NYKalltheway wrote:Team USA needs to embrace team basketball at the international stage.
In 2006 the last generation got toasted, in 2008 they needed Kobe and in 2010 they needed the refs.

There is occasionally a huge talent gap, but in the World Cup almost no team goes with their best players.
They reserve that for the Eurobasket, which also may have a few absences, and the Olympics unfortunately isn't the special event that the US media will convince you about because there's so few countries playing and 1/3 of them kinda suck (typically that's China, Angola or Nigeria and another Asian or African country), while Eurppe isn't represented always by their best due to the qualification system in place.

Either way, this is a sport where the USA should be running with Gold before they step on the court. Problem is that the directors are using this as some sort of stepping stone in their career or they want to be on good terms with NBA people.

If I were building a US team, I'd get only 3 star players from the NBA, get 3 glorified role players that are good defensively and can offer a bit more. Talking about key rotation players of contenders here, think Robert Horry, Draymond Green, Bruce Bowen etc. I'd look into Europe to fill up the next 6 spots. Especially centers and point guards. And the final 3 spaces I'd give to dependable rookies who ended their season.

You don't need 10 superstars in basketball. You need a team. And unless you have a trident that's like Michael Jordan and two legends who're about to retire in Bird and Magic, there's no way the rest of the stars will just line up and form a hierarchy.

Regarding the bolded, do you mean that you would find US nationals that are already playing in international ball?

EwingsGlass wrote:

NYKalltheway wrote:Team USA needs to embrace team basketball at the international stage.
In 2006 the last generation got toasted, in 2008 they needed Kobe and in 2010 they needed the refs.

There is occasionally a huge talent gap, but in the World Cup almost no team goes with their best players.
They reserve that for the Eurobasket, which also may have a few absences, and the Olympics unfortunately isn't the special event that the US media will convince you about because there's so few countries playing and 1/3 of them kinda suck (typically that's China, Angola or Nigeria and another Asian or African country), while Eurppe isn't represented always by their best due to the qualification system in place.

Either way, this is a sport where the USA should be running with Gold before they step on the court. Problem is that the directors are using this as some sort of stepping stone in their career or they want to be on good terms with NBA people.

If I were building a US team, I'd get only 3 star players from the NBA, get 3 glorified role players that are good defensively and can offer a bit more. Talking about key rotation players of contenders here, think Robert Horry, Draymond Green, Bruce Bowen etc. I'd look into Europe to fill up the next 6 spots. Especially centers and point guards. And the final 3 spaces I'd give to dependable rookies who ended their season.

You don't need 10 superstars in basketball. You need a team. And unless you have a trident that's like Michael Jordan and two legends who're about to retire in Bird and Magic, there's no way the rest of the stars will just line up and form a hierarchy.

Regarding the bolded, do you mean that you would find US nationals that are already playing in international ball?

Yeap. If they're balling and dominating over here, why not utilize them and their experience in FIBA rules?

Alpha1971 wrote:Brunson maybe won't be in consideration for the Olympics but so should Haliburton and Reeves and everyone except Bridges

I could care less about Brunson playing in the Olympics or any stupid international tournament. I want him healthy for the nba season

Nalod wrote:Do the Foreign players in the NBA struggle with the FIBA rules?

There are several things they may struggle with. By foreign let's limit that to US American as the rest are playing the same sport.

NBA players need a learning curve and they also have to adapt to the coaches here (they're typically used to the opposite), whereas straight out of college players seem more capable of adapting early, but there's the cultural shock and the off court stuff that may affect them, language barriers etc.
Provided that they're good enough.

NYKalltheway wrote:

NYKalltheway wrote:

Nalod wrote:Do the Foreign players in the NBA struggle with the FIBA rules?

There are several things they may struggle with. By foreign let's limit that to US American as the rest are playing the same sport.

NBA players need a learning curve and they also have to adapt to the coaches here (they're typically used to the opposite), whereas straight out of college players seem more capable of adapting early, but there's the cultural shock and the off court stuff that may affect them, language barriers etc.
Provided that they're good enough.

Sorry just realized how I misread that lol.

Foreign players struggle in the NBA with the dribbling stuff, or let's say it takes a while to realize thatt violations aren't actual violations in the NBA. So you might see them suffer defensively at times because they assume that the attacking player is about to commit a traveling offense only to see the back of them and the basket counts.

Those sort of things. You have to relearn the game and adapt to a more "easy" game which is tough for most as mentally they're prepared for a harder level. The earlier a player moves, the easiest he'll settle in this alien sport called the NBA.

My knowledge is limited, but from what I see the PG position is very different in Europe. Pass first guards vs shoot first?

blkexec wrote:

Nalod wrote:Do the Foreign players in the NBA struggle with the FIBA rules?

Do the Foreign players in FIBA (US players) struggle with NBA rules?

Sometimes when you reverse your question, you get your answer.

NBA players in FIBA do not struggle with NBA rules (just my guess)
So I’m going on a limb here. I doubt if FIBA players in the NBA struggle with FIBA rules.

My question was a bit rhetorical. You phrased it well!
My point was the "Not used to FIBA Rules" is a cop out?
As I said, tournaments don't always produce the best team winning. Not in college tournaments either.
A series of "best of 5 or 7" does allow the cream of the crop to rise, but that's not the issue.

My take is Team USA would like to have both the best players AND some form of continuity no just with coaching, but with players.
Question is if a player makes finals, its a tough ask. If a player is injured. If a player is not under contract for what ever reason.
Some good legit reasons.
This is not just Team USA, its all players for all countries.