/ laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"
Tweet
Here's the roster breakdown for the NBA fan:
Group A
Angola
FIBA World Ranking: 12th
NBA alums: none
Description: The kings of Africa, Angola is that small-conference team that dominates terrible competition and then gets steamrolled when they're invited to dance with the big boys. They have a great system, they are routinely the smallest team in the entire tournament, but they play with a lot of heart. That and a 50 cents will get you a bag of Doritos at the world championships. A really, really small bag.
NBA comparison:
Argentina
FIBA World Ranking: 1st
NBA alums:
C:Fabricio Oberto (Wizards)
PF: Luis Scola (Rockets)
SF: Andres Nocioni (Sixers)-out with ankle sprain
SF: Federico Kammerichs (Blazers-drafted)
SG: Carlos Delfino (Bucks)
Description: One of the very few countries that can claim to be rivals of team USA, Argentina became the first country to defeat a team of NBA players in 2002, and then became the first (and only) country to defeat them twice in 2004, en route to their high point of Olympic Gold. These days, Argentina generally gets by on reputation, as they are older, slower, and ravaged by injuries. Overlook them at your own peril though, because they know how to win and nobody has more big game experience.
NBA comparison:
Australia
FIBA World Ranking: 11th
NBA alums:
C: David Andersen (Raptors)
PG: Patrick Mills (Blazers)
Description: The perennial underdogs of the tournament, Australia loves to run and utilize the 3-point line. That typically gets exposed in the WBC, where the pace is slower and open shots are hard to come by. They almost never win anything, but they generally have fun trying, and are easy to root for.
NBA comparison:
Germany
FIBA World Ranking: 7th
NBA alums:
C: Tibor Pleiss (Thunder-drafted)
Description: A one-man army that lost its general. Formerly one of the world's most dangerous teams, they still have some decent players left, but are largely toothless without the best player on their continent.
NBA comparison:
Jordan
FIBA World Ranking: 37th
NBA alums: none
Description: Here's a sentence you never thought you'd read: Jordan is bad. Really, really bad. A historical doormat that's just happy to be here for the first time ever, they got past rival Lebanon at the last second to scrape out a 3rd-place finish in Asia. They finally have some decent players and legit size, but aren't fun enough to be lovable, and not good enough to matter otherwise.
NBA comparison:
Serbia
FIBA World Ranking: 5th
NBA alums:
C: Nenad Krstic (Thunder)
C: Kosta Perovic (Warriors)
PF: Nemanja Bjelica (Timberwolves-drafted)
Description: One of the international pioneers of basketball, Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia) fittingly became the first country to eliminate team USA from the medal round in the dream team era in 2002, on the way to their 5th world championship, the most of any country. After bottoming out half a decade ago, they scrapped the old guard, and the new guard is way ahead of schedule. A group of talented, yet hot-headed players whose youth is both their biggest strength and their biggest weakness. They lack the surgical grace of their predecessors, but on any given day, they can compete with anybody.
NBA comparison:
Group B
Brazil
FIBA World Ranking: 14th
NBA alums:
SG: Alex Garcia (Spurs)
SG: Leandro Barboa (Raptors)
C: Anderson Varejao (Cavaliers)
PF: Tiago Splitter (Spurs)
SF: Marcus Vinicius (Hornets)
Description: That talented team that looks like a monster on paper....until the ball gets tossed. The chronic underachiever of the international scene, Brazil has never been capable of maximizing their vast talent pool, and generally ends every big tournament flat on their faces. They haven't had a great team since the late 50's, and nobody outside of Brazil even remembers. Also, Oscar Schmidt doubles as the South American Dominique Wilkins.
NBA comparison:
Croatia
FIBA world ranking: 15th
NBA alums:
SG: Zoran Plananic (Nets)
C: Ante Tomic (Jazz)
PG: Roko Ukic (Bucks)
Description: Their heyday came a decade ago, which unfortunately put them in the path of some of the best basketball teams in history. The only European country that can honestly say they miss basketball's glory days of the 90's. Even in a down decade, they are pretty good, but Toni Kucoc is not walking through that door. Drazen Petrovic is not walking through that door. Dino Raja is not walking through that door...you get the idea.
