2007 French National Cup with EB Pau-Orthez...won the 2010 Finnish National Cup with Honka Espoo.

Honors
Named Coach of the Year for the Austrian League (1999-00).

Notes
Finnish U-18 National Team Coach (1995-97, 2010)…Head Coach Georgian National Team (2005-2006)…Assistant Coach Canadian National Team (2002).

Wikipedia profile:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Herbert

Had no idea he coached the Georgian National team or was and assistant for Canada and the Raptors at one point. I frankly hope they stick with him through this qualification process. We need some consistency.

Pshaw - consistency. I hate to be negative about the program all the time because I really want us to succeed, but there's a decent shot 5 posters from this thread comprise the coaching staff by the time the next window rolls around.

[mojo13]

He used to coach in EuroLeague.

http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=WBR

Ok - feeling a little better after seeing his resume. From his Bio section:

Career Notes
Head Coach UU Korihait (1994-96)…Head Coach Honka Espoo (1996-99, 2009-January'10)…Head Coach Oberwart Gunners (1999-00)…Head Coach Wurzburg (2000-01)…Head Coach Frankfurt Skyliners (2001-04, April'10-2011)…Head Coach Racing Paris Basket (2004-06)…Head Coach Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (2006-07)...Head Coach Aris Thessaloniki (2007-08)...Assistant Coach Toronto Raptors (2008-09)...Head Coach Alba Berlin (2011-....)

Miscellaneous
won the 2003-04 German National Championship with Skyliners Frankfurt...won the 2007 French National Cup with EB Pau-Orthez...won the 2010 Finnish National Cup with Honka Espoo.

Honors
Named Coach of the Year for the Austrian League (1999-00).

Notes
Finnish U-18 National Team Coach (1995-97, 2010)…Head Coach Georgian National Team (2005-2006)…Assistant Coach Canadian National Team (2002).

Wikipedia profile:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Herbert

Had no idea he coached the Georgian National team or was and assistant for Canada and the Raptors at one point. I frankly hope they stick with him through this qualification process. We need some consistency.

Pshaw - consistency. I hate to be negative about the program all the time because I really want us to succeed, but there's a decent shot 5 posters from this thread comprise the coaching staff by the time the next window rolls around.

Devils advocate / PollyAnna for a sec - a guy like Herbert could be the secret ingredient Team Canada has needed for some time. He has a near 30 year coaching history in Europe under FIBA and a solid (not great) resume. The ongoing knock on Triano and Rautins were that they were American style coaches who were not that experienced in the FIBA game (or worse that they were just crappy coaches who were conveniently the most high profile Canadians domestically). Many on this board have argued for hiring an international coach who knows the FIBA game, inside and out . We may have just found our Euro/FIBA style coach - in a Canadian no less. I really didn't like Rana's game plan or substitutions in November (played Bennett poorly, too much Heslip, Glaze, Anthony, Keane - not enough Pierre, Scrubb, Trasolini). So I am very open to Herbert the more I know about him. I just hope we stick with him (Id' be happy if we ditched Triano).

[slothrop8]

Yeah, I have no issue with the hire and a guy with FIBA and European experience works with me. I just wanted to complain about announcing our coach out of the blue 2 weeks before crucial games. I don't understand why this program always seems so disorganized. However, I have no problem with the particular choice.

[Hair Canada]

Yeah, I have no issue with the hire and a guy with FIBA and European experience works with me. I just wanted to complain about announcing our coach out of the blue 2 weeks before crucial games. I don't understand why this program always seems so disorganized. However, I have no problem with the particular choice.

Same here. Seems like he might be a good choice (mojo makes some good points about it). But the way there is so weird. And, of course, it would be completely different if they said: "This is our coach from now on and he gets a shot to do at least one complete campaign". As it is, you can't even tell if it's a one-time gig and if we're going to see him in the summer. How can players expect any stability when the coaching situation is so transient?

[mojo13]

Team USA announces their 14 man pool.
https://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2018/02/mwcq-feb-training-roster-announcement.aspx

Only three returnees from November - and we talk about consistency! But it is still full of ex-NBA and near NBA players from the G.
Eight of the 14 USA players possess NBA experience, including: Christon (64 games); Drew (15 games); Gee (417); Harrison (26 games); Jones (232 games); Silas (two games); Stockton (three games); and Wear (51 games). They will be fine.

Still have the same coach in Van Gundy (lol).

