Canada National Team

[Kings]

Team Roster

Friendly Games
2008.6.30 Canada 89 - Lebanon 67
2008.7.01 Canada 90 - New Zealand 63
2008.7.04 Canada 69 - New Zealand 77
2008.7.05 Canada 100 - Lebanon 68
2008.7.09 Canada 91 - Germany 86
2008.7.11 Canada 74 - Germany 84
2008.7.25 Canada 65 - USA 120

FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament
Preliminary Round
2008.7.15 Canada 70 - Slovenia 86
2008.7.16 Canada 79 - South Korea 77
Quarter-Finals
2008.7.18 Canada 62 - Croatia 83

[ajaxballer]

Canada's biggest weakness is at point guard. Our front line can compete with almost any team in the tournament. Carl English also can score from the shooting guard position, He'll need to have a big tournament for us to have a good showing.

[ajaxballer]

By the way I'd like to hear some opinions on the Canadian players that play in Europe, I know English is doing good but what about, Famitimi, Denham Brown, Juan Mendez, Jesse Young and others?

[Test]

Canada NT reminds me the end of Simpsons episode "Bart Wants What It Wants" LOL.
Without Steve Nash Canada looks like average NT who can maybe surprise couple times but nothing more. With Steve Nash I am sure they could go far. Canadian NT in some ways remind me of German NT. 1 big star and bunch of losers.

Canada now ranks 2nd in Fiba men rankings 2007! Of course those rankings are for North American Countries where only 2 countries exists

[Chuck Diesel]

The Canadians really missed Andy Rautins when he went down at the Tournament of the Americas last summer, not sure what his recovery status is (didn't play all all this year for Syracuse). Dalembert is a force on the boards, blocking shots and getting dunks, but he's not a guy you can throw the ball to in the low post. Carl English can stroke the ball, and Denham Brown and FAMUTIMI are both athletic but not particularly skilled. I do like Juan Mendez, he has rage out to the three point line and isn't afraid to mix it up a little bit (he got into it with Nene last summer).

[hotjam_2]

Canada NT reminds me the end of Simpsons episode "Bart Wants What It Wants" LOL.
Without Steve Nash Canada looks like average NT who can maybe surprise couple times but nothing more. With Steve Nash I am sure they could go far. Canadian NT in some ways remind me of German NT. 1 big star and bunch of losers.

Canada now ranks 2nd in Fiba men rankings 2007! Of course those rankings are for North American Countries where only 2 countries exists

Sam Dalembert starts at center of the NBA Phliiy 76's. Joel Anthony plays for the Miami Heat. I do remember one year that Juan Mendez lead the NCAA in scoring when he played for Niagra(allthough I would of thought he's Puerto Rican). Carl English was a conference all star when he played for the U of Hawaii.
Canada's rankings have diminshed in recent years, that's got to be attributed that everybody's else in the world is getting so much better.
Canada's best showing was in the 80's when they continued to make it in the top 4-8 in the Olympics & world championships. They did'nt really have any note worthy players(or at least superstars) back then. But that was before the Iron Curtain breakup and the explosion of the west euro & Middle east & African teams.

[Trica.°]

Yeah, I also think that Canada without Nash is an ordinary NT, but yet, maybe they can still suprise in Athens. But I still don't know why Nash isn't playing for Canada? Is he hurt or he just doesn't wanna play?

[damelo]

He didn't come since Sidney's OGs.

[Trica.°]

Oh, that's right. LoL, I've totally forgot.

[PRSURF]

Nash is a old guy people.

Juan Mendez is Dominican, but play for Canada.

[damelo]

So old playing basketball at highest level is becoming impossible obviously... He's only be second in assist in the NBA last year... Retirement is close, nobody will want to sign such a looser.

Let's send Dirk to motivate him.

[PRSURF]

So old playing basketball at highest level is becoming impossible obviously... He's only be second in assist in the NBA last year... Retirement is close, nobody will want to sign such a looser.

Let's send Dirk to motivate him.

Thats the excuse of Nash to be out of the NT.

[damelo]

Well, something I read about Mike Pietrus recently:

Is that really profitable to have 5 and a half month of holidays, since his team didn't make the playoffs? He will spend half of the year without playing high level basketball... Same for most NBA players.

[ajaxballer]

Part of the reason Nash doesn't play for Canada is that Jay Triano the former coach of the national team got fired. We had much better results with Nash even though the rest of the team was pretty weak outside of Rowan Barret and Todd McCullough. I believe with Nash and Maglorie we would be a very competitive national team with 4 NBA players and a number of players with solid European experience.

But I'm glad we are building for the future with our young team, Canada basketball realizes they need programs in place to train the athletes in this country so we can catch up to other nations. We actually have our own version of AIS (Australian institute of sport) called NEDA which started last year and is doing well.

[alermac]

He didn't come since Sidney's OGs

Nash also played in 2001 and 2003 Tournaments of Americas.