FIBA World Cup

[basketballRob]

I'm not a big Fournier fan but they should offer him an extension when they can. Have a feeling some team will overpay him if he opts out next year.

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[j-ragg]

Glad he’s playing well, he’s been pretty consistent for France. Hope it carries into our season.

[fendilim]

Read on Twitter

Loool

[pepe1991]

This is why i proposed trade for Bogdan year ago. Guy is lit as hell but on freaking Kings.

[pepe1991]

This is painful. Every time Plumlee and Lopez hit the floor, 5 young kids quit basketball.

[MagicFrenchie]

This is weird right now.

[pepe1991]

What a strange game

[PrimeThyme]

It's a travesty AG wasnt on this team. Not saying they would have 100% won all of these games, but this team needs defenders/playmakers and somebody who could hold his own as a small-ball 5. No reason for him not to be on this team. Embarrassing.

[fendilim]

It's a travesty AG wasnt on this team. Not saying they would have 100% won all of these games, but this team needs defenders/playmakers and somebody who could hold his own as a small-ball 5. No reason for him not to be on this team. Embarrassing.

I think much of the problem with the USA team is the lack of players who can create their own shots. This was also brought up by Chris Mannix and one of hid guests in the pod. The over reliance on Kemba and Mitchell was just too much. While France had a couple of guys who were capable of playing that role for them.

[pepe1991]

Well, next time find centers, not 7 foot woods that think they are Steph Curry

[fendilim]

Well, next time find centers, not 7 foot woods that think they are Steph Curry

Yes, lol. international games havent evolved to small ball yet.

[MagicFrenchie]

I would give Campazzo a roster spot.
Except his size, his passing and shooting skills are insane.

[pepe1991]

Well, next time find centers, not 7 foot woods that think they are Steph Curry

Yes, lol. international games havent evolved to small ball yet.

For longest time Euro teams use shooters at PF-C position. Nikola Vujicic was named into Euroleague team of a decade and he was streach 5 in 2004. Kukoc back in late 80s was basically 7 foot jumpshooter.
Guys like Hedo and Nocioni brought that "streach 4" position....

BUT this is typical trap of situational role player that excels in something only if everything else is perfect. That's story of Turner and Lopez in nutshell. Where Lopez looked amazing with Bucks during regular season, he looked like complete garbage with Lakers year before and nothing really changed but fact that on Lakers he did not have Middleton and Giannis.
Where Turner looked year ago in playoffs really good with Dipo, when he was left on his own without Dipo this year in playoffs, he looked like complete garbage.

Where Middleton is 20 -22 ppg guy with GIannis in a system, it's not hard to notice that he is closer to Bojan/ Bogdan / Evan type player when there is nobody to drag whole attention away from him as he is painfully slow player with ball in his hands.

MItchell can look amazing in some games ( vs France) but struggle a lot in other ( vs Serbia) as his size plays factor in his ability to shoot and drive. Same is with Kemba.

Overall it's a shame we didn't see more of a Tatum who looked like most complete basketball player on US roster. And guys like Fox and JJ jr or Mitchell Robinson would probably be better picks than Plumlee and White.

I don't get Barnes, one day he looks great, next night he looks like G league player

[MoMM]

Fox withdrew, so it's not their fault.

I didn't watch the game, but 32-7 in the 1st quarter? Come on!

As for the future, I expect a A-Team playing in the Olympic Games with guys like LeBron, Curry, Klay, AD, Bamba...

[MoMM]

Where Turner looked year ago in playoffs really good with Dipo, when he was left on his own without Dipo this year in playoffs, he looked like complete garbage.

The only game that Turner played well was against Brazil, but Brazil's frontcourt team is crap nowadays. The best and taller one is Varejão (6'9'' and 36 years old), some years ago we had a way better frontcourt with him, Nenê (retired and then un-retired this offseason) and Splitter (retired and working as scout for 76ers, IIRC).

[fendilim]

Well, next time find centers, not 7 foot woods that think they are Steph Curry

Yes, lol. international games havent evolved to small ball yet.

For longest time Euro teams use shooters at PF-C position. Nikola Vujicic was named into Euroleague team of a decade and he was streach 5 in 2004. Kukoc back in late 80s was basically 7 foot jumpshooter.
Guys like Hedo and Nocioni brought that "streach 4" position....

BUT this is typical trap of situational role player that excels in something only if everything else is perfect. That's story of Turner and Lopez in nutshell. Where Lopez looked amazing with Bucks during regular season, he looked like complete garbage with Lakers year before and nothing really changed but fact that on Lakers he did not have Middleton and Giannis.
Where Turner looked year ago in playoffs really good with Dipo, when he was left on his own without Dipo this year in playoffs, he looked like complete garbage.

Where Middleton is 20 -22 ppg guy with GIannis in a system, it's not hard to notice that he is closer to Bojan/ Bogdan / Evan type player when there is nobody to drag whole attention away from him as he is painfully slow player with ball in his hands.

MItchell can look amazing in some games ( vs France) but struggle a lot in other ( vs Serbia) as his size plays factor in his ability to shoot and drive. Same is with Kemba.

