Canada's Qualifying Odyssey for the 2019 World Cup!

[locdogjr]

Canada has a solid squad, it is a bummer they are in the group of death. Australia and Lithuania typically do well at FIBA and have pretty cohesive teams. FIBA is truly a joke for some of these groupings. Look at China's group, not a single team would make it out of this one.

I think playing the predicting game with Canada is tough because many players probably aren't even actual options. The rookies and free agents and newly signed players might not even be able to participate but it is nice they are making this commitment to the training. IMO if we have can have COJO, Jamal Murray, KO and Khem Birch in the fold we'll fill the roster around them. Players like Wiltjer and Pangos will be much needed bench rotation players I imagine.

[Hepcat]

Canada has a solid squad, it is a bummer they are in the group of death. Australia and Lithuania typically do well at FIBA and have pretty cohesive teams. FIBA is truly a joke for some of these groupings. Look at China's group, not a single team would make it out of this one.

Yes - China, Venezuela, Poland and the Ivory Coast. Naught but China butt kissing on FIBA's part.



Canada and Venezuela should be switching groups. Or else Lithuania and Poland.

[Hepcat]

So R.J. Barrett due to a calf strain and now Dwight Powell as well have opted to say "No" to Team Canada this summer. Two questions:

1. Do you think their thinking has been influenced by the mass exodus of their NBA buddies from the U.S. team?

2. Is Team Canada better off without them? Will Team Canada not be better served by having players who are keen to play and bring honour to their country than by spoiled NBA stars who merely regard their birth as an accident of geography?

[usagre]

2. Is Team Canada better off without them? Will Team Canada not be better served by having players who are keen to play and bring honour to their country than by spoiled NBA stars who merely regard their birth as an accident of geography?

Honor to their country ? Laying it on a little thick there. They are not soldiers off to war to preserve the liberty of their country. The truth is that similar to the American culture this tournament is not highly regarded. If we were to see the same kind of drop out rate for an Olympic tournament then it would be disconcerting.

[usagre]

@Hepcat

Don’t get me wrong sports can also play a role in patriotism and culture. For example representing Canada in hockey in the Olympics and the old Canada Cup was an excellent example of that. But the Fiba World Cup ? Not even remotely the case. Kind of like the hockey world championships that take place every year.

[Hepcat]

Honor to their country ? Laying it on a little thick there.

Let's say that being moderate isn't my strong point.

The truth is that similar to the American culture this tournament is not highly regarded.

That though is precisely what bothers me. I don't like seeing Canadians becoming simply mirror images, or actually pale reflections, of Americans. I think we should celebrate and even cultivate those things that make us different.

But you're very correct about the upcoming FIBA World Championship not being a big deal to most Canadians.

Don’t get me wrong sports can also play a role in patriotism and culture. For example representing Canada in hockey in the Olympics and the old Canada Cup was an excellent example of that. But the Fiba World Cup ? Not even remotely the case.

Yes, that's it precisely. We're all about hockey in Canada, and that includes me as well. When Canada is playing in one of those big time hockey championships I'm drooling and frothing and jumping up and down on the couch urging Team Canada to smash those evil enemy teams!

To your typical Canadian, the national basketball team is all very nice but it's sort of like a dancing bear you'd watch at a circus. Impressive, yes. But important? Well....

That's why I spend far more time on this site discussing Lithuanian basketball. In Lithuania basketball is the be-all and end-all. That's where the national pride of Lithuanians is at stake!

[Hepcat]

So Jamal Murray has a sprained ankle and won't be available for Team Canada either. Only five of the fifteen NBA players on the preliminary 29 player list published by Basketball Canada last month are now present and participating at the team's training camp. So these are currently the players in training camp from whom twelve final selections will be made:

Aaron Best, Guard, Scarborough, Ont. (Riesen Ludwigsburg — Germany).
Khem Birch, Centre, Montreal (Orlando Magic).
Chris Boucher, Centre, Montreal (Toronto Raptors).
Oshae Brissett, Forward, Mississauga, Ont. (Toronto Raptors).
Melvin Ejim, Forward, Toronto (BC UNICS — Russia).
Brady Heslip, Guard, Burlington, Ont. (Istanbul BBSK — Turkey).
Cory Joseph, Guard, Toronto (Sacramento Kings).
Kaza Kajami-Keane, Guard, Ajax, Ont. (Mitteldeutscher BC — Germany)
Andrew Nembhard, Guard, Aurora, Ont. (Florida Gators — NCAA).
Duane Notice, Guard, Woodbridge, Ont. (Raptors 905 — G League).
Kelly Olynyk, Forward, Kamloops, B.C. (Miami Heat).
Eugene Omoruyi, Forward, Rexdale, Ont. (Oregon Ducks — NCAA).
Kevin Pangos, Guard, Newmarket, Ont. (FC Barcelona Basketball — Spain).
Addison Patterson, Guard, Milton, Ont. (Bella Vista Prep — Arizona)
Phil Scrubb, Guard, Richmond, B.C. (Zenit Saint Petersburg — Russia).
Thomas Scrubb, Forward, Richmond, B.C. (Openjobmetis Varese — Italy).
Kyle Wiltjer, Forward, Portland, Ore. (Unicaja Malaga — Spain).

Nonetheless there's still plenty of talent in the above list.