Canada Basketball

[KeonClark]

Have seen 'em. One of them was a Raptor. Name this guy (without Googling):

Bradley Shawn PlumZeller?

[GOLDBLUM]

Have seen 'em. One of them was a Raptor. Name this guy (without Googling):

Hmmm... we know it isn't either of the future big, awkward, white, Raptor #34s, Aaron Gray, nor Gregory Stiemsma...

Interesting demographic though.

[guyroch]

Canada’s R.J. Barrett named USA Today’s player of the year ....


It wasn't that long ago when Canadian basketball celebrated when a player actually made it too a Division 1 school .

[golden]

Canada’s R.J. Barrett named USA Today’s player of the year ....


It wasn't that long ago when Canadian basketball celebrated when a player actually made it too a Division 1 school .

..... over Zion? That's great news for Canada, but that's just wrong.

[GOLDBLUM]

..... over Zion? That's great news for Canada, but that's just wrong.

Pretty surprising... Great though! Be interested to hear how they came to that...

edit: Here's from the USA Today article...

While Zion Williamson might beat Barrett for the No. 1 pick in Junes NBA draft, Barrett proved to be the more impressive college player. The freshman carried the load when Williamson was hurt for six games, spearheading the Blue Devils to three wins in March that helped them become the NCAA tournament's top overall seed. When Duke was at full strength, he gave the team a scorer who wanted the ball at the end of the game; he averaged 22.9 points. Barrett's selflessness (4.1 assists per game) was contagious to the rest of the young roster. He also showed maturity as an 18-year-old thanks to his experience on Canada's national team.

I guess the fact Zion missed 6 games helped RJ here, of course.

[Puffer]

Pretty surprising... Great though! Be interested to hear how they came to that...

edit: Here's from the USA Today article...

While Zion Williamson might beat Barrett for the No. 1 pick in Junes NBA draft, Barrett proved to be the more impressive college player. The freshman carried the load when Williamson was hurt for six games, spearheading the Blue Devils to three wins in March that helped them become the NCAA tournament's top overall seed. When Duke was at full strength, he gave the team a scorer who wanted the ball at the end of the game; he averaged 22.9 points. Barrett's selflessness (4.1 assists per game) was contagious to the rest of the young roster. He also showed maturity as an 18-year-old thanks to his experience on Canada's national team.

I guess the fact Zion missed 6 games helped RJ here, of course.

Great news for RJ, Canada Basketball (helps raise the status of the organization) and great news for the state of basketball in Canada as a Canadian player gets lauded in SI, on ESPN and in international sports news. More players in the pipes which is all good.

[guyroch]

Triano stepping away from Canadian men’s national team coaching role ..

https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/...coaching-role/

The remaining three candidates are Roy Rana, who won gold for Canada at the U-19 world championships and coached the majority of games for Canada during the World Cup qualifying process; Gord Herbert, who played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics and who has had a successful career coaching in Europe; and Ettore Messina, one of the most highly regarded coaches in Europe, the former Italian national team head coach and currently as assistant with the San Antonio Spurs.

[golden]

Triano stepping away from Canadian men’s national team coaching role ..

https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/...coaching-role/

The remaining three candidates are Roy Rana, who won gold for Canada at the U-19 world championships and coached the majority of games for Canada during the World Cup qualifying process; Gord Herbert, who played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics and who has had a successful career coaching in Europe; and Ettore Messina, one of the most highly regarded coaches in Europe, the former Italian national team head coach and currently as assistant with the San Antonio Spurs.

Messina's actually a candidate? This is a no brainer. Grab him for the WC and Olympics and groom Rana to take over after that.

[guyroch]

Messina's actually a candidate? This is a no brainer. Grab him for the WC and Olympics and groom Rana to take over after that.

When I hear Messina it means they are thinking outside the box ...

[slaw]

..... over Zion? That's great news for Canada, but that's just wrong.

I don't know.... I'll be very curious to see Williamson's game translate at the next level when he doesn't have the physical advantages against players that he has now. He's obviously going to be a good player but, just think about Toronto: he isn't going to move around guys like Siakam, Leonard, OG, Gasol, Ibaka, like he does in college. How much of his game is predicated on that? Hard to tell cause he can only play the guys in front of him. In any case, both him and RJ are going to need to shoot the three better if they want to be stars/superstars. That's probably a good thing for the team that picks them: both have a lot of room to their respective ceilings.

[golden]

I don't know.... I'll be very curious to see Williamson's game translate at the next level when he doesn't have the physical advantages against players that he has now. He's obviously going to be a good player but, just think about Toronto: he isn't going to move around guys like Siakam, Leonard, OG, Gasol, Ibaka, like he does in college. How much of his game is predicated on that? Hard to tell cause he can only play the guys in front of him. In any case, both him and RJ are going to need to shoot the three better if they want to be stars/superstars. That's probably a good thing for the team that picks them: both have a lot of room to their respective ceilings.

Sure, but this wasn't an NBA projection award, it was for college player of the year... this year. How can that go to anybody except Zion? He's been dominant and efficient from start to finish. Barrett's been very good, but also up and down and more of a high volume guy, and certainly not the best of the best.

[The Great One]

Triano stepping away from Canadian men’s national team coaching role ..

https://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/...coaching-role/

The remaining three candidates are Roy Rana, who won gold for Canada at the U-19 world championships and coached the majority of games for Canada during the World Cup qualifying process; Gord Herbert, who played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics and who has had a successful career coaching in Europe; and Ettore Messina, one of the most highly regarded coaches in Europe, the former Italian national team head coach and currently as assistant with the San Antonio Spurs.

Great news. Now hire someone that can actually coach, doesn't have to be Canadian, someone like...Messina.

[slaw]

Great news. Now hire someone that can actually coach, doesn't have to be Canadian, someone like...Messina.

Rana would be a fine choice. He has a lot of international experience, he has been there with a lot of the young players, and he's a hugely successful coach at everything he's ever done. If he wanted to, he could easily carve out a role for himself at a higher level but he's got maybe the best basketball job in Canada.

[golden]

Rana would be a fine choice. He has a lot of international experience, he has been there with a lot of the young players, and he's a hugely successful coach at everything he's ever done. If he wanted to, he could easily carve out a role for himself at a higher level but he's got maybe the best basketball job in Canada.

I'm fine with Rana too. But it would be a lot of pressure on him if Canada bombs. And unfortunately, we drew the shittiest possible pool, in part because of how Jay's teams had fared before Rana. Hmm.... I wonder why Triano bailed?

[KeonClark]

I'm fine with Rana too. But it would be a lot of pressure on him if Canada bombs. And unfortunately, we drew the shittiest possible pool, in part because of how Jay's teams had fared before Rana. Hmm.... I wonder why Triano bailed?

I'm sure it was a "Fired with dignity" type of thing