FIBA WORLD CUP 2019 | SPAIN are new WORLD CHAMPIONS

[MrOrange]

Look, the current system is flawed, but here's the reality: the Worlds tournament takes place once in four years, like Olympics. How do you select teams other than having quotas from each continent and running qualification rounds? If you really want to make it a World Championship. If you based the selection only on merit/the quality of teams or their depth (No, God forbid No, who cares about the depth, you select a 12 man team, that's it!), then you would have a tournament consisting only of US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Brazil, and possibly Mexico, definitely Australia, New Zealand. All the rest would be European teams. No Asia or Africa would be represented at all since any of the top 10-12 European teams would beat a living crap out of, say, China. So, it is a flawed system, but that's how it works if you want a global competition. What can be questioned though, is the way the qualification rules have been defined by FIBA as they sometimes change the rules on the go. I mean, some very solid European teams with long-standing basketball traditions are not represented in this tourney (Slovenia, Latvia, Croatia), but, say, Poland is, which is highly questionable, but we have to live with it. And remember, folks, it is a contest of countries, subjects to international law, not a professional league, where all the top athletes are present.

[gh123]

It’s 32 teams and there’s a lot smaller difference between them than in basketball.

I thought they're expanding the Qatar one, no? And yeah, the difference is smaller, you don't see stuff like today's Lithuania Senegal often, lol.

They’re not expanding anything.

Ofc they're , they spoke about it multiple times. My mobile internet refuses to work now, but there are tons of articles that it's 100% happening.

[UcanUwill]

Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia and Finland are all better than a bunch of these group stage bottom feeders. The qualification system is broken. Ever region shouldn’t be guaranteed a number of spots. Competition is about the best of the best.

Its a world cup, they understandibly want teams from all continents to participate. Africa and Asia just sucks, but even if we lower the number of teams, we would still get teams like Phillipines and Seneggal in there, because its a world cup. If we only had ''good'' teams, none of Africa or Asia ones couldnt make it, and would it be fair? Thats the question whats fair, is it fair that Phillippines has to beat Kazakhstan and Lebanon to be here, while Croatia and Slovenia has to beat teams like Lithuania and France? What we suppose to do, get rid of region locks all together, shuffle Asian and African teams with Euros and Americas in qualifiers, and who makes it makes it?

[Pachinko_]

the weeding out of crap teams will happen anyway, it's just that it will happen in the tournament instead of pre-tournament

some semi-crap teams missed out and probably deserved to be here, eh ok big deal.

[UcanUwill]

Some photos from yesterdays action ;

Spoiler:

[Bob8]

I thought they're expanding the Qatar one, no? And yeah, the difference is smaller, you don't see stuff like today's Lithuania Senegal often, lol.

They’re not expanding anything.

Ofc they're , they spoke about it multiple times. My mobile internet refuses to work now, but there are tons of articles that it's 100% happening.

They have spoken about it, but they’re not changing anything for 2022.

[Bob8]

Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia and Finland are all better than a bunch of these group stage bottom feeders. The qualification system is broken. Ever region shouldn’t be guaranteed a number of spots. Competition is about the best of the best.

Its a world cup, they understandibly want teams from all continents to participate. Africa and Asia just sucks, but even if we lower the number of teams, we would still get teams like Phillipines and Seneggal in there, because its a world cup. If we only had ''good'' teams, none of Africa or Asia ones couldnt make it, and would it be fair? Thats the question whats fair, is it fair that Phillippines has to beat Kazakhstan and Lebanon to be here, while Croatia and Slovenia has to beat teams like Lithuania and France? What we suppose to do, get rid of region locks all together, shuffle Asian and African teams with Euros and Americas in qualifiers, and who makes it makes it?

It’s understandable that all continents are represented, the question is how many teams from different continents should be there. But I can understand that. Windows on the other hand are totally different story. You have qualifications knowing that all the best players won’t participate? This is unique situation in sport. I have never seen something like that in any sport. Like I said before, That’s not the problem for big countries, but for small ones it’s just very difficult to make it.

[gh123]

They’re not expanding anything.

Ofc they're , they spoke about it multiple times. My mobile internet refuses to work now, but there are tons of articles that it's 100% happening.

They have spoken about it, but they’re not changing anything for 2022.

Ya, my fault, they're changing 2026 though coz them **** regions/countries simply bought the quotas already.

[K4P]

Ike Diogu is a terrible basketball player

[UcanUwill]

Ike Diogu is a terrible basketball player

I have no clue why he plays more than Udoh.

[MagicFrenchie]

Germany's got talent. France is just really good defensively.

Nonsense, Germany doesn't have anybody decent beside Shroeder right now. Be truthful please.

Zipser, Theis, Kelber... They've got some solid players.

Not a first tier team but their roster is above average in this tournament.

So Fournier /Gobert/Batum/De colo/Ntilikina aren't good enough compared to Germany players you mentioned.

[K4P]

Ike Diogu is a terrible basketball player

I have no clue why he plays more than Udoh.

Honestly lol, Nigeria has decent talent but really questionable coaching.

[UcanUwill]

This is Scola's 5th. world cup!

Would have been interesting to see Campazzo in the NBA honestly, he is better Patrick Beverley.

[WarriorGM]

Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia and Finland are all better than a bunch of these group stage bottom feeders. The qualification system is broken. Ever region shouldn’t be guaranteed a number of spots. Competition is about the best of the best.

Its a world cup, they understandibly want teams from all continents to participate. Africa and Asia just sucks, but even if we lower the number of teams, we would still get teams like Phillipines and Seneggal in there, because its a world cup. If we only had ''good'' teams, none of Africa or Asia ones couldnt make it, and would it be fair? Thats the question whats fair, is it fair that Phillippines has to beat Kazakhstan and Lebanon to be here, while Croatia and Slovenia has to beat teams like Lithuania and France? What we suppose to do, get rid of region locks all together, shuffle Asian and African teams with Euros and Americas in qualifiers, and who makes it makes it?

If you are going by current team strength alone then you have a point but if you are going by potential of expanding the popularity of the game and its audience then having teams like Latvia, Slovenia, Croatia, and Finland don't make as much sense.

[Mr.Baller]

Scola is still good. Really like him back when he was with the rockets

[Nuntius]

This is Scola's 5th. world cup!

Man, Scola's still playing? I really admire his passion for his NT. I don't think that a lot of players have appeared in 5 World Cups.

[UcanUwill]

This is Scola's 5th. world cup!

Man, Scola's still playing? I really admire his passion for his NT. I don't think that a lot of players have appeared in 5 World Cups.

He even played in PamAm games this summer

Scola is still good. Really like him back when he was with the rockets

I remember when Scola was still in Baskonia, and was a bigtime Euroleague star, a lot of people were talking about his NBA chanches, and there was lots of skepticism, because of his major lack of athleticism.

[Gooner]

Argentina still has a good team, I always saw them as the strong favourite in this group.

[SlowPaced]

Nigeria would be a much better team if they had an actual coach.

Udoh-Aminu-Nwora-Okogie-Uzoh is a deadly lineup that could go somewhere if Nigeria was actually running an offense and had a defensive scheme.

[SlowPaced]

Ike Diogu is a terrible basketball player

I have no clue why he plays more than Udoh.

Playing Diogu over Udoh lost them the game against Russia as Russia just spammed the pick 'n' roll whenever Diogu was in. Just idiotic.