Team Canada Basketball Thread V2.0

[mojo13]

Ah the endless rosterbating continues. Seems like we have a entire community of masochists.

This will never happen and seems like an exercise in futility at this point.

If you want to be realistic you should take this current team and swap in a few more of the most likely NBA players (not Lyles not Wiggins) and see what we have. Guys who have played before the youth or senior team level (more recent the better) - or at least showed they want to play in the past. Murray, Powell, Barrett, KO, Brooks, Boucher, SGA, TT and maybe guys like the Ennis bros or Stauskas. Won’t get near all of them but maybe 3 or 5 to add to Birch and CoJo.

I told you guys back in February that some of Ejim, Pangos, the Scrubb bros, Heslip and Wiltjer would be on this WC team. I just didn’t think they would all be on the team (or be key players). Look for more of the same next summer but hopefully with the 5 or 6 NBA guys (minimum) we need to get this done.

[seanbig]

Time to accept Canada basketball sucks and the only good thing about the Olympics will be hockey and maybe tennis....

I’m done with Canada basketball

[ChimRichalds]

They should really do these awful tournaments right after the season ends, during the playoffs, like the World Championships of Hockey do with their tournament. Then players would have no excuse for bailing because they would have been playing anyways if they had made the playoffs. Putting it right before NBA training camps literally only **** Canada because the Euros go no matter what and USA is good enough to run their 10th team and still be better than almost everyone.

[frumble]

Remember the enthusiasm when Nash and Barrett took over?
And the fantastic turnout for the training camp in the summer of 2012? We had no games that summer, but pretty much everyone showed up anyway.

If we had half the participation now we would be in great shape.

http://www.basketball.ca/hm/news-article/canada-basketball-announces-senior-men-s-national-team-camp-and-invited-athletes-p151673

[RaptorPride]

We can still make the Olympics?

[OntZags]

Serbia is in big trouble.

Looks like they'll need US/Australia to knock out France/Czechs and then go out and beat France & then Poland/Czech.

Certainly possible but very possible they'll be in the qualifiers now too.

[SHFT]

From the above posted article and the agent

“It really comes down to bad timing and our guys are stupid young,” said George. “Next summer (the Olympic qualifying tournament) is in July and they’ll all be in.”

hopefully its true. A big tournament would do wonders for basketball in the country coming off a raptors championship (the ship momentum will last a few years when it comes to youth basketball participation and competition).

[Kenter16]

From the above posted article and the agent

“It really comes down to bad timing and our guys are stupid young,” said George. “Next summer (the Olympic qualifying tournament) is in July and they’ll all be in.”

hopefully its true. A big tournament would do wonders for basketball in the country coming off a raptors championship (the ship momentum will last a few years when it comes to youth basketball participation and competition).

If it is true (I think it is), these guys will be available for next years tourney, barring injury:
Dillon Brooks
Jamal Murray
Khem Birch
Dwight Powell
Anthony Bennett
Melvin Ejim

Play Brooks at the 2 and its a solid starting lineup. Bennett looked fantastic in the G league last year. Hopefully he can get some playing time in Houston. Add in the 2 regulars, Joesph and Olynik, then you have a very solid team. One that could qualify.

He also represents some fringe guys:
Justin Jackson
Dyshawn Pierre
Lindell Wigginton
Simi Shittu
Xavier Rathan-Mayes
Kaza Keane
O'Shae Brissett
Sim Bhullar
Kyle Alexander
Trae Bell-Haynes

It's pretty obvious that the key to Canada qualifying for the Olympics is Mike George. Canada basketball needs to grease this guys' wheels. Mike George needs to be comfortable with how Canada Basketball is approaching next years schedule or we are screwed. Rowan Barrett needs to be buying this guy dinner every night for the next 10 months.

[young11a]

Wheres that guy who always sucks off Serbia and Greece

[Mattd97]

Wheres that guy who always sucks off Serbia and Greece

He usually says stuff like how team X is the best in the world even though they havent won anything and team Y sucks even though they won the tournament. So not sure results factor in to his fancy

[Mattd97]

From the above posted article and the agent

“It really comes down to bad timing and our guys are stupid young,” said George. “Next summer (the Olympic qualifying tournament) is in July and they’ll all be in.”

hopefully its true.

Narrator voice: It wasnt....

