WC 2019 Power Rankings

[Straight forward]

Let's do it. I think it's the most fun time to do it. We have all 32 teams.

1. USA. Comments needed? Any combination will make them favourites, but I do think some of it could be in some sort of risk against some teams. We'll see if they will gather superstars.
2. Serbia. Teo might be not as good as he used to be, but Bogdanovic is playing well in NBA, Micic in Euroleague, they will bring back Bjelica and will probably have the best frontline with Jokic, Marjanovic, Milutinov. Personally I don't think they are as talented as Spain used to be, but they belong here.
3. Spain. Still has to go with them if they will gather all team. Pau is getting old and he is done as an elite FIBA force, but I think they are still very good. Heard that even Pau still wants to play, so you can expect both Gasols, Lull, Rodriguez, maybe even Rudy in. Rubio, Mirotic and some younger players expected to play bigger roles. More or less veteran team, but heck of a team.
4. Lithuania. We had a blow with Gudaitis out, but I'm surprised that on the paper we have a really solid unit. Our veterans as Kalnietis, Seibutis, Maciulis are having solid seasons while our younger players stepping up - Valanciunas, Sabonis (arguably the best frontline due, maybe even in entire tournament if USA will get some second rate NBA star bigs...does it make sense? ), Kuzminskas, Grigonis are expected to be among the keys. Also we should have solid role players as Lekavicius, Ulanovas to make our team pretty deep and solid. It's a tough call between Lithuania and France/Greece/Australia, but I found us more predictable and rock solid while other teams have to many questions regarding the roster. We have a history to overachieve with much less talented rosters.
5. Greece. If Giannis in, they probably should even be higher. He says he will be in, but till he didn't come and showed it, I don't want to put Greece to high which facing some problems with deepness of the roster.
6. France. Tough, because on the paper they have such a good team with de Colo, Fournier, Batum, Gobert, but always lacking something and if some youngsters won't surprise, I think will lack something again.
7. Australia. We already discussed, they have a lot of quality and tons of NBA players who might be leaded by Simmons. But will they gather all? And some players already getting old - Bogut is done, Mills and Dellavedova is not getting better, Ingles probably as well. So Simmons and young players should step up. Too many questions at the moment, IMO, but might be one of the best teams.
8. Canada. Some Canadian and American posters are probably shocked, but as of yet I don't see them higher. They have to prove they learned how to play coherent FIBA basketball, instead of looking at the roster's names. Plenty of NBA talents, some really good talents playing abroad, but they should stick first and to play high arc basketball.
9. Russia. Shed can ball, Karasev can ball, some solid players, pretty balanced roster. Yet not the best defensive team and very emotional team. They should gather some momentum going for them, a bit unpredictable team, IMO, but I surely want to see them among top 9.

To be honest, that's my top 9 teams. After that it's tough...

10. Italy. They always have talent, but also lacking discipline, defence. If they will gather all roster, they should be among top 10, IMO.
11. Turkey.
12. Germany.
13. Czech Republic.
14. Brazil. I think simply aged. Can players like Caboclo, Raul Neto lift them? I doubt.
15. Argentina.
16. Montenegro.
17. China. Too low? No idea how good they are these days, but somewhere in the middle I think.
18. Poland.
19. Dominican Republic. Here's the thing. If Karl-Anthony Towns and Al Horford will play, they should be higher, but I doubt we'll see them both.
20. Puerto Rico.
21. Angola.
22. New Zealand.
23. Japan.
24. Nigeria.
25. Senegal.
26. Philippines.
27. Venezuela.
28. Tunisia.
29. Iran.
30. Korea.
31. Cote d'Ivoire
32. Jordan.

Please correct me with a button teams, because there's plenty of posters who knows Asia's, South America's and Africa's markets much better than I do.

[usagre]

If Canada sends these 9 as their core rotation they can be a medalist in my opinion.

C. Joseph. /. Gilgeous-Alexander
J. Murray
A. Wiggins/. Stauskas
K. Olynyk /. D. Powell
T. Thompson / T. Lyles

[madmax]

There's always a "big IF" with teams like Canada and Australia and when it comes to them assembling a competitive FIBA squad. There's one thing playing a free flowing open court NBA basketball and a totally different ball game when it comes to grind it out physical and tactical FIBA war of attrition...

