32-team World Cup Format

[usagre]

You know I'm exaggerating for comedic purposes. I mean, we obviously didn't use peach baskets. They were far too expensive and had to make do with bottomed-out wooden buckets.

I don't get the Gasol brothers reference, though.

I understand. I am just saying that I have seen and read many interviews where they have stated that the ‘92 Dream team on Spanish soil was a catalyst in their interest in basketball. So it’s not just some Americans that argue they had enormous influence.

[usagre]

Because it is a World event it has to be inclusive. I have no problem with these weak regions being represented by their champions and runners up. I could even live with a third place team. But 5th and 6th place teams ? What are we really doing to the tournament when we do that ?

I love the Olympic format that as small as it is always is represented by every region and in some cases where the region for a particular period is strong it allows teams to get in via the Olympic qualifying tournament. See Nigeria in 2012. I had no problem with them making the Olympics that year and giving Africa 2 of the 12 spots because they earned it.

[usagre]

Instead of this ridiculous moronic 2 year qualifying period in which FIBA pretends to be something they’re not, limit the automatic births assigned to regions and instead have an intercontinental qualifying tournaments like the Olympics do for the last spots.

[Darrell Armstrong]

I understand. I am just saying that I have seen and read many interviews where they have stated that the ‘92 Dream team on Spanish soil was a catalyst in their interest in basketball. So it’s not just some Americans that argue they had enormous influence.

Oh well, you know, that's a very nice thing to say for a foreigner playing in the NBA so I wouldn't put too much weight on that. Specially coming from Marc, who was 7 at the time. In reality, basketball had been very popular in Spain for decades. Golden age of basketball in Spain was around Los Angeles Olympic Games, when we got to play against Michael Jordan in the gold medal game. The NBA was of course very well known and we even had our first NBA player in 1986. And that's Spain. In countries like the old USSR or Yugoslavia basketball was even bigger. I mean, it was great to see the Dream Team play. But it wasn't the earth-shattering moment it has been made up to be. I even think it had a greater influence in the States, as NBA teams became more confident of drafting or signing foreign players.

[Serbian_Layup]

African/Asian teams, no matter how underwhelming they may be, shouldn't be deprived of any spots just because some European sound names proved to be incapable of beating other less talented European teams. Shall I remind people why Poland got here instead of Croatia? They managed to beat a full Croatian roster led by FOUR NBA players, Bogdanović and Šarić included! What do we do then? We blame Senegal, Philippines, Angola, Jordan for taking Croatia's spot. Then we have Latvia playing against a very, very modest Montenegrin squad and proves to be incapable of beating that squad with desirable score. We do the same thing once again. We'll find some African or Asian teams to put a blame on for leaving out our European darlings. Mixed thesis all around. We need a reality check, and reality says that there are enough spots in this format for the best European teams, and if they really deserve to be there, they are going to make it in spite of FIBA making it difficult for them.

European teams should not be given any more spots at the expense of African/Asian teams.

[usagre]

Oh well, you know, that's a very nice thing to say for a foreigner playing in the NBA so I wouldn't put too much weight on that. Specially coming from Marc, who was 7 at the time. In reality, basketball had been very popular in Spain for decades. Golden age of basketball in Spain was around Los Angeles Olympic Games, when we got to play against Michael Jordan in the gold medal game. The NBA was of course very well known and we even had our first NBA player in 1986. And that's Spain. In countries like the old USSR or Yugoslavia basketball was even bigger. I mean, it was great to see the Dream Team play. But it wasn't the earth-shattering moment it has been made up to be. I even think it had a greater influence in the States, as NBA teams became more confident of drafting or signing foreign players.

I agree it’s overdone somewhat but playing against NBA players all these years like you’ve said has definitely helped the other countries improve. It’s a measuring stick. That’s why the ‘08 and ‘12 Spanish teams are special teams because they played A level USA teams and fought them tooth and nail.

[Darrell Armstrong]

I agree it’s overdone somewhat but playing against NBA players all these years like you’ve said has definitely helped the other countries improve. It’s a measuring stick. That’s why the ‘08 and ‘12 Spanish teams are special teams because they played A level USA teams and fought them tooth and nail.

