Canadian 2020 Power Ranking

[Hair Canada]

Would be really nice to see some of the young NBA guys get a run. Especially since there's still a chance that guys like Barrett or NAW will finish their season before the qualifiers (assuming their teams don't make the playoffs). Getting these two to play in the qualifiers could be nice.

In any case, I think it's very tricky to convince just about anyone to travel these days to games that they see as inconsequential. It's a bit of a different story with the Lithuanian players. First, there's a stronger tradition (and pride it seems) to play for the national team in Lithuania, partly I think due to the long years under a Soviet regime and the repression of independent Lithuanian nationalism. But also more generally, the European championship is just respected more than the American one by participants (at least when compared to North American participants). Here is Canada not many people care about anything basketball-related except for the Olympics and it's the same in the US. In Europe, certainly in basketball countries like Lithuania, Spain, Greece, or Serbia, the European championship is a big deal and succeeding in it is a source of national pride.

[TrueNorth31]

Great stuff Hair. I totally agree with your analysis of both Wiggins and Brooks.

One additional factor for the participation of Jonas and Sabonis is that the qualification tournament is being held in Lithuania. This makes things much easier for them, as for Canada I think it's going to be a tough sell to get NBA guys or even Euro pro's. Given the extensive travel, 14 day isolation protocols, playing in a bubble in a third world country and the relative unimportance to Canadians of this tournament I'm not expecting much of a team.

The news isn't all bad - the potential Xmas day start of the NBA however, puts the availability of some of our NBA guys back in play for Victoria.

[SHFT]

Dort is far too high. I'd put him 11th on this list. Also, Heslip belongs somewhere in there.

Pretty sure Heislip retired.

Looks like you're right. Surprised that he retired at the age of 29.

https://torontosun.com/sports/basketball/heslip-29-walks-away-from-basketball-ready-to-take-on-the-business-world

He is doing his masters right now. I know this because my friend is in his class and he apparently smokes a ton of weed lol.

[Hair Canada]

By the way, with the new talk about the NBA starting before Christmas after all and maybe also playing a shorter season (70 games), one can imagine a more realistic scenario where the Canadians in non-playoff teams are able to participate. Guys like TT, CoJo, Barrett, and potentially even Brooks, Clarke, SGA, Dort, and Lyles (if their teams don't make it to the playoffs). The significant players who would be out of consideration almost for sure are Murray, Olynyk (if he stays in Miami), Wiggins (assuming he stays in the Bay area), and Boucher (again, if he keeps playing for the Raptors).

Altogether, that's a better look if things go this way (still a long way off).

[TrueNorth31]

By the way, with the new talk about the NBA starting before Christmas after all and maybe also playing a shorter season (70 games), one can imagine a more realistic scenario where the Canadians in non-playoff teams are able to participate. Guys like TT, CoJo, Barrett, and potentially even Brooks, Clarke, SGA, Dort, and Lyles (if their teams don't make it to the playoffs). The significant players who would be out of consideration almost for sure are Murray, Olynyk (if he stays in Miami), Wiggins (assuming he stays in the Bay area), and Boucher (again, if he keeps playing for the Raptors).

Altogether, that's a better look if things go this way (still a long way off).

I've done some of the math, a Christmas day start , with no all star game as rumored, with less travel and a compressed 72 game schedule would end in the first or second week of May ( Hollinger had an 82 game schedule taking a minimum of 150 -154 days ). You need about 8 weeks to do traditional playoffs. You'd need some time ( 2 weeks ? ) to get the American Olympic team together before the July 23 Olympic start date. I see the NBA playoff finals ending the last week of June, or the first week of July. In this scenario, Canadian players in the finals or even semi finals would probably not be available. Still it's much better than having absolutely nobody. Another caveat is who has a contract ? At any rate good news for the Victoria qualifier.

[WaltFrazier]

NBA players likely can't play so very depressing. I fear we are never going to see this golden generation of NBA Canadians play together

If it makes you feel any better - it is not a "Golden Generation". This is an ongoing structural change.