[frumble]

Devils advocate / PollyAnna for a sec - a guy like Herbert could be the secret ingredient Team Canada has needed for some time. He has a near 30 year coaching history in Europe under FIBA and a solid (not great) resume. The ongoing knock on Triano and Rautins were that they were American style coaches who were not that experienced in the FIBA game (or worse that they were just crappy coaches who were conveniently the most high profile Canadians domestically). Many on this board have argued for hiring an international coach who knows the FIBA game, inside and out . We may have just found our Euro/FIBA style coach - in a Canadian no less. I really didn't like Rana's game plan or substitutions in November (played Bennett poorly, too much Heslip, Glaze, Anthony, Keane - not enough Pierre, Scrubb, Trasolini). So I am very open to Herbert the more I know about him. I just hope we stick with him (Id' be happy if we ditched Triano).

Another knock on past Team Canada coaches is that they may have favoured sons, nephews, past recruits, or potential future recruits. Even if there was no bias, the appearance of bias can be almost as damaging.

So I think it is a plus that they have a guy who is not connected to a CIAU program and does not have any family ties (that we know of) to anyone in the player pool.

Agree that the late announcement and the possiblity of having three coaches for the qualifying windows is not a good look, but I am not displeased with the selection.


Re the US team, is it a surprise that only three players returning from the November games? How many of the November guys are currently with NBA teams?

[TooBad]

Ok - feeling a little better after seeing his resume. From his Bio section:

Career Notes
Head Coach UU Korihait (1994-96)…Head Coach Honka Espoo (1996-99, 2009-January'10)…Head Coach Oberwart Gunners (1999-00)…Head Coach Wurzburg (2000-01)…Head Coach Frankfurt Skyliners (2001-04, April'10-2011)…Head Coach Racing Paris Basket (2004-06)…Head Coach Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (2006-07)...Head Coach Aris Thessaloniki (2007-08)...Assistant Coach Toronto Raptors (2008-09)...Head Coach Alba Berlin (2011-....)

Miscellaneous
won the 2003-04 German National Championship with Skyliners Frankfurt...won the 2007 French National Cup with EB Pau-Orthez...won the 2010 Finnish National Cup with Honka Espoo.

Honors
Named Coach of the Year for the Austrian League (1999-00).

Notes
Finnish U-18 National Team Coach (1995-97, 2010)…Head Coach Georgian National Team (2005-2006)…Assistant Coach Canadian National Team (2002).

Wikipedia profile:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Herbert

Had no idea he coached the Georgian National team or was and assistant for Canada and the Raptors at one point. I frankly hope they stick with him through this qualification process. We need some consistency.

Pshaw - consistency. I hate to be negative about the program all the time because I really want us to succeed, but there's a decent shot 5 posters from this thread comprise the coaching staff by the time the next window rolls around.

Devils advocate / PollyAnna for a sec - a guy like Herbert could be the secret ingredient Team Canada has needed for some time. He has a near 30 year coaching history in Europe under FIBA and a solid (not great) resume. The ongoing knock on Triano and Rautins were that they were American style coaches who were not that experienced in the FIBA game (or worse that they were just crappy coaches who were conveniently the most high profile Canadians domestically). Many on this board have argued for hiring an international coach who knows the FIBA game, inside and out . We may have just found our Euro/FIBA style coach - in a Canadian no less. I really didn't like Rana's game plan or substitutions in November (played Bennett poorly, too much Heslip, Glaze, Anthony, Keane - not enough Pierre, Scrubb, Trasolini). So I am very open to Herbert the more I know about him. I just hope we stick with him (Id' be happy if we ditched Triano).

Pretty Cool that we got Billy Bob Thorton coaching the Canadian Men's team

[Kabookalu]

Not sure if this was posted here but:

http://www.startribune.com/for-jimmy-butler-it-s-all-about-winning-with-the-timberwolves/470414053/

Jerry Zgoda: You’re this team’s best player, Thibs calls you “MVP caliber.” Are you its most talented?

Jimmy Butler: Who, me? Hell no, Wigs is. Wigs is the most talented by far. I see him do things and I’m like wow, like how? The crazy part is that was at 40 percent. Just think if you’re 80 percent or what if you just go as hard as you can, 100? Wigs is easily the most talented person on this team.

[Mirotic12]

So who the heck is Gordie Herbert?
Never heard of him and is our new head coach for the Feb Qualfiers. Anyone?

