Utah Jazz Players in the FIBA World Cup(in China)

stitches · Post #1 » by **stitches** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 3:57 pm

There is a FIBA World Cup this year so there will be some games with the participation of several of our players.

Gobert will play for France.

Mitchell will participate in Team USA's camps and he will try to make the team for the World Cup .

Joe Ingles reportedly will participate for Australia. Dante Exum will NOT participate.

Because of weird rules and qualifying cycles the Croatian national team didn't qualify for the tournament so it doesn't seem like Bojan will play this summer.

Here's France's schedule this summer(times are in local French time - CET):
Source: http://www.ffbb.com/equipe-de-france-masculine-campagnes-2019
(various camps in France)
August 5, 8:30pm France vs Turkey (exhibition game)
August 7, 8:30pm France vs Tunisia (exhibition game)
August 15, 8:30pm France vs Montenegro (exhibition game)
August 16, 8:30pm France vs Brazil(exhibition game)
August 17, 8:30pm France vs Argentina (exhibition game)

(camp in China prior to the World cup)
August 24 France vs New Zealand(exhibition game)
August 25 France vs France (exhibition game)
August 27 France vs Serbia (exhibition game)

World Cup Group stage(in China):

1st round - Group G - Shenzhen
September 1 France vs Germany
September 3 Jordan vs France
September 5 Dominican Republic vs France

Here's Team USA's schedule this summer(times in EST):
Source: https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/schedule.aspx

August 9, 7:00 pm USA White vs USA Blue
August 16, 7:00 pm USA vs Spain (in Las Vegas)
August 22, 7:30 pm USA vs Australia (in Anaheim,CA)
August 24, 2:00 pm Australia vs USA(in Melbourne, Australia)
August 26, 7:30 pm USA vs Canada(in Sydney, Australia)

World Cup Group Stage(in China):

September 1, 8:30 pm USA vs Czech Republic
September 3, 8:30 pm USA vs Turkey
September 5. 8:30 pm USA vs Japan

Here's Australia's schedule this summer:
Source: https://australia.basketball/blog/2019/05/26/boomers-announce-squad-for-2019-fiba-basketball-world-cup/

August 16, 5:30 pm(local time) Australia vs Canada(in Perth, Australia)
August 17, 5:30 pm(local time) Australia vs Canada(in Perth, Australia)
August 22, 7:30 pm(ET) USA vs Australia
August 24, 2:00 pm(ET) Australia vs USA

World Cup Group Stage(in China)
September 1: Australia vs. Canada
September 3: Australia vs. Senegal
September 5: Australia vs. Lithuania

I will be updating this thread or posting new information in this thread. You are welcome to join in on the discussion...

KqWIN · Post #2 » by **KqWIN** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 4:12 pm

Hmm...since the season starts earlier, looks like these guys will be missing the start of camp. Key returning players being absent is just what you want when you have a lot of roster turnover.

EDIT: Looks like the guys will be back just in time for the start of camp. There's about a week between the final and when camp starts.

Cappy_Smurf · Post #3 » by **Cappy_Smurf** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:21 am

As much as I'm a huge fan of Gobert, I'm kinda **** pissed that he's going to play in this, this year.

That Conely trade was a huge gamble, and Utah's future is riding on this season. A significant injury now doesn't just ruin the season, it could be the difference between going deep in the playoffs for the next several years, and having to blow it up after this season.

If ever there was a year to skip the playing for your national pride blah blah blah, this is the year.

I'm not happy about other players doing it either, but Gobert is too critical to the team's success, and also likely to take longer recovering from a lower extremity type injury.

Having said all that, I wouldn't be surprised if something comes up and he doesn't end up playing. He needs to fake having Lyme disease or something. Gotta be a way to get out of it and save face with his countrymen.

Post #4 » by **GimmeDat** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:27 am

Wish Exum had been healthy the last couple of years and could've played for Australia along with Joe. Just really want to see him finally stay on the court and put it together.

vryadli · Post #5 » by **vryadli** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 5:04 am

Cappy_Smurf wrote:As much as I'm a huge fan of Gobert, I'm kinda **** pissed that he's going to play in this, this year.