[juli_rc]

Wheres that guy who always sucks off Serbia and Greece

He usually says stuff like how team X is the best in the world even though they havent won anything and team Y sucks even though they won the tournament. So not sure results factor in to his fancy

Is that guy Mirotic12?

[TrueNorth31]

From the above posted article and the agent

“It really comes down to bad timing and our guys are stupid young,” said George. “Next summer (the Olympic qualifying tournament) is in July and they’ll all be in.”

hopefully its true. A big tournament would do wonders for basketball in the country coming off a raptors championship (the ship momentum will last a few years when it comes to youth basketball participation and competition).

If it is true (I think it is), these guys will be available for next years tourney, barring injury:
Dillon Brooks
Jamal Murray
Khem Birch
Dwight Powell
Anthony Bennett
Melvin Ejim

Play Brooks at the 2 and its a solid starting lineup. Bennett looked fantastic in the G league last year. Hopefully he can get some playing time in Houston. Add in the 2 regulars, Joesph and Olynik, then you have a very solid team. One that could qualify.

He also represents some fringe guys:
Justin Jackson
Dyshawn Pierre
Lindell Wigginton
Simi Shittu
Xavier Rathan-Mayes
Kaza Keane
O'Shae Brissett
Sim Bhullar
Kyle Alexander
Trae Bell-Haynes

It's pretty obvious that the key to Canada qualifying for the Olympics is Mike George. Canada basketball needs to grease this guys' wheels. Mike George needs to be comfortable with how Canada Basketball is approaching next years schedule or we are screwed. Rowan Barrett needs to be buying this guy dinner every night for the next 10 months.

I think this is a true to a degree. Mike George is important, but remember in the end he works for the players and establishing a good relationship with them is actually paramount.

I wouldn't hold my breath on Brooks. He's a restricted free agent after this coming season. The qualification tournament is in late June - sadly that's when his next NBA deal will likely be locked down, but he can't actually sign until July 6/2020. Most players can't afford the risk of having a serious injury occur in an international game and then having a verbal agreement ripped up in the intervening time period. Tristan Thompson and Trey Lyles are in the same boat , they don't have fully guaranteed contracts past this year. I suppose Memphis may extend Brooks up until the first game of this coming season, but he's just had so many injuries they probably want to wait and see what happens. It is conceivable though that he plays great in training camp and forces their hand.

Also Birch in China said he's recently fired his agent. I'm pretty sure that's Mike George. I'm sure Birch feels he should have gotten more than 2 years - $6 million. Having seen him play recently I'd have to agree.

[Gday_eh]

For all the Canadian fans out there complaining about the NBA stars we didn't have (Admittedly Kelly was sorely missed) one just has to look at Argentina knocking off favorite Serbia with only one X-NBA player in FIBA legend Scola . Real Madrid's Campazzo (who is probably the best guard in Euroleague right now) and Deck helped but it was a great team effort against a team featuring current NBA stars Jokic and Bogdanovic.

It's not just about the star players it's about a team that can play together and in a system..

[PoundTown]

For all the Canadian fans out there complaining about the NBA stars we didn't have (Admittedly Kelly was sorely missed) one just has to look at Argentina knocking off favorite Serbia with only one X-NBA player in FIBA legend Scola . Real Madrid's Campazzo (who is probably the best guard in Euroleague right now) and Deck helped but it was a great team effort against a team featuring current NBA stars Jokic and Bogdanovic.

It's not just about the star players it's about a team that can play together and in a system..

Exactly, I don't care if every Canadian player in the NBA wants to join the team, I'd prefer Pangos, Ejim, and the Scrubb brothers to be on the roster next summer. Seriously, the team who gets us to Olympics through qualifier tourney (if they do get through it), maybe with one or two exceptions, should be the team representing us at Olympics. One thing we have going for us is a good coach. On a side note, I really hope RJ Barrett becomes a good enough player, because if not, that may be an issue with his father running the show. I'm worried the guy will never be able to go away from the Mamba mentality without the skills to play that game and is just a blackhole as our starting small forward.

[And1Skip]

LOL @ USA. This game was so entertaining at the end. Rudy Gobert blocking his teammate Mitchell at the rim??? Awesome. Anyways, can Frank Ntilikina still be acquired from NYK for a bag of chips? Him with a jump shot is a good player.

[Mikistan]

LOL @ USA. This game was so entertaining at the end. Rudy Gobert blocking his teammate Mitchell at the rim??? Awesome. Anyways, can Frank Ntilikina still be acquired from NYK for a bag of chips? Him with a jump shot is a good player.