He used to coach in EuroLeague.

http://www.euroleague.net/competition/coaches/showcoach?pcode=WBR

Ok - feeling a little better after seeing his resume. From his Bio section:

Career Notes
Head Coach UU Korihait (1994-96)…Head Coach Honka Espoo (1996-99, 2009-January'10)…Head Coach Oberwart Gunners (1999-00)…Head Coach Wurzburg (2000-01)…Head Coach Frankfurt Skyliners (2001-04, April'10-2011)…Head Coach Racing Paris Basket (2004-06)…Head Coach Elan Bearnais Pau-Orthez (2006-07)...Head Coach Aris Thessaloniki (2007-08)...Assistant Coach Toronto Raptors (2008-09)...Head Coach Alba Berlin (2011-....)

Miscellaneous
won the 2003-04 German National Championship with Skyliners Frankfurt...won the 2007 French National Cup with EB Pau-Orthez...won the 2010 Finnish National Cup with Honka Espoo.

Honors
Named Coach of the Year for the Austrian League (1999-00).

Notes
Finnish U-18 National Team Coach (1995-97, 2010)…Head Coach Georgian National Team (2005-2006)…Assistant Coach Canadian National Team (2002).

Wikipedia profile:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Herbert

Had no idea he coached the Georgian National team or was an assistant for Canada and the Raptors at one point. Let alone his long coaching history in Europe. Aris was a pretty high profile coaching job at that time period, right Mirotic? I frankly hope they stick with him through this qualification process. We need some consistency.

Yeah, he coached Aris when they still had a fairly big budget. I am pretty sure they were in the Top 16 of EuroLeague that year (back when they had 24 teams).

[mojo13]

Not sure if this was posted here but:

http://www.startribune.com/for-jimmy-butler-it-s-all-about-winning-with-the-timberwolves/470414053/

Jerry Zgoda: You’re this team’s best player, Thibs calls you “MVP caliber.” Are you its most talented?

Jimmy Butler: Who, me? Hell no, Wigs is. Wigs is the most talented by far. I see him do things and I’m like wow, like how? The crazy part is that was at 40 percent. Just think if you’re 80 percent or what if you just go as hard as you can, 100? Wigs is easily the most talented person on this team.

Very high praise but almost a backhanded compliment.
Here's hoping that Jimmy is the best thing to ever happen to Wiggins' work ethic.
Can we only dream of a "100 Wiggins"?

[Hair Canada]

Here's some footage of one of the (really) young guys I was talking about in my posts about the future of Canadian basketball.

Caleb Houstan (6'7; G/F, class of 2022) is only 14, but already playing senior high school varsity. He plays with St. Marcellinus, where RJ Barrett also played before he moved to his current US prep school. It's an interesting comparison because I don't think I've seen this level of dominance by someone this young since RJ. Houstan is not as athletic, but he'll probably be taller (already same height as Barrett is now) and he has real guard skills.

This game is against one of the better non-prep-schools in Ontario, and he finished it with 33 points (22 in the second half). It's not the first time he scores over 30 this season, but you'll see it's not because he's selfish (in fact, he has good vision and is a willing passer). Also showing here some nice defensive effort.

Will be interesting to keep following.

Watch on YouTube

[mojo13]

Some good news with Phil Scrubb back in action this week. First game since mid December and he played 28 minutes minutes. With 16 points.

I'd say to still not expect him for the Feb Qualifiers but with Herbert as his head coach with Fraport and Scrubb relentless participation over the years I think we might have him. The chemistry with Herbert could be a big help.

[TooBad]

Naz Mitrou-Long back in the league after D-Rose got waived.

Read on Twitter

[aminiaturebuddha]

Great showdown this afternoon between Lindell Wigginton and Trae Young, where Wigginton led Iowa State to an upset of Oklahoma. Considering Young is considered a top 5-10 lottery pick in the draft this year, Wigginton definitely helped his stock by matching, and at times outplaying Young in the game.

He finished with 26-5-5.

[RaptorsLife]

Read on Twitter

[TooBad]

Great showdown this afternoon between Lindell Wigginton and Trae Young, where Wigginton led Iowa State to an upset of Oklahoma. Considering Young is considered a top 5-10 lottery pick in the draft this year, Wigginton definitely helped his stock by matching, and at times outplaying Young in the game.

He finished with 26-5-5.

It's awesome that he's from Nova Scotia and not from Ontario/BC/Quebec. Canada needs to start producing more NBA Talent from provinces other than the big 3 provinces. I think Lyles is the only current Canadian NBA player to come out of province not named Ontario/BC/Quebec.