NBA comparison:
Iran
FIBA World Ranking: 21st
NBA alums:
C: Hamed Haddadi (Grizzlies)
Description: Relatively new to the scene of international basketball, Iran is learning very quickly. They've already surpassed China as the premier team in Asia, and after going 0-5 in the 2008 Olympics, look like they might win a game or two this go-around. A big, young team that might be ready to compete with better competition sooner than people think.
NBA comparison:
Tunisia
FIBA World Ranking: 43rd
NBA alums: none
Description: The Lowest-ranked team in this tournament, Tunisia is a poor man's Angola, which is like calling a division III team a poor man's division II team. Like Jordan, they're just happy to be in this competition. On paper they have athletes and have legit international size, but neither one has helped them beat Angola, and Angola is the least of their worries now.
NBA comparison:
Slovenia
FIBA World Ranking: 20th
NBA alums:
C: Primoz Brezec (Bobcats)
PG: Goran Dragic (Suns)
SF: Bostjn Nachbar (Nets)
PF: Uros Slokar (Raptors)
Description: Slovenia has had a lot of recent success copying the Lithuanian model for growing a basketball program. Unlike Lithuania, they have not had matching success. They started out small, but have slowly gotten better every year, and this may be their best team ever. A well-rounded perimeter team that badly needs to taste some success in order to be recognized as an international power.
NBA comparison:
USA (Olympic Champions)
FIBA World Ranking: 2nd
NBA alums:
C: Tyson Chandler (Mavericks)
C: Kevin love (Timberwolves)
PF: Lamar Odom (Lakers)
PF: Kevin Durant (Thunder)
SF: Rudy Gay (Grizzlies)
SF: Andre Igoudala (Sixers)
SF: Danny Granger (Pacers)
SG: Stephen Curry (Warriors)
SG: Eric Gordon (Clippers)
PG: Chauncey Billups (Nuggets)
PG: Derrick Rose (Bulls)
PG: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
Description: The undisputed bullies on the block. They were unbeatable once, fell off for a brief period, and are now back on top again. They field a deeper roster than anyone, play faster than anyone, and generally overwhelm you on talent alone. Their low points would double as high points for most other countries, and their down cycles are almost criminally short, as they re-load faster than anybody. Their presence alone does not guarentee victory anymore, but they never go into a game as underdogs. Beating them just once is a feather in any country's cap.
NBA comparison:
Group A
Angola
FIBA World Ranking: 12th
NBA alums: none
Description: The kings of Africa, Angola is that small-conference team that dominates terrible competition and then gets steamrolled when they're invited to dance with the big boys. They have a great system, they are routinely the smallest team in the entire tournament, but they play with a lot of heart. That and a 50 cents will get you a bag of Doritos at the world championships. A really, really small bag.
NBA comparison:
Argentina
FIBA World Ranking: 1st
NBA alums:
C:Fabricio Oberto (Wizards)
PF: Luis Scola (Rockets)
SF: Andres Nocioni (Sixers)-out with ankle sprain
SF: Federico Kammerichs (Blazers-drafted)
SG: Carlos Delfino (Bucks)
Description: One of the very few countries that can claim to be rivals of team USA, Argentina became the first country to defeat a team of NBA players in 2002, and then became the first (and only) country to defeat them twice in 2004, en route to their high point of Olympic Gold. These days, Argentina generally gets by on reputation, as they are older, slower, and ravaged by injuries. Overlook them at your own peril though, because they know how to win and nobody has more big game experience.
NBA comparison:
Australia
FIBA World Ranking: 11th
NBA alums:
C: David Andersen (Raptors)
PG: Patrick Mills (Blazers)
Description: The perennial underdogs of the tournament, Australia loves to run and utilize the 3-point line. That typically gets exposed in the WBC, where the pace is slower and open shots are hard to come by. They almost never win anything, but they generally have fun trying, and are easy to root for.
NBA comparison:
Germany
FIBA World Ranking: 7th
NBA alums:
C: Tibor Pleiss (Thunder-drafted)
Description: A one-man army that lost its general. Formerly one of the world's most dangerous teams, they still have some decent players left, but are largely toothless without the best player on their continent.
