OT: Yikes! USA men do not medal in hoops World Cup
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eebmg
Fair and Balanced
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Kemba had a terrible game. Foul trouble. Turnovers. Blocks by Gobert, missed critical FT'S. Donavan had a great game through 3Q but the team tried to firce everything into the post in 4Q and in international play, you dont get those fouls.
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That was always the plan.
This was a nothing tournament and wasn’t worth it time wise for most big stars. Had nothing to do with their Olympic interest.
This was a nothing tournament and wasn’t worth it time wise for most big stars. Had nothing to do with their Olympic interest.
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That is a B.S. reason. Pride, representing your country. Stars from other countries came to play. Kudos to kemba for coming to play, to me he is the quintessential NBA player, tons of heart, talent, hard work, etc.
And why not? I have friends from France, Serbia, Greece, China, Turkey, etc. and I won't quote them because it will just anger people even though the quotes are true, but they had a lot to say about some of the best not coming to play. We saw allstars from other countries coming to play, so...? Kemba was really the only high level talent that came to play for the usa.
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eebmg
Fair and Balanced
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Not sure you will get the MVP level NBA level players (Kawai, Steph, Lebron) but
the next level below should want to represent the USA.
It would be nice if Donavan Mitchell who played so well (and Maybe Kemba Walker) might get an easier invite onto the Olympic Team.
Monte
Count of Monte UConn
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Yeah, IF they get $2 million each!!
oldude
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It goes beyond the players. Many NBA franchises are lukewarm on top players competing in FIBA competitions. With 10’s of millions of $$ invested in their top players, the last thing teams want is to lose top players for the regular season due to an injury incurred during an off-season competition.
The Paul George incident is front and center for many NBA coaches & GM’s. Back in 2014, the Indiana Pacers star player broke his leg while playing in an exhibition game for USA Basketball, costing George and the Pacers an entire season. In addition, George has never been quite the same player since the injury.
This year the Boston Celtics sent 4 players to the FIBA competition. Both Tatum and Smart were injured during the tournament. While both injuries are hopefully minor, you have to wonder if Boston will ever again commit that many players to an international competition all at the same time.
UConnCat
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The rest of the world takes the FIBA World Cup very seriously. Sending other than the best American players will produce results like this. I believe the same would happen if USA Basketball's WNT sent less than its best players to the World Cup or Olympics. We saw how over-matched Plum and Clarendon were at their first World Cup last year. These international competitions are intense.
Wbbfan1
And That’s The Way It Is
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I knew that and I do expect Serbia to make the Olympics. However, nothing is guaranteed. I also expect Canada to get one of the last qualifying slots for the Olympics. They are more of a long shot then Serbia.
Serbia will play in one of the four wild card qualifying tournaments to be held the month before the Olympics. Win and they go on to Tokyo.
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US, Australia, Spain, France and Argentina are qualified for Tokyo so it would be a major upset for Serbia to lose a six-team tournament where none of those other teams are playing. But, yeah, at that point, it only takes one bad game. Note that the Serbs qualified for the Rio Games through the wild card tournament as well.
Canada unfortunately had an even worse attendance from its pros than the US. Only two players on the World Cup team are in the NBA, with notable absentees like RJ Barrett and Andrew Wiggins. Maybe the coach, Nick Nurse of the Raptors, can change some minds by next summer but more likely the streak of not qualifying in the Olympics since 2000 will continue.
Canada unfortunately had an even worse attendance from its pros than the US. Only two players on the World Cup team are in the NBA, with notable absentees like RJ Barrett and Andrew Wiggins. Maybe the coach, Nick Nurse of the Raptors, can change some minds by next summer but more likely the streak of not qualifying in the Olympics since 2000 will continue.
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I wonder how close American women are getting to parity, especially in the next couple of years when the former greats, including D and other UConn greats, leave the stage.
Seems to me that a lot of fine overseas talent is coming up: Emma Meeseman, Astou Ndour. Many others?
Seems to me that a lot of fine overseas talent is coming up: Emma Meeseman, Astou Ndour. Many others?
You still have the 2 best players in the world in EDD, and Stewie for a few years.
DaddyChoc
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and Napheesa