Team Canada Basketball Thread V2.0

[SharoneWright]

Glen Grunwald was on the Fan 590 this afternoon. Sounds like the coaching situation is wide open and everything is on the table. No commitment to Triano when the host asked. No commitment to a Canadian coach either. They want the best coach they can get to put the players in the best situation possible. But admitted a Canadian would be “ideal”.

Also said they were going to pick the best TEAM possible for the WC, which is not necessarily the best players available.

Read on Twitter

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Oh Hallelujah. Canada may have finally broken the Triano/Nash nepotism power couple. If you care only about winning, it's Rana. Triano had a good run. As a player.

[TrueNorth31]

Rowan Barrett on the Fan this morning;

https://www.sportsnet.ca/590/sportsnet-starting-lineup/new-canada-basketball-gm-excited-showcase-squad-world-stage/

The coaching situation remains in a flux. My sense is Triano is not available for the September window - he wasn't last year. So unless he can negotiate with Charlotte ( Sergio Scariolo current Raptor assistant and head coach of the Spanish National Team has a clause in his contract to still coach Spain) he's done.

Barrett mentions Rana and Gord Herbert as also being under consideration. He does mention they will broaden the search beyond Canada. Grunwald mentioned last night that they get lots of inquiries from prominent coaches about the team's coaching situation.

Barrett wants somebody who has winning record and International experience - this probably would preclude most D1 coaches. A name I would toss out there would be David Blatt - who before his troubles with LeBron coached Russia to the bronze at the 2012 Olympics. Another name might be somebody like Chris Finch who is the associate head coach for the Pelican's and coached Great Britain in the 2012 Olympics with Nick Nurse as his lead assistant.

Coaches like this would have to be available though for this September - possibly a last chance tourney in June and then the Olympics in July/August 2020 which is a tough ask. They'd also need to come cheap as Basketball Canada has little in the way of financial clout. A coach may be willing to do this to enhance his resume as Canada is seen to have lots of potential.

Barrett also mentions that between 4-9 Canadians will be drafted this year. Let the speculation begin.

[Hair Canada]

Yes, Blatt will be a great choice. NBA finals and experience (can deal with big egos), Plenty of Euroleague experience, and multiple team titles in Europe (including a Euroleague title with an overachieving Maccabi). And with Russia, it's not just the bronze in 2012. He also won with them the EuroBasket in 2007 (again, a very overachieving team; kind of a theme for him). I would make him the primary target if he's willing to come.

[frumble]

Its very refreshing to hear that they seem willing to consider a non-Canadian coach. Why limit yourself?

Re building the best team rather than selecting the best players, I think that is another sign that there will be plenty of non-NBAers on the roster. I am expecting only about half the roster to be NBA players.

[TrueNorth31]

I honestly don't know if Olympiacos would let Blatt go in September ? As well would he do it for cheap? Another thing to consider is that in his time with the Cavaliers he had some friction with some of the players - relating to and having the respect of NBA guys is crucial. Perhaps it was just a LeBron clash - certainly Tristan Thompson would have some insight into the situation and I've heard directly from a Basketball Canada official that Tristan is very well respected in the program and his opinion is valued. Blatt did do some consulting for Canada a few years ago during a European exhibition tour.

[mojo13]

All good news to hear - my only concern is bringing in a fresh coach with a new system and style right before the WC is a little risky. Would much rather have had someone in place for a year or so already. I'd be happy with Rana at the helm with guys like JD Jackson and Smart around him.


Anyways I took a look at the competition format for the WC and it is a little different from what we have seen in the past.
Two rounds of pool play, w/ top two advancing from 1st rnd w/ all results carrying over to the 2nd round. Then top two per pool from 2nd round move on to single elimin. Quarter-finals. So it puts the pool draws of even more importance. As we need to be very concerned not just about or first pool (especially when results carry over), but the pool we combine into. There is still huge potential for imbalance if they heavily use FIBA Rankings as draw guidance. With potential for multiple "Death Pools" and multiple cake walk pools.
http://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2019/competition-system-a4.pdf

[Hair Canada]

All good news to hear - my only concern is bringing in a fresh coach with a new system and style right before the WC is a little risky. Would much rather have had someone in place for a year or so already. I'd be happy with Rana at the helm with guys like JD Jackson and Smart around him.


