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Message: [QUOTE="cancontent, post: 4692517, member: 10709"] FIBA has U20 and U23 age groups that compete in Europe. It's definitely possible. Canada Basketball took advantage and created an event for the U23 category so they could continue to develop their pool of players beyond the U19 age group. There are benefits to this approach in several areas: 1). Continues development of players beyond U19. Yes, there's NCAA but it's not FIBA and players need to adjust which was evident with this tournament. 2). Opening it to players who have graduated and are playing overseas, helps USA basketball keep an eye on sleepers who may not come across their path otherwise. It's not fair to assume these players aren't capable. And they already do this with their 3x3 teams based on the rosters I've seen. 3). There are some who don't believe NCAA players should be involved in these tournaments for various reasons. Going in this direction eliminates those concerns about potential injuries, team bonding, skill development, etc. 4). These same NCAA players will eventually graduate and may need opportunities to compete at a higher level. With how the FIBA calendar works this could be an option that helps them remain sharp and get exposure to play pro somewhere else. [/QUOTE]