OFFICIAL FIBA World Cup Spain 2014 Thread

mgrand15 said:
Serge ibaka and Marc Gasol are still a top frontcourt. If anything, giving Serge more time with Marc should help the team out. They might miss Pau a little but not much with 2 top notch bigs commanding 30+ MPG. As good as Pau was this tourney, he's still a flawed player - especially defensively. Ask Laker fans :lol:

But I agree - Serbia's another team that'll be there competing.
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I disagree, Pau is one of the best international bigs in FIBA competition of all-time and it won't be easy just plugging in Serge and Marc and maintain the same level of excellence.
 
mgrand15 said:
MEH. Don't buy that at all. The US is as strong as ever but there's no way they skate through their bracket/pool if they didn't have the easiest damn schedule in the tournament. Compare France or even the PhIllipines level of competition to the US. It's not even close.

Next year - there's 4-5 projected international lottery picks. There's a ton of talent out there. I expect the Olympics to be tougher. US will be on top but Spain, Croatia, France, Brazil, Greece, Canada, Australia will be there giving us competition.
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mgrand15 said:
MEH. Don't buy that at all. The US is as strong as ever but there's no way they skate through their bracket/pool if they didn't have the easiest damn schedule in the tournament. Compare France or even the PhIllipines level of competition to the US. It's not even close.

Next year - there's 4-5 projected international lottery picks. There's a ton of talent out there. I expect the Olympics to be tougher. US will be on top but Spain, Croatia, France, Brazil, Greece, Canada, Australia will be there giving us competition.
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I agree that there is a ton of talent around the world but the depth on the international level just isn't there. Spain's "Golden Generation" are aging similar to Argentina so I'm not sure if they will continue their dominance in Europe for much longer.
 
aepps20 said:
IMO the gap between the U.S and the World is getting bigger. It's crazy how the U.S is basically the defending champion at almost every level for both the women and the men.
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no it's not getting bigger, the 2000 teams were just incompetently coached and foolishly constructed, the NBA has assimilated so many of the European concepts when it comes to 3 point shooting/ stretch 4s, ect ect. talent gap isn't growing the coaching gap is closing.

women is a different story becuase other countries less enlightend attitudes towards women and sport.
 
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Nelson999 said:
Can't believe Plumlee is a Gold Medalist :rofl:
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NCAA champion too

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Osh Kosh Bosh said:
women is a different story becuase other countries less enlightend attitudes towards women and sport.
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That's not entirely accurate. Until the mid-90s, American women had to go overseas if they wanted to make money playing professionally. Once the WNBA rolled around, it eliminated the need for that. However, WNBA players still go overseas to play professionally during the off season. That opportunity has existed abroad much longer than it has at home.
 
lawdog1 said:
Aside for whatever it does to increase his legacy -- which is pretty intangible -- how is he benefitting so much from his involvement? Coach K was getting top recruits at Duke long before he took over as coach for US basketball. I don't think their recruiting success has changed that much since. He also long ago could have had an NBA job if he wanted it. So, that hasn't changed based on his international success. Just because he gets a lot of credit for the tournaments we've won doesn't mean to me he's somehow disproportionately profiting from the whole thing. The guys who have participated in USA Basketball seem to love playing for him and also give him a lot of credit. I don't see anything wrong with it.
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Guys like to down talk Coach K, but ain't no body stepping up to represent the US the same way.  The main thing is the mental strength and will to lead, to coach and to teach.  Guy was rumored and obviously courted by many to coach at the NBA level.  But Coach K wanted to remain with Duke and do his own thing.  Anybody that commits themselves above and beyond should get the creds.  What's wrong with establishing a program of success, and maintaining it?  
 
Osh Kosh Bosh said:
no it's not getting bigger, the 2000 teams were just incompetently coached and foolishly constructed, the NBA has assimilated so many of the European concepts when it comes to 3 point shooting/ stretch 4s, ect ect. talent gap isn't growing the coaching gap is closing.

women is a different story becuase other countries less enlightend attitudes towards women and sport.
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All good points.  Rather, it seemed like the 'desire' and 'effort' was no longer there.  Guys thought having other all star guys would make winning games easy, but that was not the case with the 'Bronze' medals.  I think it's the desire, the commitment, and pride that went missing.  Just look at Durant.  He was 'tired' ?  Guy was too busy with his NIKE contract, that he bowed out!!!  
 