[usagre]

There's always a "big IF" with teams like Canada and Australia and when it comes to them assembling a competitive FIBA squad. There's one thing playing a free flowing open court NBA basketball and a totally different ball game when it comes to grind it out physical and tactical FIBA war of attrition...

I think that narrative is a bit overstated when it comes to Canada. They were good in ‘15 and blew the Venezuela game and did well in ‘16 beating Turkey but losing to a loaded French team. And those squads were way less talented than now.

And Australia sent its most talented squad ever in ‘16 and did great in that tournament reaching the semis.

[madmax]

I think that narrative is a bit overstated when it comes to Canada. They were good in ‘15 and blew the Venezuela game and did well in ‘16 beating Turkey but losing to a loaded French team. And those squads were way less talented than now.

Could be.
But I always take upcoming talented teams with a grain of salt until they prove me otherwise and actually show that they can compete as solid units on the world stage and beat established powerhouses first...I know what teams like France, Serbia, Spain and Lithuania can do when the push comes to shove. I still don't know what a team like Canada is made of - they haven't shown ahything on the world stage yet. Talent is only one side of the coin, but you need much more than that to be successful in FIBA basketball

[Dtown]

Provided Rui Hachimura plays I'd put Japan as the best team in Asia (obviously not counting the Oceania teams)

[usagre]

You can pretty much eliminate more than half of the initial 35 players named in the USA pool.

Victor Oladipo, and John Wall due to injury.

Cousins, Anthony Davis, Durant, Kyrie, Kawhi, Khris Middleton, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler due to contract situations.

Stephen Curry, LeBron, Harden and Westbrook and Paul George, using history as a guide. This caliber of player doesn’t participate in this tournament unless it’s early in their careers.

[usagre]

Team USA might look something like this :

Damian Lillard. / Mike Conley
Bradley Beal. /. Donovan Mitchell. / Devin Booker
DeMar DeRozan. /. CJ. McCollum
Blake Griffin /. Jayson Tatum
LaMarcus Aldridge. /. Andre Drummond
/. Myles Turner

[usagre]

Talent is only one side of the coin, but you need much more than that to be successful in FIBA basketball

I think that argument was more suitable 10-15 years ago. Today the FIba and NBA games are as similar as they have ever been. (No post play and 3 point shot emphasis) The NBA players bring more athleticism. I think a talented team like that can adjust just fine.

[reamily]

I wouldn't say that we are last but on the list I think anyone on the field can beat our team. For the past years our team started to adapt the "Morey ball" offense is least of my concern but our defensive schemes is something really needs to improve on. For all wc teams who will be playing tuneup with us please use 2-3 zone so that we will be routed and so we will be forced to make strategy playing against zone.

[mojo13]

Opinions on specific rankings are pretty meaningless until we see the rosters. Greece with no Giannis? Serbia with no Jokic? I’d just stick with tiers until we know more about rosters.

NBA players have had a pretty poor turnout rate the last few years too, so who really know what Australia and Canada will show up with? Both country’s talent pools are top 4 in my opinion, but that doesn’t matter if guys don’t show up. Don’t underestimate the pressure NBA clubs and agents on putting on guys to not play FIBA nowadays.
Giannis with a deep playoff run? Jokic too with all his little injuries and history of not playing. Gobert too? The Gasols at their age?- anyone this there is more than a 50/50 chance of any of these guys playing?



Without knowing rosters I’d tier them up like this:

Tier 1:
USA

Tier 2:
Australia
Canada
France
Greece
Lithuania
Serbia
Spain

Tier 3:
Russia
Italy
Turkey
Germany
Czech Republic
Brazil
Argentina.
Montenegro

Tier 4
Poland
Dominican Rebublic
Puerto Rico
Venezuela
New Zealand
China

Tier 5:
Angola
Japan
Nigeria
Senegal
Philippines.
Tunisia
Iran
Korea.
Cote d'Ivoire
Jordan

[mojo13]

You can pretty much eliminate more than half of the initial 35 players named in the USA pool.

Victor Oladipo, and John Wall due to injury.

