2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament

[sroth3839]

Looks like San Antonio Spurs forward, Jeremy Sochan, is suiting up for the tune up.

[JAMSKIE]

They have... Guo Ailun, Zhou Qi, Wang Zhelin and Zhao Jiwei are the best players in China... The problem for them is that they still stick to the 90's style of basketball.. Just give to the big man and get out of the way.. Even this year's U18 FIBA Asia still the same style for China... Just give to Zhang ZiYu and get out of the way... lucky Asian girls are too small to defend to her... that's why it's effective... But not against Europeans and Americans...

How often did Guo Ailun played for China in the last 6 years? He rarely played for China in the window qualifiers & actual FIBA tournaments in the last 6 years. Wang Zhelin doesn't come close to a prime Wang Zhizhi during the 90's or a prime Yao Ming during the 2000's in terms of impact.

Zhou Qi on the other hand also had missed playing for China in a number of window qualifiers & actual FIBA tournaments in the last 6 years or so.

[Metta]

I'm not talking about depth of talent. I'm talking about the seeming lack of go-to-guy type of players in Chinese basketball right now. There's no question China will always have a deep pool of talent.

6'8 21 yr old wing Jacky Cui got signed by the Portland Trailblazers to an exhibit 10 contract. He must've shown some promise when he attended Gleague scrimmages. If he somehow sticks with the nba, he'll be someone to watch out for.

Meanwhile, filam Jarod Lucas will play for the Summer League team of Dallas Mavericks.

It's been discussed before that the main problem with China is their "robotic" development system. They lack players with "imagination" which tends to develop in freer or unorthodox environs (not in a lab-like environment). They're probably trying to fix this by now. A chinese now owns IMG Academy and I've noticed a few youth players from Chiina now in that program. They need more players growing up in the US or europe.

Fortunately, they don't allow dual citizens. Their hafus (like Edey) are a vast and untapped pool.

[Metta]

Unpopular opinion but I’d cut on Oftana and Perez’ playing time and give more to guys like Tamayo and Quiambao. A guard rotation of Ramos, Newsome and Brownlee should suffice, with Oftana and Perez providing spot minutes rather than rotation player pt. These two are probably the least impactful of all the rotation players. This coming from an Oftana big fan.

Hopefully that happens sooner than later. CTC was on record saying that it's not improbable that Tamayo will be a Gilas star in a few years. That means that's the eventual goal, to turn over the keys to the young guns.

Making this younger guys hungry (for playing time) is sometimes also part of the process.

[lem0nadi]

It did not come to me quickly, but the coach of Turkey is Ergin Ataman, who has been the best coach in Europe over the past few years, winning three EuroLeague titles in the past four years. CTC made him work for that game, which just shows why he is the GOAT coach in PH basketball.

[yogaflame]

I also wonder about that. He does bring down his hands alot or raise one hand rather than two.

It could be just a habit but he has been training with US trainer and they could have advise him to be large in defense. I have seen a trainer said to Kai that he don't know how tall he actually is and can easily intimidate opponents by jumping straight up.

I have a theory that he might be protecting his mid section by arm bar to soften blow from big opponents. He had two incident in BLeague were he got hut in mid section and was taken out immediately and only came back in half time.

I think its more of a habit. Maybe he needs some drills in his training were he will just jump straight all the time while someone is taking a jump shot and lay up. A drill were he will not drop his hands.

[greenarcher]

Poland blows out New Zealand 88-59

No Towns and Horford for Dominican Republic

Slovenia beats Brazil 86-80

Finland beats Latvia

[greenarcher]

No Andrew Wiggins in Paris. Sucks for Canada.

[Silent Killer]

No Andrew Wiggins in Paris. Sucks for Canada.

GSW didn’t release him due to gsw want him to be healthy before being traded

[Giannis34GOD]

How often did Guo Ailun played for China in the last 6 years? He rarely played for China in the window qualifiers & actual FIBA tournaments in the last 6 years. Wang Zhelin doesn't come close to a prime Wang Zhizhi during the 90's or a prime Yao Ming during the 2000's in terms of impact.

Zhou Qi on the other hand also had missed playing for China in a number of window qualifiers & actual FIBA tournaments in the last 6 years or so.

Guo Ailun gets the same treatment by CBA on how SBP treat Heading, Abando, Bolick and Baltazar experiencing right now (Politics involve)… so no wonder he didn’t get his nod in the past few years… Zhou Qi always bothered by multiple injuries… Wang Zhelin is former CBA MVP but he didn’t translate his game to FIBA because he’s too soft and low basketball IQ…

[Giannis34GOD]

No Andrew Wiggins in Paris. Sucks for Canada.

Actually Canada didn’t need him TBH… Dillon Brooks can play his spot, same as Walker-Alexander and Lu Dort… As long as Murray and SGA is there, they are tough team…. They proved it last year…

[Giannis34GOD]

Poland blows out New Zealand 88-59

No Towns and Horford for Dominican Republic

Slovenia beats Brazil 86-80

Finland beats Latvia

This is why I always advocated that it should be only 1 major international tournament for international basketball… it’s hard for players to commit multiple years, Not everyone has same dedication to their national as Luka Doncic does… many players who part of FIBA WC last year will not be part of OQT or Olympics this year such as Towns, Markannen, Valenciunas, Clarkson, Fonteccio, etc… Contract situation, Injuries, availability, etc… are those main factors why FIBA should act soon how to fix this… I know Olympics is always bread and butter for many especially American athletes but basketball is now already a global sport and not only for Americans… make FIBA WC as the main competition for international basketball while put Olympics as U23 event… hence, those players will just commit only 1 major summer event (2 to Europeans next to Eurobasket) and not thinking to commit every summer… Olympic basketball is even not the most popular event in Olympics… so better to put basketball event in Olympics as u23 then put all of the attention in FIBA WC for more exposure and a tournament only focus on international basketball… FIBA WC already gaining global attraction these days…

[sroth3839]

This is probably the first Gilas roster without a player below 6'2.

[one21guns]

I think Oftana doesn’t work as a shooter internationally because his release is slower. Same with Newsome

This is glaring in the Turkey tune-up. Those quick close-outs are bothering Oftana. And he is not good enough yet in utilizing shot fakes and fake and drives. Taller and mobile defenders will cancel out his perimeter game. Calvin must be able to adjust real quick and Tim ought to explore alternatives on how Oftana can be more effective on offense.

[JAMSKIE]

This is glaring in the Turkey tune-up. Those quick close-outs are bothering Oftana. And he is not good enough yet in utilizing shot fakes and fake and drives. Taller and mobile defenders will cancel out his perimeter game. Calvin must be able to adjust real quick and Tim ought to explore alternatives on how Oftana can be more effective on offense.

What if Oftana struggles in the world level but he would be serviceable as a rotation player in the Asian level, should we give him a passing mark? Or maybe we should try other options like a Will Navarro or a Ken Tuffin?