Durant was tired. Nobody has played more minutes than KD in the last few years.
It had nothing to do with Nike/UA but considering those were very important things going on, those are big decisions that are also mentally exhausting. The dude needed a break, that's totally different than bowing out/quitting.
 
On another note, thank god they actually won this thing. Could you imagine them having to put a squad together just to go through the motions of FIBA Americas next summer? Nobody wanted to spend a month in Mexico for that nonsense.
 
If Woj thinks coach K is getting an unfair advantage now, wait until he (or the next coach) gets plugged in if they only allow guys under 22 yrs old. Imagine the recruiting pitch to these high schoolers "hey I'm also the head coach of team USA. I pick the team as well. If you play for duke I'll pick you for the team. Don't doubt my power, I got Plumlee a ******* gold medal."

While Woj has a point his alternative is even worse. This under 22 is idiotic if you have a college coach/staff. He needs to get off that soap box.
 
dmbrhs said:
That's not entirely accurate. Until the mid-90s, American women had to go overseas if they wanted to make money playing professionally. Once the WNBA rolled around, it eliminated the need for that. However, WNBA players still go overseas to play professionally during the off season. That opportunity has existed abroad much longer than it has at home.
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I should say that women play sports but in Europe and africa but their are sports that women play and sports that men play, field hockey/netball/ ect.

Countries don't make the national team investment into womens sports that are traditionally male, ie soccer, baskebtall, hence why America dominates both.
 
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I watched the Spain vs. France replay. France played great defensively and Spain's guards played too much isolation ball.
dmbrhs said:
This was cool. Serbian celebration after winning silver.

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That's dope..thanks for sharing.

Most media feel FIBA is a joke, etc. but as you can see it's not in other lands. I see nothing wrong with a summer filled with pro-level hoop.
 
pums said:
a-friend said:
Plumlee will probably be an NBA Champion one day as well.
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Why the hell would anybody say this about a second year player
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His skill set will be courted by contenders for years to come, simple.

Don't really see what being a 2nd year player has to do with it.
Could see if you said how is someone who the Nets will never let go win a Chip, but second year player, rubbish excuse.
 
a-friend said:
His skill set will be courted by contenders for years to come, simple.

Don't really see what being a 2nd year player has to do with it.
Could see if you said how is someone who the Nets will never let go win a Chip, but second year player, rubbish excuse.
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How many players do you see getting a championship who is entering their second season? So many variables have to go right especially if you are not a spur for him to land on a perfect position likely a backup c and for him to contribute on a championship team.Draymond Green has a perfect role player skill set but it would be rather ambitious for somebody to say he's a getting a chip.
 
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pums said:
a-friend said:
His skill set will be courted by contenders for years to come, simple.

Don't really see what being a 2nd year player has to do with it.
Could see if you said how is someone who the Nets will never let go win a Chip, but second year player, rubbish excuse.
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How many players do you see getting a championship who is entering their second season? So many variables have to go right especially if you are not a spur for him to land on a perfect position likely a backup c and for him to contribute on a championship team.Draymond Green has a perfect role player skill set but it would be rather ambitious for somebody to say he's a getting a chip.
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Again, have no clue what being a 2nd year player has to do with someone winning a Championship before they retire.

Maybe he will retire after his second year though
 
HOW HARD IS IT TO PREDICT WHAT A SECOND YEAR PLAYERS FULL POTENTIAL WILL BE LIKE ESPECIALLY A PLAYER AS RAW AND GIFTED ATHLETICALLY AS PLUMLEE. Predicting a players progression is hard for players entering their next contract and they've been in the league for 3 years you are going off a year of NBA experience he wasn't even used that much during the start of the year

Mike Conley

Rajon Rondo

Tony Parker

Serge Ibaka

Demar Derozan

Eric Bledsoe

Tyson Chandller

Goran Dragic

James Harden

all look nothing from their rookie year to what they are now/prime and guys like Reke and Mayo who have regressed.
 
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a-friend said:
Durant was tired. Nobody has played more minutes than KD in the last few years.
It had nothing to do with Nike/UA but considering those were very important things going on, those are big decisions that are also mentally exhausting. The dude needed a break, that's totally different than bowing out/quitting.
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Dunno, but didnt guys bow out or Non commit eay early? KD left midway,
 
Yea KD's departure was late and abrupt.

He went through the training camp and everything and bowed out late in the selection process.

I remember coach K or Colangelo was quoted that if he had left earlier it would've been better cuz they would've asked different players to join the selection pool.

In the end it worked out anyway. USA still needed up making history lol
 
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