Team Canada Basketball Thread V3.0

[BilboBanginz]

Not much talk about our boys FIBA U19 National Team scheduled to play early in July in Latvia. The French, Yanks and Aussies have all announced their rosters.

I did come across this article about Benny Mathurin though;

https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/pascoe/arizonas-bennedict-mathurin-visits-nba-academy-players-in-mexico-city/article_bb3ef790-c4a8-11eb-8131-f305b01c2d7b.html

"Mathurin and Ballo could play against each other again next month in the FIBA U19 World Cup, since Mathurin is expected to play for Canada and Ballo for Mali. Both players are expected to leave soon for their native countries to prepare for the event."

Most players this age want to use this event as a springboard to being drafted and look for assurances from the coaching staff that they will be a featured player in the program. Certainly Mathurin would be pretty good at this level. So would Josh Primo, but he is unfortunately making the NBA rounds. Ryan Nembhard seems to have committed and hopefully his Monteverde teammate Caleb Houstan a potential lottery pick in the next 2 drafts will be there as well.

I've seen a couple names here in Nova Scotia who have announced that they have been invited VIA the Instagram posts below:

Braeden MacVicar (Wolfville, NS) - Horton High School:
6'9" | F | Class of 2023

He's been a Team Nova Scotia staple, but I believe this is his first time getting an invite to a Team Canada camp.



Keyonte Beals (North Preston, NS) - Vermont Academy:
6'4" | G | Class of 2022

Beals was invited to the U16 Americas camp in 2019, but did not make the final roster.

[BilboBanginz]

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/national-teams/1215660/kostas-antetokounmpo-joins-greek-nt-practices/

Kostas Antetokounmpo joins Greek NT practices

Los Angeles Lakers big man Kostas Antetokounmpo has joined the practices of the Greek national team ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers. Antetokounmpo was on the initial list of players that will compile the preliminary roster for the tournament.

Antetokounmpo, 23, was already in Greece since late May to attend a personal matter. With the season being over for the Lakers, the younger brother of reigning NBA two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed in the country to prepare with the rest of the Greek national team for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be held in Victoria Canada (29/6 – 4/7).

Greece will face China and Canada in Group A of the tournament with two teams advancing in the semifinals to play against the top two among Turkey, Czech Republic and Uruguay of Group B. Only the winner of the tournament will get a spot in the Olympics.

[mojo13]

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[Mattd97]

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Remember when that would be devastating to our roster? Now it's not a blip cause there's no way he's making this team. Lithuania can have our also rans. They can take stauskas like they always claimed too. Have Naz Long like you always claim Greece. Were good.

[mojo13]

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Remember when that would be devastating to our roster? Now it's not a blip cause there's no way he's making this team. Lithuania can have our also rans. They can take stauskas like they always claimed too. Have Naz Long like you always claim Greece. Were good.

Heh....I'd still rather keep any of our talent out the hands of rivals if possible. Brazdeikis is young and can still become a decent player - he fills a big hole for Lithuania. Naz would theoretically fill a big shooting hole for Greece - but neither change things meaningfully for either country at this point in time. Both would be far from assured to even make those teams.

And I don't think these guys hearts are really into representing another country besides Canada. I think they realize it could be more financially rewarding to do so, especially if their careers take them overseas - so they have kept their option open. So I'm not surprised by this move by Iggy - I hadn't really expected any of these guys to play unless in fact they were already playing in Europe.

[TrueNorth31]

No word on Canada's U19 roster, but we do have a coach now. Paul Weir was the only Canadian D1 head coach in the NCAA for New Mexico ( recently resigned ). Weir was a assistant on the gold medal 2017 team with Roy Rana. Some pretty good assistant coaches to with Swords and Tatham.

https://www.basketball.ca/news/paul-weir-named-head-coach-coaching-staff-finalized-ahead-of-fiba-u19-basketball-world-cup-2021

[TrueNorth31]

CBC will be showing Victoria tournament live in prime time. Dan Shulman to be lead announcer. No more crappy DAZN feed.

Read on Twitter

[TrueNorth31]

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/national-teams/1215660/kostas-antetokounmpo-joins-greek-nt-practices/

Kostas Antetokounmpo joins Greek NT practices

Los Angeles Lakers big man Kostas Antetokounmpo has joined the practices of the Greek national team ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers. Antetokounmpo was on the initial list of players that will compile the preliminary roster for the tournament.

Antetokounmpo, 23, was already in Greece since late May to attend a personal matter. With the season being over for the Lakers, the younger brother of reigning NBA two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed in the country to prepare with the rest of the Greek national team for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be held in Victoria Canada (29/6 – 4/7).

