Men's Basketball FIBA World Cup 2019

[ofan 238]

FIBA's wishful thinking comes from the fact that basketball is probably the most universally-played team sport outside of soccer, due to the fact that you can play it cheaply on a street corner, and there is not an economic barrier to participating as there is with other team sports. However, the sport is still so US-dominated because of the strong AAU, high school and collegiate program in North America, and because soccer is not quite as popular. Since the sport lives and dies by US interest, as Vektor said, it will never reach the level of the FIFA World Cup. I also agree with Vektor that the situation with club soccer is not comparable as LDOG suggested - the long tradition of international soccer will keep the FIFA World Cup on top for at least the long-term foreseeable future. You can look no further than the competitiveness of the bidding process to host these events - countries line up for FIFA, but no one outside of Asia really seems to want to host the FIBA World Cup. 

Edited July 24, 2019 by ofan

[dareza 911]

7 hours ago, Vektor said:

 

Not going to happen. The FIFA World Cup is simply the biggest, most watched sport event and has a 90 years long history. And it's helped by the fact that the World Cup will always be incredibly competitive with many strong teams who can win it. Being a World Champion in football means a lot. Being a World Champion in basketball is basically meaningless if you are American, because they will always win the WCh (and the SOG) by default every time they send their top players. Plus Americans tend to not a give a shit about any non-Olympic sport event that happens outside of their country with the exception of the FIFA World Cup, and the World Championships of every major American team sport will always be "second rate" because of this, including ice hockey.

 

Not always :P

[George_D 1,205]

4 hours ago, dareza said:

 

Not always :P

Last time they didn't was because of Greece :). 2006 Semifinal 

[nenad 442]

No end in sight. 

 

Drummond and Harell withdraw for USA and RJ Barrert for Canada. 

[George_D 1,205]

as some canadian friends mentioned , world cup isnt considered important for both us and canadian players. But especially for Canada, dont they count that qualification to Olympics isnt sth secure and goes through world championship?

 

i find it strange. I thought canadian players would be "thirsty" for such global level competitions since Canada's last participation in world champs was in 2010 and in Olympics 20 years before in 2000...

 

i would also like to see Canada with best possible team, to see sth different

 

@ofan ?

Edited August 1, 2019 by George_D

[ofan 238]

1 hour ago, George_D said:

as some canadian friends mentioned , world cup isnt considered important for both us and canadian players. But especially for Canada, dont they count that qualification to Olympics isnt sth secure and goes through world championship?

 

i find it strange. I thought canadian players would be "thirsty" for such global level competitions since Canada's last participation in world champs was in 2010 and in Olympics 20 years before in 2000...

 

i would also like to see Canada with best possible team, to see sth different

 

@ofan ?

 

Yes, of course I think they acknowledge that, and it's the reason why we have seen full NBA participation at past Olympic qualification tournaments (FIBA AmeriCup). I don't think the prospect of qualification is lost on any of them. Keep in mind, all of our best players are trying out for the team. The only absences are justified thus far. Wiggins NBA career has gotten off to a lackluster start, and I'm sure he wants to spend September focusing on the upcoming season. For Thompson, he had an injury-plagued season this year, and likely wants to focus on rehab so that he is in peak shape come the start of the NBA season. I do understand and appreciate their decisions. 

 

Also keep in mind that Canada has gone out and gotten this year's NBA Champion head coach to lead the team - I wholeheartedly believe that Basketball Canada is taking the Olympic ramifications of this event very seriously. 

[NaBUru38 208]

Canada failed to qualify to the Pan American Games...

[George_D 1,205]

Jamal Murray and Dwight Powell also out for Canada..

[dareza 911]

At the end Canada will be 3rd or 4th in the group.

[intoronto 5,639]

Everyone and their dog is withdrawing from Canada