U.S. vs China?

[DaddyChoc]

Probably not. There will be players who step in just like has always happened and the US will continue to kick everyone's butt. We have some really good US players who could have provided some different but very effective skills, such as Loyd, Sims, Jefferson, Sloot, Ogwumike, Howard, Mitchell, McBride, Alexis Jones, etc. We will still have the greatest collection of players in the world, by far. EDD, Charles, Griner, Stewart and probably Fowles will still be available in the middle. Oh yeah, and we will still have Maya Moore.

The starters might have to play a little longer but who is going to beat a team with a starting five of Charles, BG, Moore, Whalen and Loyd? That is my prediction for the starting 5 in 2020.

I just wish a young guard or two had been added to the 2016 team to get some Olympic experience.

Augustus will still be around... she's not losing her spot, same for Angel

 

[j66kicker]

Cisco is a sponsor of USA Basketball and the IOC, AND the yacht. Non-team boarders include IOC big-wigs and guests of Cisco. Cabins on the Silver Cloud normally rent for $13,000 per week (1% of a typical $13 million NBA salary, or 1/2% of a typical NBA max salary) (and more than 25% of a WNBA max rookie salary).

Find Out What the U.S. Basketball Teams are Getting Up to on Their Private Cruise Ship

No Dorms For U.S. Basketball Teams; They'll Stay On A Cruise Ship In Rio

 

[CocoHusky]

UC, do you know who is paying for the floating hotel?

No idea, but it is also being used by a bunch of the big shots with the Olympic committee and I think the IOC plus likely some of the high rollers, so while the USA basketball folks are likely contributing I don't think they are footing the majority of the bill.

Bill is likely being footed by USABBall... Dunno if folks have to pay for guests.

This article doen't come right out and say it but implies as @ThisJustIn said: USA basketball is paying the bill in the name of "player safety".
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/s...asketball-united-states-cruise-ship.html?_r=0

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Brittney, EDD, Stewie, up front, Maya, and either Sims, or probably Moriah at PG my prediction to start in 2020. You have size. and quickness up front, with EDD, and Stewie who can shoot the 3 , and handle the ball. Maya who will make a great shooting guard, with either Sims, or Moriah, who both are quick with the ability to penetrate, and dish. Plus with Stewie, and EDD, Brittney isn't the only rim protector. They also should open up the inside for Brittney.

I've been watching the way that the American men have been squeaking by in their games against France, Serbia, and Australia. They've got all the best super-stars in America. But the rest of the world is catching up. I've been paying attention to how well the other teams are playing Geno's ladies. They play very good basketball. And those non-US players are also playing in a real league, and not wasting their time with NCAA basketball, but instead are turning pro in their teens and getting first-rate instruction.

Is the rest of the world in the process of catching up with us? Could those replacements really make up for Diana and Sue? For Tina in her prime?

I would love to hear Coach Geno asked that question, and get his take on the development of basketball in the rest of the world. He's always candid and perceptive.

 

[meyers7]

Cisco is a sponsor of USA Basketball and the IOC, AND the yacht. Non-team boarders include IOC big-wigs and guests of Cisco. Cabins on the Silver Cloud normally rent for $13,000 per week (1% of a typical $13 million NBA salary, or 1/2% of a typical NBA max salary) (and more than 25% of a WNBA max rookie salary).

That would actually be .1% or 1/10% of 13M.

 

[meyers7]

I've been watching the way that the American men have been squeaking by in their games against France, Serbia, and Australia. They've got all the best super-stars in America.

Eh, not really. They are missing Lebron James, Anthony Davis, Steph Curry, James Harden, Chris Paul, Russel Westbrook, Blake Griffin. They are missing some pretty big hitters.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Speaking about the quality of international players, the Connecticut Sun originally drafted Alba Torrens, the Spanish star, as a 17 year-old. Here from Hartford Courant two years ago:

Connecticut Sun: The Connecticut Sun Get Picks 3 And 4 In WNBA Draft

"But it is likely that the biggest decision will be the one made by Spaniard Alba Torrens, an international star drafted in the third round in 2009 when she was 17. Torrens has yet to play in the WNBA. She's a great shooter, and the Sun were last in the league in shooting percentage this season. Coach Anne Donovan and GM Chris Sienko hope to meet with Torrens next month when they all are in Turkey for the FIBA World Championship. Torrens plays in Russia.