Greece will face China and Canada in Group A of the tournament with two teams advancing in the semifinals to play against the top two among Turkey, Czech Republic and Uruguay of Group B. Only the winner of the tournament will get a spot in the Olympics.

Give how readily his brother is joining the Greek team and how poorly the Bucks are doing I fully expect Giannis to be in Victoria.

[Kenter16]

CBC will be showing Victoria tournament live in prime time. Dan Shulman to be lead announcer. No more crappy DAZN feed.

Read on Twitter

Great news. Dan is always promoting Canada Basketball and seems to have a very genuine interest and passion for the program. Also, he is one of the best play by play guys in the world. Can't wait!

[DoctaJ]

CBC will be showing Victoria tournament live in prime time. Dan Shulman to be lead announcer. No more crappy DAZN feed.

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Thank god. I can't stand DAZN.

[Jstock12]

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Remember when that would be devastating to our roster? Now it's not a blip cause there's no way he's making this team. Lithuania can have our also rans. They can take stauskas like they always claimed too. Have Naz Long like you always claim Greece. Were good.

Heh....I'd still rather keep any of our talent out the hands of rivals if possible. Brazdeikis is young and can still become a decent player - he fills a big hole for Lithuania. Naz would theoretically fill a big shooting hole for Greece - but neither change things meaningfully for either country at this point in time. Both would be far from assured to even make those teams.

And I don't think these guys hearts are really into representing another country besides Canada. I think they realize it could be more financially rewarding to do so, especially if their careers take them overseas - so they have kept their option open. So I'm not surprised by this move by Iggy - I hadn't really expected any of these guys to play unless in fact they were already playing in Europe.

I was really curious to see Brazdeikis play for Lithuania to see what he could do, but there aren't any guarantees he would have made the team since Lithuania's SG/SF situation has improved quite a lot recently with the emergence of Grigonis/Jokubaitis/Sedekerskis. Also, going from NBA to FIBA rules is quite a big adjustment and I'm still not convinced that Iggy is even an NBA caliber player.

As for hearts not being into representing other countries besides Canada, I think it varies case by case. Stauskas is a real Canadian, but Brazdeikis was born in Kaunas, Lithuania and spent the first few years of his life in Kaunas when his Lithuanian parents decided to move to Canada. I think if there was one player with legitimate desire to represent a country other than Canada, it would be him. But it just makes zero sense for a young player WITHOUT A CONTRACT trying to make it in the NBA to risk getting injured if he's not even a lock to make that national team. He'd be one injury away from derailing his career in a major way.

[Hair Canada]

So, this is pretty amazing. If accurately measured, this figure would break the NBA Combine record (46") by quite a bit. I mean, I knew Sharpe was an amazing athlete, but this is off the charts.

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[Hair Canada]

An while we can still fantasize, imagine all of these suit up in less than a month to the U19 WC:

PG: Nembhard
SG: Sharpe
SF: Mathurin
PF: Houstan
C: Edey/Bediako

Bench: Clayton, Fisher, Mahi/Exacte/Cross, O-Max, Lestin, Boakye, Edey/Bediako

And that's not even counting Primo.

This team could really give the US a run for their money.

[TrueNorth31]

Some more details on our U19 men's team. Apparently they will be training in Florida at presumably the Raptor's facility starting June 18. I think it's good they'll be around the Senior team in terms of developing affinity for the program.

"For the U19 squad, the upcoming World Cup will be more akin to a sprint than a marathon. After gathering on June 18 in Florida for a training camp, the Canadians will head to Daugavpils, Latvia, where they will play three-round robin games against Japan, Lithuania, and Senegal, as well as their Round of 16 game, over a span of five days beginning on July 3."

https://www.thesudburystar.com/sports/local-sports/laurentians-swords-named-to-canadas-coaching-staff-for-u19-world-cup

[Kingsway_fan]

CBC will be showing Victoria tournament live in prime time. Dan Shulman to be lead announcer. No more crappy DAZN feed.

Read on Twitter

That's fantastic. Best broadcaster in canada by a country mile... thank goodness no crappy raps clowns....

Wish he could do raps games....

[mojo13]

Czech 18 man pool announced.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/olympic...ng-tournament/

"Tomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely stand out of the Czech Republic preliminary squad for the approaching Olympic Qualifying Tournament, announced Tuesday.

Jan Zidek, son of former NBA center George Zidek and Pepperdine forward, also received an invitation.

Patrik Auda, Richard Balint, Ondrej Balvin, Jaromic Bohacik, David Bohm, Ondrej Hanzlik, Vojtech Hruban, Lubos Kovar, Lukas Palyza, Martin Peterka, Patrick Samoura, Blake Schilb, Ondrej Sehnal, Jakub Sirina, and Tomas Vyoral round up the 18-man list."