Totally agree with you there. That's why I think it's positive for countries in need of basketball development to have this opportunity even if it's only once every 4 years. I mean, what's the price to pay for this? One extra meaningless game? Most federations can live with that, as long as that game is a first round one. You just have to plan for one less friendly match.

[Adon]

African/Asian teams, no matter how underwhelming they may be, shouldn't be deprived of any spots just because some European sound names proved to be incapable of beating other less talented European teams. Shall I remind people why Poland got here instead of Croatia? They managed to beat a full Croatian roster led by FOUR NBA players, Bogdanović and Šarić included! What do we do then? We blame Senegal, Philippines, Angola, Jordan for taking Croatia's spot. Then we have Latvia playing against a very, very modest Montenegrin squad and proves to be incapable of beating that squad with desirable score. We do the same thing once again. We'll find some African or Asian teams to put a blame on for leaving out our European darlings. Mixed thesis all around. We need a reality check, and reality says that there are enough spots in this format for the best European teams, and if they really deserve to be there, they are going to make it in spite of FIBA making it difficult for them.

European teams should not be given any more spots at the expense of African/Asian teams.

Do those Asian and African countries have got the PERFECT number of spots and we have to maintain EXACTLY the same number no matter what ?
Political correctness has its limits mind you

[Hepcat]

Ahm...okay. Thanks.As I'm supporting the independance of Texas and California I would surely be happy if this happens.

Aren't they going to rejoin Mexico sooner rather than later?

[Adon]

The worst part is the hypocrisy.
We all know what we would prefer to watch.
Italy vs (allegedly weak) Croatia or Italy vs Philippines (at their current state)?

[Darrell Armstrong]

The worst part is the hypocrisy.
We all know what we would prefer to watch.
Italy vs (allegedly weak) Croatia or Italy vs Philippines (at their current state)?

Sure, but it's not (only) about us. Which game would they rather watch in the Philippines?

[Serbian_Layup]

Do those Asian and African countries have got the PERFECT number of spots and we have to maintain EXACTLY the same number no matter what ?
Political correctness has its limits mind you

Political correctness? No, I don't care about political correctness, I don't care about empty forms. I care about CORRECTNESS, without any prefixes attached to it.
And that correctness tells me that everything is exactly how it should be regarding this format specifically. FIBA has its wrong doings, but the bottom line is that teams like Croatia, Latvia and Slovenia, even with their weakened rosters, are still better teams than Poland, Czech Republic and Montenegro (who also had their share of absences during qualifications), and they were not able to demonstrate it on the court. If we are going to cut the number of African/Asian teams just for the sake of couple of more European teams, then FIBA might as well cut the qualification system for European teams. And that is not correct.

[Jon_Koncak]

Man, if i read about Croatia again.They lost to Romania in their home!ROMANIA!And when their NBAers joined they lost 2 out of their 4 games.They got what they deserved,nothing.

[Serbian_Layup]

The worst part is the hypocrisy.
We all know what we would prefer to watch.
Italy vs (allegedly weak) Croatia or Italy vs Philippines (at their current state)?

As a basketball fan, yes, sure, I would like to watch Italy vs Croatia instead of Italy vs Philippines, but not at the expense of correctness.
Like I said, Croatia lost to Poland with four NBA players, and it wouldn't be correct to push them in over Philippines or any other team.
They did not deserve it on the court. End of story. There is a limit to our preferences and it should be activated the moment it threatens to interfere with correctness (nice word, I haven't used it in a while).

[SaliH]

The worst part is the hypocrisy.
We all know what we would prefer to watch.
Italy vs (allegedly weak) Croatia or Italy vs Philippines (at their current state)?

Be sure that a game between Italy and the Philippines will draw a much bigger interest just because the Philippines are a market of 100 million people many of which are basketball fans.

Of course that most teams from Asia and Africa are quite weak and just can’t compete against the good teams from Europe and the Americas but that doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve to play games against them and be a part of the World Championship. For their fans it is something special even if they lose hard.