"There is nothing really scheduled," Donovan said. "We will let Alba drive [any meeting]. But if we talk, the conversation will be about her coming to Connecticut. But I don't think there's a chance we would know that quickly. The last time we spoke to her [before the 2014 WNBA season], we felt confident she was coming this year. Her agent led us to believe it was likely going to happen. But at the end of the day, Alba was not comfortable with it."

The front office is also counting on the influence of one of Torrens' teammates last season, Sun center Kelsey Bone.

"I've been dealt the task of leaning on her in an effort to come over next summer," Bone said. "I've known since last season, before New York even traded me to the Sun, that Alba had been at least thinking about [playing in the WNBA] this season."

Torrens would provide the scoring and experience no one coming out college next season would give them.

"When I think of Alba, I think of Angel McCoughtry 2.0," Bone said. "Angel will post up every so often, but Alba is more guard-oriented. She is super-fast, super-athletic and an incredible shooter with a high basketball IQ. But the best thing about her is, she is a great teammate."

 

[Orangutan]

Augustus will still be around... she's not losing her spot, same for Angel

I don't watch the Lynx consistently but at least statistically Augustus has been on a fairly swift decline. I'd be very surprised if she is still around in 2020 at 36. Angel very well could be.

 

[cbraarj]

Eh, not really. They are missing Lebron James, Anthony Davis, Steph Curry, James Harden, Chris Paul, Russel Westbrook, Blake Griffin. They are missing some pretty big hitters.

What no parity in the NBA? That is bad for the game.

 

[bags27]

I skimmed thru the thread - I noticed EDD did not play. Did not see why in the thread. Did I miss it? If not, anyone know why?

She got elbowed in the eye during warm-ups (by Tamika? I can't remember now), and had an ice pack over her eye for the first quarter. Between that and her bandaged left hand and the fact that the game was over in the first 5 minutes, I guess they decided to rest her.

 

[UcMiami]

I've been watching the way that the American men have been squeaking by in their games against France, Serbia, and Australia. They've got all the best super-stars in America. But the rest of the world is catching up. I've been paying attention to how well the other teams are playing Geno's ladies. They play very good basketball. And those non-US players are also playing in a real league, and not wasting their time with NCAA basketball, but instead are turning pro in their teens and getting first-rate instruction.

Is the rest of the world in the process of catching up with us? Could those replacements really make up for Diana and Sue? For Tina in her prime?

I would love to hear Coach Geno asked that question, and get his take on the development of basketball in the rest of the world. He's always candid and perceptive.

The difference between men and women is the 4 years of college, which even with some spotty coaching at the college level is still better training than is available in professional leagues anywhere in the world. The exception to that is probably the Australian training program which is really a college-like program that includes competition against professionals. The advantage for the European pro leagues is of course playing against better competition but the actual practice and teaching time is significantly limited compared to a four year college program. That difference doesn't really exist on the men's side with few USA team members playing more than a year of college ball.

Add to that the fact the men play international rules basketball only one month every two years vs. the women who play international rules half a year every year (for the most part) and you have another disadvantage.

 

[Justavisitor]

Probably not. There will be players who step in just like has always happened and the US will continue to kick everyone's butt. We have some really good US players who could have provided some different but very effective skills, such as Loyd, Sims, Jefferson, Sloot, Ogwumike, Howard, Mitchell, McBride, Alexis Jones, etc. We will still have the greatest collection of players in the world, by far. EDD, Charles, Griner, Stewart and probably Fowles will still be available in the middle. Oh yeah, and we will still have Maya Moore.

The starters might have to play a little longer but who is going to beat a team with a starting five of Charles, BG, Moore, Whalen and Loyd? That is my prediction for the starting 5 in 2020.