Anyways I took a look at the competition format for the WC and it is a little different from what we have seen in the past.
Two rounds of pool play, w/ top two advancing from 1st rnd w/ all results carrying over to the 2nd round. Then top two per pool from 2nd round move on to single elimin. Quarter-finals. So it puts the pool draws of even more importance. As we need to be very concerned not just about or first pool (especially when results carry over), but the pool we combine into. There is still huge potential for imbalance if they heavily use FIBA Rankings as draw guidance. With potential for multiple "Death Pools" and multiple cake walk pools.
http://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2019/competition-system-a4.pdf

Agreed. Just one example: Given the ranking and the principle of separating continents when possible, the following two pools are certainly possible:

1. Spain (or France/Serbia), Australia, Canada, Nigeria

2. China, Venezuela, Poland, Ivory Coast

[mojo13]

Following up on the above post:

If these are the HYPOTHETICAL pots just on ranking:
1. CHI-USA-ESP-FRA-SRB-ARG-LIT-GRE
2. RUS-AUS-BRA-ITA-P.R-TUR-DOM-VEN
3. GER-CAN-CZE-POL.IRN-MTN-PHI-KOR
4. NIG-SEN-NZL-ANG-JAP-JOR-TUN-CMF

And these are used heavily for the draw it is tough to see how we don;t most likley end up in a really tough pool. They have said they try to avoid putting teams from the same region into the same pools (and no more than two Euro teams per pool). So using this guidance it seems our "1 seed" will be one of:
CHI--ESP-FRA-SRB--LIT-GRE. CHI would be wonderful, other than that a Giannis-less Greece would be the best of the rest I suppose.
Our "2nd Seed" would be one of:
RUS-AUS-ITA-TUR. Again, not any great options. Australia would be awful, but the other three would be beatable, but any one could easily beat us.
Our 4th Seed would be one of:
NIG-SEN-NZL-ANG-JAP-JOR-TUN-CMF. I don;t know if anyone is a real threat. I don't know these current African teams well. Tunsia cruised through qualification, NZ or Japan could be a threat, if they collect their best players.

Now some have said they may not be using these pot systems at all or will combined the 2nd and 3rd pots - but we really have no idea and this Pot + ranking system has been used in the past, with adjustments for geographies.

With this system I dont see how we avoid a 2nd Seed of RUS-AUS-ITA-TUR so can only pray we get into China's pool as any of -ESP-FRA-SRB--LIT-GRE would be a "Death Pool". But I somehow think FIBA will unstack China's pool to give them the best shot of moving on to the second round (they can't really do this with Canada in their pool as the we'd still need RUS-ITA-TUR in the pool). I'd bet they put China in a pool where VEN-DR-PR is the 2nd seed. This is in line with FIBA's MO.
FIBA always have a whiff of corruption and seem to be open to working with countries like Russia, China or Turkey or other deep-pocketed "bribey" countries to help them out and give them an edge. It gives me nightmares of a France-Australia-Canada initial pool that is combined into another Death Pool.

I sound like a conspiracy theorist at this point - but I am sure I am not alone with these thoughts.

[TrueNorth31]

I agree about switching out coaches mid stream Mojo, usually you make changes after a quadrennial. I do think though the Triano availability thing has been forced upon them. I do hope they keep Rana, Smart and Jackson around if they do hire a high profile candidate for continuity sake . I'd be happy with Rana as the head coach as well.

The draw is crucial and Barrett did mention seeding is a component in the draw. I wish FIBA would discuss this issue more. Grunwald does mention the last chance tourney ( June 23-28 2020) in his comments. He also mentions another tourney may be required to determine the 2 at large FIBA America qualifiers. Hopefully we can be in the top 23 (?) at the World Cup and won't have to go through this extra Fiba Americas.

[Hair Canada]

In fact, thinking about it, getting a European powerhouse in the draw (can also be Lithuania or Greece with the freak) from the top 8 is very likely. Then, in the second tier (according to FIBA rankings) there are 4 American teams, 3 European ones, and Australia. Given that the 3rd rank is mostly populated with European countries, they will probably try to avoid 3 European teams in the same pool. And if they also try to avoid two teams from American in the same pool, it leaves us with Australia as the most likely candidate to be in the same pool with Canada (unless I'm missing something about how FIBA does things).

If this happens, and we get something like Serbia and Australia in full force, then an early elimination becomes a very real option.

So fingers crossed that we get China from the top 8...

[aminiaturebuddha]

You guys all make great points, and I'm now starting to become a little worried about the draw. If the aim of FIBA is competitiveness and fairness, it doesn't really seem to make much sense to rely entirely on a ranking system that goes back 8 years, and mostly includes the results of games that were played under an entirely different qualification system than the one that we've just used to determine the teams that will actually play in the World Cup.

