Canada Basketball

[guyroch]

FIBA rules experience is a huge thing in these tournaments as well. HAving guys who have played and understand the differences between FIBA and NBA is abig plus.

I would love to see guys like Sharpe, Mathurin, and Nembhard get a look. The trouble is we are loaded at the 1-3 spots. SGA, Dort, NAW, RJ, Brooks, and Murray and Wiggins added in is 7 guys or a 12 man roster.

You could argue that one of the 3 young guys takes NAW's spot, but while he was inconsistent, he had some big games and shot almost 40% from 3 for the tournament. He jsut turned 25 and is still impoving as well.

We need to find some young bigs that can contribute. Leonard Miller is my dark horse. He measured out at 6'9.25" without shoes with a 7'2" wing span at the draft combine. He tunrs 20 at the end of November so maybe he could even be a little taller. If he has a good rookie year, adds a little beef and learns to play with and against grown men, he could be a valuable understudy to Kelly and Dwight.

This big thing is a North America issue also ... Americans trying to find the next big .. In last Olympics their big
was Green .. Maybe it's because the NBA wants all their bigs to shoot 3 and not enough time spent in the post .

Heck even Victor Wembanyama who will become the tallest player in the NBA will be a Power Forward .

[Primer]

FIBA rules experience is a huge thing in these tournaments as well. HAving guys who have played and understand the differences between FIBA and NBA is abig plus.

I would love to see guys like Sharpe, Mathurin, and Nembhard get a look. The trouble is we are loaded at the 1-3 spots. SGA, Dort, NAW, RJ, Brooks, and Murray and Wiggins added in is 7 guys or a 12 man roster.

You could argue that one of the 3 young guys takes NAW's spot, but while he was inconsistent, he had some big games and shot almost 40% from 3 for the tournament. He jsut turned 25 and is still impoving as well.

We need to find some young bigs that can contribute. Leonard Miller is my dark horse. He measured out at 6'9.25" without shoes with a 7'2" wing span at the draft combine. He tunrs 20 at the end of November so maybe he could even be a little taller. If he has a good rookie year, adds a little beef and learns to play with and against grown men, he could be a valuable understudy to Kelly and Dwight.

Yeah we're basically all wings but talent is talent. We play a 4 wing plus a center lineup and there are enough minutes to go around.

I'd love it if we could add another useful big but they need to outplay Olynyk and Powell to get minutes. Kinda doubt Miller will be there by the summer but maybe.

[WJF]

FIBA rules experience is a huge thing in these tournaments as well. HAving guys who have played and understand the differences between FIBA and NBA is abig plus.

I would love to see guys like Sharpe, Mathurin, and Nembhard get a look. The trouble is we are loaded at the 1-3 spots. SGA, Dort, NAW, RJ, Brooks, and Murray and Wiggins added in is 7 guys or a 12 man roster.

You could argue that one of the 3 young guys takes NAW's spot, but while he was inconsistent, he had some big games and shot almost 40% from 3 for the tournament. He jsut turned 25 and is still impoving as well.

We need to find some young bigs that can contribute. Leonard Miller is my dark horse. He measured out at 6'9.25" without shoes with a 7'2" wing span at the draft combine. He tunrs 20 at the end of November so maybe he could even be a little taller. If he has a good rookie year, adds a little beef and learns to play with and against grown men, he could be a valuable understudy to Kelly and Dwight.

[guyroch]

Lol Dang, Scrubb catching strays.

Ya, hard to disagree with that. But you also want to demonstrate that there are rewards for being loyal to the program as well. It's a fine line. But ya ... you aren't wrong either.

I think the sacrifices the winter core do shows their love for Canada basketball .. With that love for Canada basketball I bet
they would want the best team fielded so that team can win a medal .. I heard once that the winter core also do
what we do an imagine the dream team that could be fielded ..

Also why is Zach Edey always invited ( has shown he isn't ready yet ) it is because they wanted him
to gain experience with the Senior team and so why not do that with some of your young core .

[Joey]

Those guys are the obvious ones, but if Mathurin has an all star level season I'd sure as hell want him on the team too. Likewise for Sharpe and Nembhard. We should be getting these young super talented players into the program, not making them wait so Scrubb can have a bench spot. I feel like we're penalizing them for being young and not available this summer due to it being their first offseason ever. The team had 5 non NBA players and we should be looking to fill those spots with NBA players to give us the best chance to win.

Lol Dang, Scrubb catching strays.

Ya, hard to disagree with that. But you also want to demonstrate that there are rewards for being loyal to the program as well. It's a fine line. But ya ... you aren't wrong either.