I just wish a young guard or two had been added to the 2016 team to get some Olympic experience.

If Geno's gone, Candace will return. 2020 will be just fine!

 

[CocoHusky]

If Geno's gone, Candace will return. 2020 will be just fine!

I sincerely hope Candace's return is not contingent in anyway on Geno's return-That would be personal (vs team) and severely stupid.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I don't watch the Lynx consistently but at least statistically Augustus has been on a fairly swift decline. I'd be very surprised if she is still around in 2020 at 36. Angel very well could be.

I don't think Seimone is automatic at age 36, nor would I necessarily rule her out. Based on age, I think she's less than 50-50. I think Jewell or Kayla may get her spot in 2020.

Her decline has been the result of 2 things, in my view: (1) It's now clearly Maya's team, and Maya takes the most shots by far (375 to 225 this season, though Mone has missed 4 games), so Seimone's scoring has dropped; (2) Seimone was hurt last year. She looks healthy and is playing much better. She still has the best crossover and midrange jumper in the world. And she plays good defense when healthy and committed.

 

[MilfordHusky]

If Geno's gone, Candace will return. 2020 will be just fine!

Not necessarily. Candace will be 4 years older. The committee favored another player as the 12th choice in a 3-2 vote. That committee is independent of Geno. Obviously, a strong case can be made for including Candace based on talent. If the Sparks win the championship this year, both Nneka and Candace will get favorable consideration in the future.

 

[Justavisitor]

I sincerely hope Candace's return is not contingent in anyway on Geno's return-That would be personal (vs team) and severely stupid.

Considering her absence was based on his presence, it's easy to see how her return is based on his absence. Yes, it was personal and yes, that was stupid.

 

[Justavisitor]

Not necessarily. Candace will be 4 years older. The committee favored another player as the 12th choice in a 3-2 vote. That committee is independent of Geno. Obviously, a strong case can be made for including Candace based on talent. If the Sparks win the championship this year, both Nneka and Candace will get favorable consideration in the future.

Interesting that no other players had to win a championship to be considered worthy and believe it or not, Candace was removed in favor of one person that requested it and that person sort of admitted it. I know no one here wants to believe it, so this will forever be a point that we don't agree on. The committee agreed to do what was requested of them, in the same way they agreed 4 years ago that including certain team members was a contingency for coaching again.

 

[UcMiami]

Look at who makes themselves available for the 2018 WC - if Candace is once again 'unavailable' I doubt she will make the next Olympic team either. And justavisitor - NO, there is no proof that Geno was the reason she wasn't included this year, just a bunch of supposition by LV fans. Interestingly, word is out that Geno wanted Nneka, but she isn't on the team either, and interestingly, Stanford fans don't seem to be up in arms.

 

[CocoHusky]

Considering her absence was based on his presence, it's easy to see how her return is based on his absence. Yes, it was personal and yes, that was stupid.

Considering they were both present in 2008 I refuse to give any consideration to this absurd speculation.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Interesting that no other players had to win a championship to be considered worthy and believe it or not, Candace was removed in favor of one person that requested it and that person sort of admitted it. I know no one here wants to believe it, so this will forever be a point that we don't agree on. The committee agreed to do what was requested of them, in the same way they agreed 4 years ago that including certain team members was a contingency for coaching again.

Some of her potential teammates complained about Candace. That's not what USA Basketball is looking for.

You don't have to win a championship to make the team, but it certainly helps. While Candace has played well, her team has underperformed most years that she has been in the league. The coaching may have been a factor. This may be their year. If they win, it helps her (and Nneka).

As you hopefully have heard, USA Basketball was not looking for the 12 best basketball players (especially on offense). They were looking for the 12 players who composed the best team. Candace was probably #4 or 5 in the first sense and #13 or 14 in the second sense.

USA Basketball is not stupid. They went with team that they though would give them the best chance of winning.

 

[Nuyoika]

Considering her absence was based on his presence, it's easy to see how her return is based on his absence. Yes, it was personal and yes, that was stupid.

Need a Kleenex?