But then again, I also recognize that I've complained in the past about how the new qualification system doesn't necessarily demonstrate the relative strength of a country's national program given that many players were not available to compete. So maybe I'm just singing a different tune now that Canada qualified first in the Americas.

Still, it seems that anything they come up with during this transition period is going to be somewhat problematic. Hopefully they realize this and come up with some sort of solution that doesn't make the World Cup pools seem like a complete joke.

[TrueNorth31]

In terms of the FIBA draw something has to give. There's just too many competing principles. Pool equity, geographical representation and hopefully keeping the Chinese public engaged in the tournaments second round. Upon reflection I think we'll be in with 2 European teams - one of the powers ( Spain, France , Serbia, Lithuania or Greece ). Then we'd also have Russia,Turkey or Italy in our group probably with an Asian country. Winning the game against the secondarily ranked Euro teams may be crucial.

We need to hit the ground running. Changing over the coaching roster and bringing in a whole group of new players may be counter productive to having a quick start.

[TrueNorth31]

More on the coaching situation from Grange ( they had a conference call press availability this morning)

Read on Twitter

[13th Man]

I thought the coaching choice would be obvious in giving Dave Smart a shot. Best coach in the CIS and also served as an assistant coach to the men's national program on a few occasions.

[TrueNorth31]

I think Smart should be part of any Canadian staff moving forward ( and if Triano is indeed available he should remain the head coach through this quadrennial)

Smart is renowned to be a technical genius in the world of hoops. In a recent interview with Scott Morrison who is a Boston Celtic assistant ( and as well a national team assistant coach) he talked about in his first job interview with Brad Stevens ( another renowned technical guru) , Steven's first question was about the Dave Smart's defence Team Canada runs. Smart knows his stuff and is widely respected.

The question about him being a National Team head coach revolves around his rather intense personality. What works at the U Sports level may not necessarily work with seasoned veterans. I'm not so sure this is a problem and I think he'd be fine as the head guy - he'd certainly never be outworked. I think he's well known to most National Team players and could moderate his intensity. The big problem though would Carleton make him available during the August/September window ?

[Hair Canada]

BC has given us the greatest Canadian basketball player of all time and his heir (hair-wise), Mr. Klynyk. This year, another BC native is on the rise -- no other than BC (Brandon Clarke). But overall, it seems like the fountain has dried up and it's hard to see other elite prospects from the province among the youngsters.

In steps Jermaine Haley, who is the most talented non-Clarke BC player in the NCAA. He came to West Virginia this year as a Junior, moving from Juco, and things started off slowly. his minutes have been up and down, and until a week ago he only scored in (low) double digits 3 times. WV itself has been having one of the more disappointing years in recent memory and is going to miss the tournament.

But look at what Haley has done over the last 4 games:
Career-high 13 points vs. Baylor, adding career highs in rebounds (7) and assists (5)
Career-high 18 points vs. TCU, adding career highs in rebounds (8) and assists (6)
Career-high 23 points vs. Oklahoma, adding 6 rebounds and 5 assists
Career-high 28 points in a big win over Iowa State (without the injured Shayok), adding 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and career-high 3 blocks

I guess this means that in WV's last game of the regular season on Saturday he's going to score 33 points...

During this stretch, he's also made 5 3-pointers, after making only 4 of these previously in all of the previous games.

Hopefully, this is a sign for how his senior year is going to look like. He's certainly a talented guy (6'7 with good passing and athleticism, who can play both the 2 and the 3) to keep an eye on for next year.

[SharoneWright]

I guess this means that in WV's last game of the regular season on Saturday he's going to score 33 points...

nice.

[Mattd97]

I thought the coaching choice would be obvious in giving Dave Smart a shot. Best coach in the CIS and also served as an assistant coach to the men's national program on a few occasions.

we need someone without a son/nephew in the player pool for once

[Hair Canada]

Our frontcourt with great games again tonight: Olynyk with 22 and 11 (5-7 from 3). Powell with another career high: 26 and 10 (11/12 from the field). Bring it on boys!

[Psubs]

Is Dwight Powell the best Canadian C right now or would Kelly Olynyk be the starter (or at PF)?

Dwight has started the last 4 games in Dallas and offensively is playing amazing.

PG SGA - CoJo - Pangos
SG Murray - Stauskas - Heslip
SF Wiggins - RJ - Brooks
PF Olynyk - Lyles
C Powell - Thompson - Boucher