Overall it's a shame we didn't see more of a Tatum who looked like most complete basketball player on US roster. And guys like Fox and JJ jr or Mitchell Robinson would probably be better picks than Plumlee and White.

I don't get Barnes, one day he looks great, next night he looks like G league player

True but the stretch bigs of europe are actually more physical than what we see in the nba. Guys like brook, turner or even plumlee are just too soft compared to guys like bjelica

[Magic4champ]

Defensively, USA could have used Monstriel as a mobile center to counter Gobert. Should've retained Fox and Bagley than sticking with Harris. Should've recruited an Alpha point guard like D Angelo Russell to help Kemba. Also Aaron Gordon could've help in defense.

[GelbeWand09]

Well, next time find centers, not 7 foot woods that think they are Steph Curry

Yes, lol. international games havent evolved to small ball yet.

For longest time Euro teams use shooters at PF-C position. Nikola Vujicic was named into Euroleague team of a decade and he was streach 5 in 2004. Kukoc back in late 80s was basically 7 foot jumpshooter.
Guys like Hedo and Nocioni brought that "streach 4" position....

BUT this is typical trap of situational role player that excels in something only if everything else is perfect. That's story of Turner and Lopez in nutshell. Where Lopez looked amazing with Bucks during regular season, he looked like complete garbage with Lakers year before and nothing really changed but fact that on Lakers he did not have Middleton and Giannis.
Where Turner looked year ago in playoffs really good with Dipo, when he was left on his own without Dipo this year in playoffs, he looked like complete garbage.

Where Middleton is 20 -22 ppg guy with GIannis in a system, it's not hard to notice that he is closer to Bojan/ Bogdan / Evan type player when there is nobody to drag whole attention away from him as he is painfully slow player with ball in his hands.

MItchell can look amazing in some games ( vs France) but struggle a lot in other ( vs Serbia) as his size plays factor in his ability to shoot and drive. Same is with Kemba.

Overall it's a shame we didn't see more of a Tatum who looked like most complete basketball player on US roster. And guys like Fox and JJ jr or Mitchell Robinson would probably be better picks than Plumlee and White.

I don't get Barnes, one day he looks great, next night he looks like G league player

Yea the addition of guys like JJJr & Robinson would do wonders. Or Harrell would be perfect. He is like Faried with defense.
This was a team with only 1 real PG (undersized), 2 playmakers (both undersized), no athletic, rimrunning Bigs, 1 3P expert who can't defend or do anything else in Harris, 2 players able to create there own shot (both undersized). With this team they coudn't outrun, outjump, outtalent or outshoot any good team.
If a stiff like Turner is your most athletic big

[MagicFrenchie]

Big day for us.
I'm pretty confident against Argentina, even though they are though , they can't guard Fournier and Gobert.

I think they made the game of their life against Serbia.

[pepe1991]

Yes, lol. international games havent evolved to small ball yet.

For longest time Euro teams use shooters at PF-C position. Nikola Vujicic was named into Euroleague team of a decade and he was streach 5 in 2004. Kukoc back in late 80s was basically 7 foot jumpshooter.
Guys like Hedo and Nocioni brought that "streach 4" position....

BUT this is typical trap of situational role player that excels in something only if everything else is perfect. That's story of Turner and Lopez in nutshell. Where Lopez looked amazing with Bucks during regular season, he looked like complete garbage with Lakers year before and nothing really changed but fact that on Lakers he did not have Middleton and Giannis.
Where Turner looked year ago in playoffs really good with Dipo, when he was left on his own without Dipo this year in playoffs, he looked like complete garbage.

Where Middleton is 20 -22 ppg guy with GIannis in a system, it's not hard to notice that he is closer to Bojan/ Bogdan / Evan type player when there is nobody to drag whole attention away from him as he is painfully slow player with ball in his hands.

MItchell can look amazing in some games ( vs France) but struggle a lot in other ( vs Serbia) as his size plays factor in his ability to shoot and drive. Same is with Kemba.

Overall it's a shame we didn't see more of a Tatum who looked like most complete basketball player on US roster. And guys like Fox and JJ jr or Mitchell Robinson would probably be better picks than Plumlee and White.

I don't get Barnes, one day he looks great, next night he looks like G league player

Yea the addition of guys like JJJr & Robinson would do wonders. Or Harrell would be perfect. He is like Faried with defense.
This was a team with only 1 real PG (undersized), 2 playmakers (both undersized), no athletic, rimrunning Bigs, 1 3P expert who can't defend or do anything else in Harris, 2 players able to create there own shot (both undersized). With this team they coudn't outrun, outjump, outtalent or outshoot any good team.
If a stiff like Turner is your most athletic big

I would prefer to have one stiff, strong C like Drummon in case you need to body up guys like Gobert, Baynes or Jokić, even guys like Howard or Jordan would be huge upgrades over Lopez and Plumlee.
And yes Harrell fits really well into FIBA style, you see it with guys like Ekpe Udoh and how he saved his basketball career in Europe.
Losing Lowry was big deal ,he is leader, floor general and bouncy and strong enough to drive.
Losing Tatum was big deal, as you said Joe Harris and Middleton are simply limited athlete and when you combine them with Lopez or Turner team had no athletics on key positions. It's easly most unathletic USA roster since NBA players play.