Canada's Qualifying Odyssey for the 2019 World Cup!

[Hepcat]

So Canada's first game will be against the Bahamas on 24 November 2017. Has anybody heard anything about the anticipated composition of the Canadian team? I don't see a break in either the schedule of the National Basketball League of Canada or the Canadian University Sports Basketball schedule so it doesn't appear as if there will be any help available from those quarters.

[Hepcat]

The FIBA site currently lists only two players on the Canadian roster: Aaron Best and Adika Peter-McNeilly. Not that I know why these two fellows are listed as on the team, but that's all I can find.

[mojo13]

Join us in the other forum.

http://www.interbasket.net/forums/showthread.php?42673-FIBA-World-Cup-2019-Qualifiers&p=1179073&posted=1#post1179073

Or join us on the RealGM Team Canada thread.

https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1423160&start=3440

[Hepcat]

So yesterday in Halifax it was:

Canada 93 Bahamas 69

Monday's game in the Dominican Republic should be a better test for the Canadian team.

[Hepcat]

So Canada is 7-1 but has not clinched a spot yet. Four games to play, including two against 7-1 Venezuela and one against 6-2 Brazil.

[Nemanja]

If Canada will be complete, medium result should be quarter-finals,optimum will be medal .Wiggins is leader,subsequenlty Joseph,Pangos,Lyles,Barret,Stauskas,Olynik,Thomspo n,also need to mention Bennet,Wiltjer,Powell,Ennis.With 2 or 3 absences also can achieve similar result.

[mojo13]

If Canada will be complete, medium result should be quarter-finals,optimum will be medal .Wiggins is leader,subsequenlty Joseph,Pangos,Lyles,Barret,Stauskas,Olynik,Thomspo n,also need to mention Bennet,Wiltjer,Powell,Ennis.With 2 or 3 absences also can achieve similar result.

Wiggins is definitely not the leader. He is a very overrated player, who has shown little interest of late in playing for Canada. I really doubt he plays in the WCs next summer (assuming we qualify) and we may well be better off without him chemistry wise. Same thing for Trey Lyles and Nik Stuaskas to lesser degrees.

The team leaders are clearly Kelly Olynyk and Cory Joseph and maybe also Tristan Thompson. Jamal Murray would likely be one of our best and most important players when he plays. And hopefully RJ Barrett soon becomes a top player as well.
The next most important players would be Dillon Brooks, Dwight Powell, Melvin Ejim, Kevin Pangos, Shai Gilgeous Alexander and Khem Birch.


After that group we start getting to Tyler Ennis, Kyle Wiltjer, Anthony Bennett, Phil Scrubb and a number of others.

Lots of talent for sure, but who knows if it all gels together against top competition. We still have below average coaching, tactics, and uncertain commitment from our best players (all NBA players seem to be under heavy pressure from their NBA teams to not play FIBA).

[Nemanja]

I thought on quality ,that is better than else,I agree he dont leadership feauture .

[Hepcat]

Team Canada summer 2019 training camp invites:

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Guard, Toronto (New Orleans Pelicans).
R.J. Barrett, Guard, Mississauga, Ont. (New York Knicks).
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. (Syracuse Orange — NCAA).
Dillon Brooks, Forward, Mississauga, Ont. (Memphis Grizzlies).
Brandon Clarke, Centre, Vancouvern (Memphis Grizzlies).
Aaron Doornekamp, Forward, Napanee, Ont. (Valencia Basket — Spain).
Luguentz Dort, Guard, Montreal (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Guard, Hamilton (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Melvin Ejim, Forward, Toronto (BC UNICS — Russia).
Brady Heslip, Guard, Burlington, Ont. (Istanbul BBSK — Turkey).
Cory Joseph, Guard, Toronto (Sacramento Kings).
Mfiondu Kabengele, Forward, Burlington, Ont. (Los Angeles Clippers).
Naz Mitrou-Long, Guard, Mississauga, Ont. (Salt Lake City Stars —G League).
Trey Lyles, Forward, Saskatoon (San Antonio Spurs).
Jamal Murray, Guard, Kitchener, Ont. (Denver Nuggets).
Andrew Nembhard, Guard, Aurora, Ont. (Florida Gators — NCAA).
Kelly Olynyk, Forward, Kamloops, B.C. (Miami Heat).
Kevin Pangos, Guard, (Newmarket, Ont. (FC Barcelona Basketball — Spain).
Dwight Powell, Forward, Toronto (Dallas Mavericks).
Phil Scrubb, Guard, Richmond, B.C. (Zenit Saint Petersburg — Russia).
Thomas Scrubb, Forward, Richmond, B.C. (Openjobmetis Varese — Italy).
Marial Shayok, Forward, Ottawa (Philadelphia 76ers).
Andy Rautins, Guard, (Syracuse, N.Y. (Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul — Turkey).
Nik Stauskas, Guard, Mississauga, Ont. (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Tristan Thompson, Centre, Brampton, Ont. (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Kyle Wiltjer, Forward, Portland, Ore. (Unicaja Malaga — Spain).

Not too shabby at all!

[Hepcat]

So is Nick Nurse the right coach to sift through the 29 man preliminary roster above and create a team as opposed to a group of individuals prior to the end of August? That would seem to require a somewhat different skill set than coaching the Toronto Raptors.

[usagre]

So is Nick Nurse the right coach to sift through the 29 man preliminary roster above and create a team as opposed to a group of individuals prior to the end of August? That would seem to require a somewhat different skill set than coaching the Toronto Raptors.

He probably has an advantage since the majority if not all of the players are NBA guys he's familiar with. He also has some FIBA coaching experience as well. No matter who the coach is they will have the same exact task. I don't understand your confusion ?

[Hepcat]

I'm no more confused than usual. I simply like to gather info by soliciting the opinions of others. Call it a strength.

Plus of course it's about time we had some discussion on Team Canada.

[usagre]

I'm no more confused than usual. I simply like to gather info by soliciting the opinions of others. Call it a strength.

Plus of course it's about time we had some discussion on Team Canada.

He did a great job as rookie showed a lot of flexibility and adaptability. I think he's a good choice. A month ago it looked like Messina was an option. That would have been a no brainer. I think it was a money issue that prevented that.

[usagre]

Valanciunas might punish him for trading him last season when they meet in the group stage. Then again that was probably the GM Ujiri's call. I don't know how much say a rookie coach would have had in that decision.

[Hepcat]

So I see that Tristan Thompson has now decided to pass on participating.