Max-player Middleton stepping out of bounds attempting a 3 down 6 points with 40 seconds left

lmao Team usa got shambled

[And1Skip]

So assuming Czech Republic lose to Australia today, Spain and France qualify for the Olympics. Good. Still have Lithuania, Serbia and Greece in next summer's qualifying tourney though.

[mojo13]

Wheres that guy who always sucks off Serbia and Greece

He usually says stuff like how team X is the best in the world even though they havent won anything and team Y sucks even though they won the tournament. So not sure results factor in to his fancy

Is that guy Mirotic12?

Yeah - but he has constantly preached that Greece has been pretty dog $#it with Giannis. That Giannis is very (VERY!) poorly suited to FIBA and Greece doesn't have the pieces to surround Giannis effectively. He has told us Greece is better off without Giannis as they can play the style that has historically made them pretty good. Hard to argue after seeing this (once again).

Serbia though? I'd like to hear his take on why they failed. To me it sure seemed like the coach has no clue what makes Jokic so good. Seems like there were bad chemistry issues as well with allot of dirty laundry being aired in the Serbian media.

[TrueNorth31]

He usually says stuff like how team X is the best in the world even though they havent won anything and team Y sucks even though they won the tournament. So not sure results factor in to his fancy

Is that guy Mirotic12?

Yeah - but he has constantly preached that Greece has been pretty dog $#it with Giannis. That Giannis is very (VERY!) poorly suited to FIBA and Greece doesn't have the pieces to surround Giannis effectively. He has told us Greece is better off without Giannis as they can play the style that has historically made them pretty good. Hard to argue after seeing this (once again).

Serbia though? I'd like to hear his take on why they failed. To me it sure seemed like the coach has no clue what makes Jokic so good. Seems like there were bad chemistry issues as well with allot of dirty laundry being aired in the Serbian media.

Here's a good article on the troubles that Greece has with Giannis . The problem for me though is that even without Giannis they lack the elite overall NBA talent you require to get the job done at this level. Looking at the teams that got through ( with the exception of Argentina who came up the weak side of the draw and even they have had 4 guys who've played in the NBA - plus Campazzo who could) , the teams which have gotten through have at least 5 NBA rotation level players , Australia ( 5 ) , France ( 6 ) , Spain ( 7 ) ( counting Luol who just won't come to North America ) . Having only a couple NBA guys like Canada and Serbia have, just doesn't cut it - you need to have NBA level depth. The sad thing for us is , coupled with the solid core group that we had , if the guys who'd come to camp had somehow showed up in China, we'd have been right there ( Murray, Brooks, Olynyk, and Barrett ) talent wise. The cream rises to the top - good coaching and cohesion is important , but it gets you only so far. You need a certain level of talent as well to get over the hump.

https://www.sbnation.com/2019/9/10/20855719/giannis-antetotkounmpo-greece-fiba-world-cup-2019-its-ok

Watching the end of the France/USA game was like watching an NBA game skills wise. All 10 players down the stretch who played were guys who've been in the NBA . France had 3 solid NBA level starters on the floor ( Fournier -whose damn good , Battum and Gobert who was the best guy on the floor for either team). The American's for some bizarre reason went small ball - playing Barnes at 5, they panicked and tried to get to the rim, but were denied by Rudy ( I have a new appreciation for his stellar level of defence ) and really struggled to hit jump shots. Good for France - they got enough of their NBA guys to show up and had a good preparation cycle as well.

As for Sebia I agree with you that they didn't use Jokic particularly well. He looked tentative - passing up many easy looks under the basket , passing out to less talented teammates at the perimeter who'd generally miss the shot . Heck he didn't even start some of their games. It seems like the European veterans run the show on this squad. If it were my team I'd ride my 2 elite NBA guys a lot harder ( Jokic and Bogdanovic ) on offence. They also have Boban ( who sadly is Sim Bhullar like on P/R defence ) and Bjelica who played poorly. Their guard play is particularly bad. They have great length and size , but not good foot speed. Campazzo ( who is a JJ Barrera clone ) broke them down with ease, Scola also took advantage of poor Jokic on pick and roll ( a problem he has in the NBA as well ). For me after their 3 NBA rotation guys ( who they don't seem to utilize all that well ) - the talent drops off quite considerably for Serbia.