[guyroch]

Those guys are the obvious ones, but if Mathurin has an all star level season I'd sure as hell want him on the team too. Likewise for Sharpe and Nembhard. We should be getting these young super talented players into the program, not making them wait so Scrubb can have a bench spot. I feel like we're penalizing them for being young and not available this summer due to it being their first offseason ever. The team had 5 non NBA players and we should be looking to fill those spots with NBA players to give us the best chance to win.

Playing for the Jr programs should be a thing Barrett should look at also and not just 3 year commitment .. I think getting these young guys experience at the Olympic event is something that will help them when it's their turn ..

The Americans have select teams and maybe the Canadians can do that too .. Have the young guys scrimmage against the Senior team and a player stands out they should be invited .

[Primer]

There's only 2 guys that weren't at World Cup that I think should be on the Paris team, and that's obviously Wiggins and Jamal.

Wiggins has been there for Team Canada in the past, specifically in 2015 and 2021, and Jamal too. And to not want to put the best team forward at the biggest stage in International Basketball, would be foolish. If they want on the team, they'll be there, I think.

Those guys are the obvious ones, but if Mathurin has an all star level season I'd sure as hell want him on the team too. Likewise for Sharpe and Nembhard. We should be getting these young super talented players into the program, not making them wait so Scrubb can have a bench spot. I feel like we're penalizing them for being young and not available this summer due to it being their first offseason ever. The team had 5 non NBA players and we should be looking to fill those spots with NBA players to give us the best chance to win.

[Joey]

There's only 2 guys that weren't at World Cup that I think should be on the Paris team, and that's obviously Wiggins and Jamal.

Wiggins has been there for Team Canada in the past, specifically in 2015 and 2021, and Jamal too. And to not want to put the best team forward at the biggest stage in International Basketball, would be foolish. If they want on the team, they'll be there, I think.

[golden]

You are right but the Canadian team hasn't been in the Olympics in decades .. The Olympics seems to be a sexy cool tournament that
you always see the U.S bring their " A " teams and that maybe the reason we might get our version of the Canadian dream team .

Sure, but I’ll be pleasantly surprised/shocked if we’re having conversations about turning away talent when it’s time to pick the actual team.

[Joey]

Whoa ... I can like comments again?! Is it fixed?!

Partially fixed it seems? But not quite there. Lol

[Joey]

Whoa ... I can like comments again?! Is it fixed?!

[guyroch]

lol. We've been talking about Canada's theoretically best lineups for the last decade.... and it never materializes. Will believe it when I see it.

You are right but the Canadian team hasn't been in the Olympics in decades .. The Olympics seems to be a sexy cool tournament that
you always see the U.S bring their " A " teams and that maybe the reason we might get our version of the Canadian dream team .

[golden]

We're not trying to predict who will be healthy, we're trying to put together the best roster possible for Canada to win gold at the Olympics. If everyone is healthy, who would you send? That's absolutely something we can talk about now. For example, if Murray is healthy we absolutely need to send him. Similarly, if Wiggins is healthy we absolutely need to send him.

lol. We've been talking about Canada's theoretically best lineups for the last decade.... and it never materializes. Will believe it when I see it.

[Primer]

We're not trying to predict who will be healthy, we're trying to put together the best roster possible for Canada to win gold at the Olympics. If everyone is healthy, who would you send? That's absolutely something we can talk about now. For example, if Murray is healthy we absolutely need to send him. Similarly, if Wiggins is healthy we absolutely need to send him.

[golden]

What if Wiggins is hurt next summer is a dumb question to be asking. We're talking about fielding the best team possible, not what if this guy or that guy is injured. Like obviously if they're injured yet won't play that applies to everyone. If everyone is healthy and Wiggins wants to play he needs to be on the team. We need to field the absolute best team possible so we have the best chance possible of medaling. Serbia is gonna add Jokic. USA will be almost an entirely new and more talented squad. Most of the world cup teams had NBA talent miss it that will likely be at the Olympics. We can't be the only team who doesn't upgrade their roster because we "owe" something to the Scrubb brothers and Edey. If Wiggins, Mathurin, Sharpe, Nembhard, and Clarke want in we need them. If Tristan Thompson or Boucher want to play we need them. We're trying to win, not write a children's novel about fairness. There is not a single other Olympic sport where any country would consider not sending their best.

There's no point even talking about the roster until late next year. We all thought Murray was going and he opted out at the last minute. Heck, even CoJo got hurt, which left us shorthanded at PG, forcing us to roll with Tres Belle Haynes. Nobody could've predicted either of those.