Cousins, Anthony Davis, Durant, Kyrie, Kawhi, Khris Middleton, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler due to contract situations.

Stephen Curry, LeBron, Harden and Westbrook and Paul George, using history as a guide. This caliber of player doesn’t participate in this tournament unless it’s early in their careers.

It is a late summer tournament - do you think the contract issues will be much of a concern? Most guys should be signed by mid to late July. It could still impact some hold outs or give guys joining new teams some hesitation but I haven’t written off this summer’s free agents at all.

[ja.he]

we are still trying to convince fiba to let jordan clarkson play for the team. i think having dray and clarkson, philippines will be a better team than atleast 10 teams even against japan with hachimura, watanabe and fazekas.

[okanial]

US is once again clear favourites. Tier 2 is Serbia/Spain/Australia/Canada. I think only this teams have a chance to beat US. Lithuania/Greece with Giannis (without it I would rank them much lower)/France are one step below. I do agree general assessment of Turkey. We are in 9/12 range along with Russia, Italy and Germany. Some groups will be much tougher than the others due to the region spesific draw things. Canada will be on the same group with one of the good European second tier teams which will make that group an instant death group unless China is the first seed there.

[Straight forward]

If Canada sends these 9 as their core rotation they can be a medalist in my opinion.
C. Joseph. /. Gilgeous-Alexander
J. Murray
A. Wiggins/. Stauskas
K. Olynyk /. D. Powell
T. Thompson / T. Lyles

So you're thinking Alexander is better than Pangos? IMO, if Canada has any brain in their organisation as NT Pangos should be a strong rotation player. He's one of few Canada's players who understand FIBA basketball and I do believe the difference is still pretty obvious. FIBA courts are more tight and it's easier here to make a team defence being felt. I believe that Pangos could be one of these players who could teach couple of things Canada needs to know if they want to establish as a contender. Otherwise, Canada really will have to wait till their talent pool will be equal to USA talent wise to contend, IMO, because even USA had to have their own school in 00's.

Team USA might look something like this :
Damian Lillard. / Mike Conley
Bradley Beal. /. Donovan Mitchell. / Devin Booker
DeMar DeRozan. /. CJ. McCollum
Blake Griffin /. Jayson Tatum
LaMarcus Aldridge. /. Andre Drummond
/. Myles Turner

And this team will probably bomb all oppositions with three point shooting. Too many good shooters to have a lot of hopes, but if some teams would slow down USA shooting, it would be interesting because this team basically have zero post game. A bit of Drummond maybe, but other than that, mid range fade away jumpers goes all the way.

NBA players have had a pretty poor turnout rate the last few years too, so who really know what Australia and Canada will show up with? Both country’s talent pools are top 4 in my opinion, but that doesn’t matter if guys don’t show up. Don’t underestimate the pressure NBA clubs and agents on putting on guys to not play FIBA nowadays.
Giannis with a deep playoff run? Jokic too with all his little injuries and history of not playing. Gobert too? The Gasols at their age?- anyone this there is more than a 50/50 chance of any of these guys playing?

That's why I started to like Lithuania's chances better than I did in the summer f.e Generally I agree that purely best roster wise, it goes something like that - USA, SERBIA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, SPAIN and probably GREECE with Giannis. But Lithuania has the guaranteed core and the best team culture in the world a long with Serbia and Spain. 90% of best players will be there, unless injuries. That's why I put Lithuania higher that France, Greece, Australia.

I think that argument was more suitable 10-15 years ago. Today the FIba and NBA games are as similar as they have ever been. (No post play and 3 point shot emphasis) The NBA players bring more athleticism. I think a talented team like that can adjust just fine.

Off course, you right, but one things is for sure. You'll see a lot of post game in Lithuania's matches if we will have both JV and Sabonis It will be interesting to see how this will work, I hope we won't overdo with it, because it seems like declining type of basketball. We shouldn't forget to run pick and roll within the flow and I believe our most effective line-up will be with Sabonis - Kuzminskas - Ulanovas - Grigonis - Lekavicius as an open court 5, playing aggressive transition basketball, putting Sabonis in Jokic's shoes when team is forced to play half court basketball.