That Conely trade was a huge gamble, and Utah's future is riding on this season. A significant injury now doesn't just ruin the season, it could be the difference between going deep in the playoffs for the next several years, and having to blow it up after this season.

If ever there was a year to skip the playing for your national pride blah blah blah, this is the year.

I'm not happy about other players doing it either, but Gobert is too critical to the team's success, and also likely to take longer recovering from a lower extremity type injury.

Having said all that, I wouldn't be surprised if something comes up and he doesn't end up playing. He needs to fake having Lyme disease or something. Gotta be a way to get out of it and save face with his countrymen.

Hm... would you give same advice to some USA star where our teams are not overwhelming favorite but competitive? Like ice hockey for example?

Cappy_Smurf · Post #6 » by **Cappy_Smurf** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 5:47 am

vryadli wrote:
Hm... would you give same advice to some USA star where our teams are not overwhelming favorite but competitive? Like ice hockey for example?

I'm not a hockey fan, so I don't really care whether or not some hockey player destroys his NHL career to represent his country.

Also, I doubt the chance of injury in Hockey is anywhere near what it is in the NBA. It's a rough sport, but I don't believe guys are blowing out their knees and ankles as regularly as they do in the NBA.

A better example might be if I feel the same way about Mitchell playing for the US. I would be fine if he decided not too, but like I've already mentioned, I think Rudy has more at stake here than Mitchell or Ingles by playing for their countries.

Gobert's game is such that his athleticism is absolutely crucial to his game. He becomes a very limited player if he is so much as a little sore on one leg. A bad season for Rudy could be disastrous for where this team currently is.

Anyway, like I said, I can't really relate to your hockey example. For the NBA though, I think the possibility of injury is significant enough that I don't think any team with a chance to contend should have their guys playing for their national pride in the offseason, and I feel that way regardless of what country they play for.

KqWIN · Post #7 » by **KqWIN** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 4:11 pm

Harden, Gordon, McCollum, and Davis have withdrawn. Mitchell is likely to make the team now.

As much as I want the Jazz to be the sole focus for our players, it is fun to watch them compete and cheer their nations on. Happy to know that Mitchell is playing b-ball this summer too.

stitches · Post #8 » by **stitches** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 4:36 pm

Not that this has not been said before but injury concerns are greatly exaggerated due to a few big injuries that have happened at those specific games in the last 5 years or so(PG13, Exum)... players play in the off-season. You cannot want them to improve in the off-season and at the same time to want to wrap them in bubble wrap until the next season starts. Whether at the national team level or with skill coaches or at big NBA players gatherings like the ones Exum goes to every summer in LA... those players will play basketball and will have some level of risk for injury. At least you know that with those national teams they are monitored 24/7 by some of the best sports trainers and physicians in their respective countries rather than being left unattended in some semi-empty empty gym in Indiana or Vegas...

To me the much bigger concern in those, especially for Mitchell is the relationships he will build. Just look at all the superstar matchmaking that happens at those Team USA camps. Pretty much all the big pairings in the NBA have started with friendships at those camps and teams like Utah have the most to lose and are usually the ones to lose their superstars due to those superteams forming in big markets, because if players decide to pair up with Mitchell in 4-6 years time I doubt it will be in Utah. But again ... if we spend every minute of our existence worrying about that, then what's the point of it all... small market teams will never have a fair shot in those discussions... Haywood's departure disillusioned me from any hopes of keeping our stars. Just enjoy the players while they are here, because they won't be here forever.

KqWIN · Post #9 » by **KqWIN** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 3:07 pm

Beal has withdrawn as well. Mitchell is the only nominal "SG" on the roster. It's a guarantee that he'll make it, and he could potentially be the starter.

KqWIN · Post #10 » by **KqWIN** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:00 pm

Saw that Lillard is on the fence. If he withdraws, which everyone is doing at this point, Mitchell won't just be a starter. He will be the star of the team...

KqWIN · Post #11 » by **KqWIN** » Mon Jul 22, 2019 9:27 pm

In the span of the last eight days or so, All-Stars Anthony Davis, James Harden, and Bradley Beal, as well as C.J. McCollum, Eric Gordon and Tobias Harris have all withdrawn from Team USA participation, starting with training camp in Las Vegas at the beginning of August. Sources told The Athletic that Damian Lillard and Kevin Love were on the fence and expected to make their intentions known in the next few days.