We've never had so many legit NBA players. We could never field an all NBA team before. So I call it a golden generation

[Hair Canada]

NBA players likely can't play so very depressing. I fear we are never going to see this golden generation of NBA Canadians play together

If it makes you feel any better - it is not a "Golden Generation". This is an ongoing structural change.

We've never had so many legit NBA players. We could never field an all NBA team before. So I call it a golden generation

I believe what mojo meant is that it's not going away any time soon (as in "we've wasted our golden generation and never got to see it play together). Partly because players like Jamal, SGA, NAW, Dort, Clarke, Brooks, Barrett, and others are all under 25 (most of them under 23 in fact). But also because there will be others in the coming years. Canadian basketball is here to stay and we are not going back to the 90' or 00' when Nash was our single elite player.

[WaltFrazier]

If it makes you feel any better - it is not a "Golden Generation". This is an ongoing structural change.

We've never had so many legit NBA players. We could never field an all NBA team before. So I call it a golden generation

I believe what mojo meant is that it's not going away any time soon (as in "we've wasted our golden generation and never got to see it play together). Partly because players like Jamal, SGA, NAW, Dort, Clarke, Brooks, Barrett, and others are all under 25 (most of them under 23 in fact). But also because there will be others in the coming years. Canadian basketball is here to stay and we are not going back to the 90' or 00' when Nash was our single elite player.

I know, and of course Covid is a crazy, unprecedented exception. But Olympics only come every 4 years, and it feels like something always goes wrong, this guy is hurt, that guy won't play, another is in a contract year. We have never yet seen all these young NBA Canadians on the court together as a team. They never get to develop chemistry like Argentina or Spain playing together every summer. After the pandemic is over, I think it would take the FIBA worlds being hosted in Canada, or the US, to get them to play together.

[Hair Canada]

Yes, I can certainly identify with this sentiment. I thought the championship in China last year might have been a good opportunity, but one by one most of them pulled out.

Unfortunately, the 2023 world championship is in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. Not exactly the most attractive destination (and somewhat strange given a 2019 WC in China and then a 2021 Olympics in Tokyo)...

But hey, the 2028 Olympic games will be in Los Angeles...

[mojo13]

Yes, I can certainly identify with this sentiment. I thought the championship in China last year might have been a good opportunity, but one by one most of them pulled out.

Unfortunately, the 2023 world championship is in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. Not exactly the most attractive destination (and somewhat strange given a 2019 WC in China and then a 2021 Olympics in Tokyo)...

But hey, the 2028 Olympic games will be in Los Angeles...

FIBA didn't have much of a choice.

The only bidders were a joint Argentina / Uruguay bid, a joint Philippines / Japan / Indonesia bid, Russia (withdrawn) and Turkey (withdrawn). Solo bidders Russia and Turkey ended their bids, leaving joint bids of Philippines–Japan–Indonesia and Argentina–Uruguay left in the race.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_FIBA_Basketball_World_Cup_bids


Philippines and China were the final (and only) bidders for 2019 (IIRC) - and I think Philippines deficit the last time around was lack of depth of infrastructure for the early rounds. So not a real surprise that they found some help in Japan and got it done this time around. The bulk of the tournament will be in the Philippines (probably everything besides a first round pool or two in each of Japan and Indonesia) - which is a lovely place to visit if you've never been there....I'd consider going....

Probably one of the best spots in the world attendance wise too. Every dang game could be a sell out there. Most host countries care only about their team and/or the USA NBA star studded team. The Filipinos are so thirsty for bball if a team has one mere NBA player they will pack the gym.

[Hair Canada]

I've been to East Asia a number of times, to countries like Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan (and to NZ, but that's something else). But never visited the Philippines. Sounds like it's worth going there. And yes, it seems like they really love their basketball. But sadly another mid-summer trip to the far East does not bode well for the participation of NBA prospects.