Comments?

I dont know the Czechs really well but this looks like a full turnout. This is a very experienced and cohesive group that is often underestimated (6th in the 2019 WC). They should not be overlooked.

[TrueNorth31]

Now that the Trudeau government has opened up travel for NHL teams into Canada in an obvious attempt to garner votes in Quebec other sports and regions are expecting, quite legitimately the same treatment. This includes the Olympic Qualifier in Victoria.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/more/article/infuriating-unlike-nhlers-athletes-not-getting-border-exemption/

"Organizers of the FIBA Olympic basketball qualifying tournament in Victoria this month are awaiting a similar exemption. Clint Hamilton, chair of the tournament’s steering committee, said their plan, developed with the help of the regional health officer, must be approved by the provincial and federal health offices.

The six participating teams including Canada are scheduled to arrive June 25. Participants then must be tested and quarantine for two days.

“They go immediately into a very contained and controlled bubble environment (of) the hotel, the practice venue and the actual playing venue, that’s your bubble,” said Clint Hamilton, chair of the tournament’s steering committee. “They’re very strictly monitored, there are very strict protocols and very strict adherence to that.

“So, this is all part of the plan that we have to present and have approved – and I’m extremely confident in those plans — that will allow teams to come in and to compete in the qualifying tournament in a way that will ensure safety to all, and ensure that there’s no transmission of the COVID virus.”

[Mirotic12]

Czech 18 man pool announced.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/olympic...ng-tournament/

"Tomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely stand out of the Czech Republic preliminary squad for the approaching Olympic Qualifying Tournament, announced Tuesday.

Jan Zidek, son of former NBA center George Zidek and Pepperdine forward, also received an invitation.

Patrik Auda, Richard Balint, Ondrej Balvin, Jaromic Bohacik, David Bohm, Ondrej Hanzlik, Vojtech Hruban, Lubos Kovar, Lukas Palyza, Martin Peterka, Patrick Samoura, Blake Schilb, Ondrej Sehnal, Jakub Sirina, and Tomas Vyoral round up the 18-man list."



Comments?

I dont know the Czechs really well but this looks like a full turnout. This is a very experienced and cohesive group that is often underestimated (6th in the 2019 WC). They should not be overlooked.

It looks like they are missing four of their most known players - Pavl Pumprla, David Jelinek, Martin Kriz, and Petr Benda. Benda and Pumprla might have retired. I'm not sure on that. Jelinek seems like a big absence for them, but for some reason he never seems to play with the national team. I'm not sure why on that either.

[TrueNorth31]

Czech 18 man pool announced.

https://www.eurohoops.net/en/olympic...ng-tournament/

"Tomas Satoransky and Jan Vesely stand out of the Czech Republic preliminary squad for the approaching Olympic Qualifying Tournament, announced Tuesday.

Jan Zidek, son of former NBA center George Zidek and Pepperdine forward, also received an invitation.

Patrik Auda, Richard Balint, Ondrej Balvin, Jaromic Bohacik, David Bohm, Ondrej Hanzlik, Vojtech Hruban, Lubos Kovar, Lukas Palyza, Martin Peterka, Patrick Samoura, Blake Schilb, Ondrej Sehnal, Jakub Sirina, and Tomas Vyoral round up the 18-man list."



Comments?

I dont know the Czechs really well but this looks like a full turnout. This is a very experienced and cohesive group that is often underestimated (6th in the 2019 WC). They should not be overlooked.

I'm glad you mentioned the Czech's . In many ways given their success at the World Cup they should not be ignored. Adding a solid player in Vesely , a three time Euro League all star and a former NBA lottery pick can only help. They are sort of the antithesis of Canada. They only have 2 guys who play in either the NBA or the Euro League , but what they lack in talent they make up in team chemistry and solid play. I believe 5 guys on the 2019 team all played on the same team in the Czech league. They don't have huge turnover and are well prepared.

At the World Cup they had one big post Balvin surrounded by a bunch of 6' 5" - 6' 7" inch veteran, thick strong, tough guys who could all defend and shoot to a certain degree ( as a team they lead the tournament in three point % ) . Satoransky is quite good and really moves the ball on offence. When your putting together a Canadian roster you need to have the flexibility to play 4 out and match up against such a team by having a lot of big switchable wings.

[mojo13]

Hearing some stuff out there that the Pacers are putting intense pressure on Brissett to skip on Team Canada. We could have our first NBA player to fall off in the next couple days. I hope he is the first and last.

At least it is at a deep position. However I wouldn’t have minded his versatility and three point shooting from the bench.

This likely paves the way for two of Ejim, Clarke, Powell, Nicholson, Lyles to be on the team.