2019 FIBA World Cup Thread

[Billy Dat]

The problem with Australia's chances to beat the USA is that the USA will scrimmage them twice in Melbourne. I think if USA is going to lose, an element of surprise needs to be present. And the Aussies probably can't go full vanilla playing at home in those two exhibitions; they're going to want to not get embarrassed.

They are playing this game in a "football" stadium and have sold 90,000 tickets!!!!!!

https://www.usab.com/news-events/new...-sold-out.aspx

[JasonEvans]

The word from USA Basketball camp in Vegas is that Marvin Bagley and Derrick White have both played really well with the Select Team and are likely to join Fox in being called up to the main squad with a shot at making the 12 man FIBA roster.

[Billy Dat]

The word from USA Basketball camp in Vegas is that Marvin Bagley and Derrick White have both played really well with the Select Team and are likely to join Fox in being called up to the main squad with a shot at making the 12 man FIBA roster.

@TheSteinLine
As @USABasketball prepares for its fourth day of practice in Las Vegas, I'm told Sacramento's Marvin Bagley and San Antonio's Derrick White have emerged as the strongest of contenders to be included in the roughly 15-man contingent expected to proceed to Los Angeles next week

ric_bucher (IG)
Derrick White is being invited to LA when Team USA reconvenes there next week, a program official told me, which essentially means he has been promoted from the select practice squad to the World Cup roster. (Look for Marvin Bagley to be promoted as well.) One coach told me White was the best player on either team in the Day 2 scrimmages and on Day 3 I saw him damn near replicate that with my own eyes as the select squad played the World Cup squad to a draw in consecutive 10-minute scrimmages. With that, I owe one of my Twitter followers an apology. Last season he touted White as one of the league’s next superstars and I scoffed at the time; I thought he was good but I hadn’t seen anything that merited all that. I have now. He still has to develop a 3-pt shot but his vision and court savvy were on full display as he either hit guys even before they knew they were open or created space to get his own; all that with + defense if not ++ defense. As a Spurs beat writer said to me, “The Spurs found another one.” Indeed they have. Let’s be clear: this isn’t a star-studded camp and White is far from a finished product. But he has elements you can’t teach and the physical tools to utilize them. Do not be surprised if he is both on this summer’s World Cup squad AND next summer’s Olympic squad — in part because the program intends to go young with the team playing back-to-back summers, in part because White has been that good. If I sound hyped, it’s because I am. I love both surprises and players who dominate simply by seeing what’s there a half-second before everybody else. That’s DW.

[DUKIECB]

Someone really needs to introduce Tatum to a razor. That half beard monstrosity he's got going on in the picture on the home page is a mess.

[Billy Dat]

Someone really needs to introduce Tatum to a razor. That half beard monstrosity he's got going on in the picture on the home page is a mess.

Yes, Mr. Burns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjHOtxCRhnw

[Billy Dat]

There is a televised/streamed Blue/White scrimmage tonight at 10PM EST.

https://www.usab.com/news-events/new...ite-teams.aspx

NBA TV will televise the USA intrasquad exhibition and the game will also be streamed live on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/nba.

Blue Team (which is, essentially, the most serious candidates to make the team)
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat); Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings); Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics); Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers); Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks); Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks); Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz); Mason Plumlee (Denver Nuggets), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics); P.J. Tucker (Houston Rockets); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics); and Thaddeus Young (Chicago Bulls). Additionally, USA Select Team members De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings) and Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets) will suit up for the USA Blue, while USA National Team members Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors) and Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics) will attend but will not play due to injuries.

White Team includes Select Team players Jarrett Allen (Brooklyn Nets); Marvin Bagley III (Sacramento Kings); Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns); Jalen Brunson (Dallas Mavericks); John Collins (Atlanta Hawks); Pat Connaughton (Milwaukee Bucks); Torrey Craig (Denver Nuggets); Jonathan Isaac (Orlando Magic); Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies); Mitchell Robinson (New York Knicks); and Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs). Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) will miss the exhibition because of an eye-infection.

[Truth&Justise]

White Team includes Select Team players Jarrett Allen (Brooklyn Nets); Marvin Bagley III (Sacramento Kings); Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns); Jalen Brunson (Dallas Mavericks); John Collins (Atlanta Hawks); Pat Connaughton (Milwaukee Bucks); Torrey Craig (Denver Nuggets); Jonathan Isaac (Orlando Magic); Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies); Mitchell Robinson (New York Knicks); and Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs). Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) will miss the exhibition because of an eye-infection.

This team is super-unbalanced now. De'Aron Fox and Joe Harris got poached by the senior team while Lowry and Smart are out. Now Trae Young is injured. So the guards for this team are just Derrick White, Jalen Brunson, and Pat Connaughton... and maybe Torrey Craig also. If Derrick White wants to make the senior team he'll have his chance, looks like he's about to play 40 minutes.

[Billy Dat]

I watched the Blue/White and my primary impressions were:

-Unfortunately, there is no real play-by-play announcing, which reminded me of why I don't like watching summer league very much, so it wasn't always easy to figure out who was who. I find that when guys are in new uniforms and your eyesight isn't what it used to be, recognizing players you don't watch all the time is tough.

-That being said, youth was served. Mitchell, Fox and Tatum all showed out. In general, I thought the young bigs on the Select Team...Marvin, Jonathan Isaac, John Collins, JJacksonJr...looked better than the White Team big

-If Tatum keeps shooting this well from 3, he's gonna make the squad and get a lot of PT.

-Congrats to Marvin who was bumped up to the pool of potential players and will continue in training camp this week.

-The game was pretty run and gun, which plays to the USA style advantage. The FIBA games won't be like that so it's hard to tell how good we'll be once the game slows down starting with next week's Spain scrimmage.

[CameronBornAndBred]

After the game, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo announced Thaddeus Young and Bam Adebayo had been cut from the senior roster. Select Team members Derrick White and Marvin Bagley III were promoted to the senior roster and will join the team next week when training continues in Los Angeles.

Cool for Bagley.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...bayo-scrimmage

[richardjackson199]

I watched the Blue/White and my primary impressions were:

-Unfortunately, there is no real play-by-play announcing, which reminded me of why I don't like watching summer league very much, so it wasn't always easy to figure out who was who. I find that when guys are in new uniforms and your eyesight isn't what it used to be, recognizing players you don't watch all the time is tough.

-That being said, youth was served. Mitchell, Fox and Tatum all showed out. In general, I thought the young bigs on the Select Team...Marvin, Jonathan Isaac, John Collins, JJacksonJr...looked better than the White Team big

-If Tatum keeps shooting this well from 3, he's gonna make the squad and get a lot of PT.

-Congrats to Marvin who was bumped up to the pool of potential players and will continue in training camp this week.

-The game was pretty run and gun, which plays to the USA style advantage. The FIBA games won't be like that so it's hard to tell how good we'll be once the game slows down starting with next week's Spain scrimmage.

The World Cup has a history of being a break-out revelation of future super-stardom as NBA all-stars for some players. Think Kevin Durant, and others. I think that could happen with Tatum and possibly even Fox. Or somebody else. Go Team USA!

[jimsumner]

Tatum, Bagley and Plumlee still in mix.

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.db...DB_OEM_ID=4200

[JasonEvans]

Serbia, widely considered the strongest challenge to the US in the World Cup (what with Canada's NBA players largely taking a pass on playing and Ben Simmons not suiting up for the Aussies), just got a real blow to their chances. Miloš Teodosić, their starting PG and one of the best players in Europe over the past decade (though he struggled a bit when he came over to the Clippers) has a foot injury and will miss the World Cup.

[bundabergdevil]

Being reported that Bagley is withdrawing to focus on NBA season...

[roywhite]

Being reported that Bagley is withdrawing to focus on NBA season...

Disappointing if true; there are many examples of players who credited their experience in World and Olympic competitions with improving their games and leading to greater success. Has that lesson just disappeared?

[JasonEvans]

Being reported that Bagley is withdrawing to focus on NBA season...

So, I can think of two explanations for this--

1. They told Bagley he was probably not going to make the team and this was a way for him to gracefully withdraw
2. Bagley took a look at the additional time he would have to put in if he did make the team (weeks of practice and travel beyond what he signed up for when he was only on the Select team) and he said, "I can't make that kind of commitment."

-Jason "I think #2 is the more likely to the possibilities" Evans

[bundabergdevil]

So, I can think of two explanations for this--

1. They told Bagley he was probably not going to make the team and this was a way for him to gracefully withdraw
2. Bagley took a look at the additional time he would have to put in if he did make the team (weeks of practice and travel beyond what he signed up for when he was only on the Select team) and he said, "I can't make that kind of commitment."

-Jason "I think #2 is the more likely to the possibilities" Evans

I'd add a #3 or maybe it's 2b, at least for the guys like Bagley that are still in their rookie contracts. If they're really playing for that 2nd contract for potential transformational money, I have to imagine the added wear and tear + compressed schedule of FIBA this summer weighs on their minds. Bagley was already nagged by various injuries during his rookie season and the body just needs its recovery time. We can all throw out Paul George's injury but he was an established star...some of these guys need the next few years to get there and injuries can derail that train for sure.

[bigperm13]

I'd add a #3 or maybe it's 2b, at least for the guys like Bagley that are still in their rookie contracts. If they're really playing for that 2nd contract for potential transformational money, I have to imagine the added wear and tear + compressed schedule of FIBA this summer weighs on their minds. Bagley was already nagged by various injuries during his rookie season and the body just needs its recovery time. We can all throw out Paul George's injury but he was an established star...some of these guys need the next few years to get there and injuries can derail that train for sure.

Honest question here: do y'all think most of these guys, Bagley especially, that have withdrawn would have stayed had K still been the coach? Nothing against Pop at all, but I say definitely.

[Truth&Justise]

Serbia, widely considered the strongest challenge to the US in the World Cup (what with Canada's NBA players largely taking a pass on playing and Ben Simmons not suiting up for the Aussies), just got a real blow to their chances. Miloš Teodosić, their starting PG and one of the best players in Europe over the past decade (though he struggled a bit when he came over to the Clippers) has a foot injury and will miss the World Cup.

Huge blow for Serbia. He's 32 now, but he's been their wily veteran point guard for years. Plus it means Fran Fraschilla won't get to trot out his favorite phrase, as at least once a game he'd describe Teodosic as a "conscientious objector on defense."

Will be interesting to see if they run more action through Jokic now, and if they can adjust their schemes quickly enough to make that happen.

[Truth&Justise]

After the game, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo announced Thaddeus Young and Bam Adebayo had been cut from the senior roster. Select Team members Derrick White and Marvin Bagley III were promoted to the senior roster and will join the team next week when training continues in Los Angeles.

Being reported that Bagley is withdrawing to focus on NBA season...

That was fast. Wonder if they'll regret sending Adebayo home, it seemed like he and Bagley would have played similar roles and they opted for Bagley.

[JasonEvans]

Honest question here: do y'all think most of these guys, Bagley especially, that have withdrawn would have stayed had K still been the coach? Nothing against Pop at all, but I say definitely.

There was a different feeling when K was the coach, that's for sure. It was treated as a bigger deal. I'm not sure K or USA Basketball could have maintained that forever. I suspect. But, the fault here lies with FIBA as it is not just the US that is seeing top players avoid the World Cup (Aussie Ben Simmons, team Canada, and several others). If FIBA wants NBA stars to participate in this tournament, they need to work with the players association and figure out a way to make it attractive for them.