The Americans will ultimately take 12 players to the World Cup, which starts for them Sept. 1 in Shanghai, China, against Czech Republic, and those players are expected to include Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell and Andre Drummond. On the list as possible replacements for the stars who have said no to the Gregg Popovich-coached Team USA include Smart and Brown, Russell, Mike Conley, now of the Utah Jazz, Josh Richardson (Sixers), Thaddeus Young (Bulls), and Julius Randle (Knicks).

https://theathletic.com/1089806/2019/07/22/team-usa-celtics-marcus-smart-jaylen-brown-among-candidates-to-replace-defecting-stars/

If Lillard is out, we could have Conley - Mitchell as the starting backcourt for team USA.

stitches · Post #12 » by **stitches** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 5:49 pm

Read on Twitter

Post #13 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:08 pm

I didn't mind DM taking part of USA Basketball because I though that at least he'll spend time around the biggest stars and see how hard they work, and maybe learn some things, foster relationships and maybe try to recruit some of them them. But now they're all gone and I'm mostly concerned about an injury.

KqWIN · Post #14 » by **KqWIN** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 6:12 pm

**** it. Donovan is going to be the star of Team USA and I'm going to enjoy watching him play and represent the Jazz.

KqWIN · Post #15 » by **KqWIN** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 8:54 pm

Lillard is out, Mitchell is unironically the star of team USA. It'd be cool to see Conley go with him.

Read on Twitter

Daddy 801 · Post #16 » by **Daddy 801** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:31 pm

I’m one of the people that doesn’t like players playing in the tournament. Not worth it.

But if everyone else withdraws I think it’s more likely Donovan stays. It’s a chance to continue growing his brand.

zero24gravity · Post #17 » by **zero24gravity** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:53 pm

KqWIN wrote:Lillard is out, Mitchell is unironically the star of team USA. It'd be cool to see Conley go with him.

Read on Twitter

The idea of seeing our Jazz backcourt starring for Team USA certainly is appealing, and having them playing together can only help their chemistry (on and off the court) grow. Still, in Conley's case, I do worry about him being an older player & wearing down in the 2nd half of the season after a Team USA summer.

zero24gravity · Post #18 » by **zero24gravity** » Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:56 pm

Daddy 801 wrote:I’m one of the people that doesn’t like players playing in the tournament. Not worth it.

But if everyone else withdraws I think it’s more likely Donovan stays. It’s a chance to continue growing his brand.

Like was stated before, they will be playing somewhere. It just won't be on TV for Team USA, instead it'll be in camps, pick up games, etc.. I don't think there's any more risk for injury that a player who isn't in a National Tourney. The bigger down side is that players are not able to monitor their own down time (gotta play on game day), which is especially important to players with any kind of injury & the older players.

Daddy 801 · Post #19 » by **Daddy 801** » Wed Jul 24, 2019 5:26 am

zero24gravity wrote:
Daddy 801 wrote:I’m one of the people that doesn’t like players playing in the tournament. Not worth it.

But if everyone else withdraws I think it’s more likely Donovan stays. It’s a chance to continue growing his brand.

Like was stated before, they will be playing somewhere. It just won't be on TV for Team USA, instead it'll be in camps, pick up games, etc.. I don't think there's any more risk for injury that a player who isn't in a National Tourney. The bigger down side is that players are not able to monitor their own down time (gotta play on game day), which is especially important to players with any kind of injury & the older players.

I have no data to support my theory. But I’d bet money players are more likely to get hurt in competitive international play, versus whatever else they do in the summer (rec league, train, etc). I don’t recall a lot of major injuries happening in the offseason not in international play. I could be wrong though.

Despite my preference players not play, it’s not a big deal to me. Unless someone gets hurt of course. Then I’ll come in here and whine like a baby.

zero24gravity · Post #20 » by **zero24gravity** » Wed Jul 24, 2019 9:40 pm

Daddy 801 wrote:Despite my preference players not play, it’s not a big deal to me. Unless someone gets hurt of course. Then I’ll come in here and whine like a baby.

I'll be right there with you! :lol: