Rank the top 20 countries (men)

[aussieasker2]

I was looking at the FIBA world rankings and a lot of countries seem to be way too high and others way too low. So who are your current top 20 (in order) countries in mens basketball?

 

[babdelkader2]

In my opinion it's the best 20 countries:

1. USA
2. Spain
3. Argentina
4. Greece
5. Lithuania
6. Serbia
7. Russia
8. Brazil
9. Puerto Rico
10. France
11. Croatia
12. Turkey
12. Australia
14. Germany
15. Italy
16. Nigeria
17. Angola
18. Dominican Republic
19. China
20. Lebanon

 

[Khalid802]

In my opinion it's the best 20 countries:

19. China
20. Lebanon

I wish we were no. 20 but the fact is New Zealand and Slovenia which you didn't mention above are better than Lebanon and maybe even better than China after the retirement of Yao Ming.

 

[Mindozas6]

FIBA ranking indeed isn't accurate or even ridiculous in some cases, but to make exact ranking with exact places is really difficult task, since lot of teams didn't play with the best players most of the times or doesn't play between each other (different continents) to make a real impression. What I know for sure:

1. USA
2. Spain

Then it's all open, some 5 or more teams which can match each other, maybe Olympics will answer some question a bit

 

[babdelkader2]

I wish we were no. 20 but the fact is New Zealand and Slovenia which you didn't mention above are better than Lebanon and maybe even better than China after the retirement of Yao Ming.

to be accurate New Zealand is way away from Slovenia, Slovenia is way better than Lebanon, I agree with you, but New Zealand is not that good you think.

I believe that Venezuela, Canada, Nigeria, Angola, Dominican Republic, China, Lebanon, and New Zealand are level 4 teams, and have all +/- same level.

I've put Lebanon because I am Lebanese

 

[babdelkader2]

FIBA ranking indeed isn't accurate or even ridiculous in some cases, but to make exact ranking with exact places is really difficult task, since lot of teams didn't play with the best players most of the times or doesn't play between each other (different continents) to make a real impression. What I know for sure:

1. USA
2. Spain

Then it's all open, some 5 or more teams which can match each other, maybe Olympics will answer some question a bit

Lithuania is one of the best, that's what I know for sure.

 

[Khalid802]

to be accurate New Zealand is way away from Slovenia, Slovenia is way better than Lebanon, I agree with you, but New Zealand is not that good you think.

I believe that Venezuela, Canada, Nigeria, Angola, Dominican Republic, China, Lebanon, and New Zealand are level 4 teams, and have all +/- same level.

I've put Lebanon because I am Lebanese

Man I was in the stadium at the World Championships in 2010 in Turkey and watched how New Zealand destroyed us by 32 points and eliminate all hopes of Lebanon qualifying to the second round You might think they're not that good but trust me they they have some really descent talented players.

I know we played bad in that game but still New Zealand managed to beat France and qualified in 3rd place from our group after Lithuania and Spain.

I know you put Lebanon because you're Lebanese but we have to be realistic as well

 

[babdelkader2]

Man I was in the stadium at the World Championships in 2010 in Turkey and watched how New Zealand destroyed us by 32 points and eliminate all hopes of Lebanon qualifying to the second round You might think they're not that good but trust me they they have some really descent talented players.

I know we played bad in that game but still New Zealand managed to beat France and qualified in 3rd place from our group after Lithuania and Spain.

I know you put Lebanon because you're Lebanese but we have to be realistic as well

I know u were there man
I am judging from the last Olympics qualification tournament, that's why I put Dominican in the list, even though it has not that good rank, New Zealand was destroyed in 2 games by more than 25 points by Macedonia and Angola, they were really terrible.

C'mon we're in fact 23rd, but I believe we're better than Venezuela, Angola so, it's not exagerated to be 20th.

 

[Khalid802]

I know u were there man
I am judging from the last Olympics qualification tournament, that's why I put Dominican in the list, even though it has not that good rank, New Zealand was destroyed in 2 games by more than 25 points by Macedonia and Angola, they were really terrible.

C'mon we're in fact 23rd, but I believe we're better than Venezuela, Angola so, it's not exagerated to be 20th.

New Zealand were missing their 2 best players due to injuries (Kirk Penney and Thomas Abercrombie)
Venezuela yes I think we are better than them.. Angola i'm not so sure... Well it's not a big exaggeration but still the FIBA rankings aren't also very accurate as well. Italy in the FIBA rankings are placed in 7th due to how the point system in FIBA works but actually right now I think any team in the top 20 can beat them.

 

[Hepcat2]

1. USA
2. Spain
3. Argentina
4. Lithuania
5. Greece
6. Russia
7. France
8. Brazil
9. Serbia
10. Puerto Rico
11. Croatia
12. Australia
13. Turkey
14. Germany
15. Italy
16. China
17. Nigeria
18. Angola
19. Dominican Republic
20. Slovenia
21. New Zealand
22. Venezuela
23. Great Britain
24. Canada
25. Lebanon

 

[mbenga2]

1. USA
2. Spain
3. France
4. Argentina
5. Russia
6. Lithuania
7. Brazil
8. Serbia
9. Greece
10. Australia
11. Dominican Republic
12. Turkey
13. Great Britain
14. Germany
15. Puerto Rico
16. Croatia
17. Italy
18. Nigeria
19. China
20. Angola
20. Slovenia

 

[jiggawhat2]

How is Argentina going to be better than Brazil? Their bigs aren't even close to Brazil's. Ginobli will have to carry hard.

 

[Nico Kolya2]

My rankings for current teams, with an eye on who will be available for the 2013 euros and 2014 worlds.

1. USA
2. Spain (Gasol and Navarro are getting old, so team will give up some ground, but have lots of solid prospects)
3. Argentina (until Scola and Ginobili leave the team, then they'll freefall to somewhere in the mid teens)
4. France (if they can get Beaubois and Noah back on the team)
5. Russia
6. Lithuania
7. Turkey
8. Greece
9. Brazil
10. Serbia
11. Australia
12. Puerto Rico
13. Italy (if their NBA players all play)
14. Croatia
15. Slovenia
16. Germany (don't see Dirk coming back to the team)
17. Great Britain (would like to see Gordon or Mullins on the team)
18. Dominican Rep.
19. Canada (they have some good young players and can make some noise in the next FIBA Americas)
20. Nigeria
21. China

Maybe Macedonia fits in there somewhere?? Not sure if the last Eurobasket was a fluke or what...

 

[Dtown2]

1: United States
2: Spain
3: France
4: Brazil
5: Russia
6: Argentina
7: Lithuania
8: Greece
9: Serbia
10: Turkey
11: Nigeria
12: Puerto Rico
13: Dominican Republic
14: FYR of Macedonia
15: Slovenia
16: Australia
17: Croatia
18: Venezuela
19: Great Britain
20: China

I'll admit differentiating low level european teams and high level asia and africa teams is hard.

Also any team that beats Lithuania, Greece, and DR in one summer deserves a boost in the rankings.

 

[Federoy2]

1. United States
2. Spain
3. France
4. Russia
5. Brazil
6. Lithuania
7. Argentina
8. Greece
9. Turkey
10. Serbia
11. Slovenia
12. Australia
13. Nigeria
14. Puerto Rico
15. Croatia
16. Macedonia
17. Latvia
18. Germany
19. Israel
20. China

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN

FIBA Europe
1. Spain
2. France
3. Russia
4. Lithuania
5. Greece
6. Turkey
7. Serbia
8. Slovenia
9. Croatia
10. Macedonia

FIBA Americas
1. United States
2. Brazil
3. Argentina
4. Puerto Rico
5. Dominican Rep.
6. Venezuela
7. Canada
8. Uruguay
9. Mexico
10. Panama

FIBA Asia
1. China
2. Iran
3. Lebanon
4. Jordan
5. South Korea
6. Qatar
7. Philippines
8. Japan
9. Chinese Taipei
10. Syria

FIBA Africa
1. Nigeria
2. Angola
3. Tunisia
4. Ivory Coast
5. Senegal
6. Central African Rep.
7. Cameroon
8. Egypt
9. Morocco
10. Sudan


FIBA Oceania
1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. New Caledonia
4. Guam
5. American Samoa
6. Western Samoa
7. Palau
8. Kiribati
9. Micronesia
10. Fiji

 

[Lietuvis2]

FIBA Oceania
1. Australia - ok they can play basketball
2. New Zealand - they lose to australia all the time

These teams never play in any qualifying tournaments against the above 2 teams and are like an D grade level. Why include them! They play on outdoor courts on well packed mud!
3. New Caledonia
4. Guam
5. American Samoa
6. Western Samoa
7. Palau
8. Kiribati
9. Micronesia
10. Fiji

Kribati court 1 in their new stadium:



Palau junior team after there big win against Guam. What an upset!

 

[babdelkader2]

1. USA
2. Spain
3. Argentina
4. Lithuania
5. Greece
6. Russia
7. France
8. Brazil
9. Serbia
10. Puerto Rico
11. Croatia
12. Australia
13. Turkey
14. Germany
15. Italy
16. China
17. Nigeria
18. Angola
19. Dominican Republic
20. Slovenia
21. New Zealand
22. Venezuela
23. Great Britain
24. Canada
25. Lebanon

Venzuela and Canada for sure aren't better than Lebanon
another precision, China is way far from Nigeria and DR regarding their last performance.

 

[Federoy2]

FIBA Oceania
1. Australia - ok they can play basketball
2. New Zealand - they lose to australia all the time

These teams never play in any qualifying tournaments against the above 2 teams and are like an D grade level. Why include them! They play on outdoor courts on well packed mud!
3. New Caledonia
4. Guam
5. American Samoa
6. Western Samoa
7. Palau
8. Kiribati
9. Micronesia
10. Fiji

Kribati court 1 in their new stadium:

View attachment 4290

Palau junior team after there big win against Guam. What an upset!

View attachment 4291

Come on, bro. The facilities may not be up to North American or European standards, but I assure you, they do play with roofs over their heads. It's not the other Oceanic country's fault that they don't have the resources or funding that Australia and New Zealand enjoy. Most people in the South Pacific are just trying to eek out a modest living, so they truly play for the love of the game and don't take it for granted like people from other nations. They deserve to be recognized for their national team status just as the Oceania monopolizers Australia and New Zealand do.

 

[Bosnian 232]

1. USA
2. Spain
3. Argentina
4. Greece
5. Lithuania
6. France
7. Russia
8. Brazil
9. Dominican Repblic
10. Puerto Rico
11. Serbia
12. Angola
13. Turkey
14. Germany
15. Slovenia
16. Croatia
17. Nigeria
18. China
19. New Zealand
20. Canada

 

[Bosnian 232]

How is Argentina going to be better than Brazil? Their bigs aren't even close to Brazil's. Ginobli will have to carry hard.

Luis Scola > Tiago Splitter