NBA comparison:
Jordan
FIBA World Ranking: 37th
NBA alums: none
Description: Here's a sentence you never thought you'd read: Jordan is bad. Really, really bad. A historical doormat that's just happy to be here for the first time ever, they got past rival Lebanon at the last second to scrape out a 3rd-place finish in Asia. They finally have some decent players and legit size, but aren't fun enough to be lovable, and not good enough to matter otherwise.
NBA comparison:
Serbia
FIBA World Ranking: 5th
NBA alums:
C: Nenad Krstic (Thunder)
C: Kosta Perovic (Warriors)
PF: Nemanja Bjelica (Timberwolves-drafted)
Description: One of the international pioneers of basketball, Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia) fittingly became the first country to eliminate team USA from the medal round in the dream team era in 2002, on the way to their 5th world championship, the most of any country. After bottoming out half a decade ago, they scrapped the old guard, and the new guard is way ahead of schedule. A group of talented, yet hot-headed players whose youth is both their biggest strength and their biggest weakness. They lack the surgical grace of their predecessors, but on any given day, they can compete with anybody.
NBA comparison:
Group B
Brazil
FIBA World Ranking: 14th
NBA alums:
SG: Alex Garcia (Spurs)
SG: Leandro Barboa (Raptors)
C: Anderson Varejao (Cavaliers)
PF: Tiago Splitter (Spurs)
SF: Marcus Vinicius (Hornets)
Description: That talented team that looks like a monster on paper....until the ball gets tossed. The chronic underachiever of the international scene, Brazil has never been capable of maximizing their vast talent pool, and generally ends every big tournament flat on their faces. They haven't had a great team since the late 50's, and nobody outside of Brazil even remembers. Also, Oscar Schmidt doubles as the South American Dominique Wilkins.
NBA comparison:
Croatia
FIBA world ranking: 15th
NBA alums:
SG: Zoran Plananic (Nets)
C: Ante Tomic (Jazz)
PG: Roko Ukic (Bucks)
Description: Their heyday came a decade ago, which unfortunately put them in the path of some of the best basketball teams in history. The only European country that can honestly say they miss basketball's glory days of the 90's. Even in a down decade, they are pretty good, but Toni Kucoc is not walking through that door. Drazen Petrovic is not walking through that door. Dino Raja is not walking through that door...you get the idea.
NBA comparison:
Iran
FIBA World Ranking: 21st
NBA alums:
C: Hamed Haddadi (Grizzlies)
Description: Relatively new to the scene of international basketball, Iran is learning very quickly. They've already surpassed China as the premier team in Asia, and after going 0-5 in the 2008 Olympics, look like they might win a game or two this go-around. A big, young team that might be ready to compete with better competition sooner than people think.
NBA comparison:
Tunisia
FIBA World Ranking: 43rd
NBA alums: none
Description: The Lowest-ranked team in this tournament, Tunisia is a poor man's Angola, which is like calling a division III team a poor man's division II team. Like Jordan, they're just happy to be in this competition. On paper they have athletes and have legit international size, but neither one has helped them beat Angola, and Angola is the least of their worries now.
NBA comparison:
Slovenia
FIBA World Ranking: 20th
NBA alums:
C: Primoz Brezec (Bobcats)
PG: Goran Dragic (Suns)
SF: Bostjn Nachbar (Nets)
PF: Uros Slokar (Raptors)
Description: Slovenia has had a lot of recent success copying the Lithuanian model for growing a basketball program. Unlike Lithuania, they have not had matching success. They started out small, but have slowly gotten better every year, and this may be their best team ever. A well-rounded perimeter team that badly needs to taste some success in order to be recognized as an international power.
NBA comparison:
USA (Olympic Champions)
FIBA World Ranking: 2nd
NBA alums:
C: Tyson Chandler (Mavericks)
C: Kevin love (Timberwolves)
PF: Lamar Odom (Lakers)
PF: Kevin Durant (Thunder)
SF: Rudy Gay (Grizzlies)
SF: Andre Igoudala (Sixers)
SF: Danny Granger (Pacers)
SG: Stephen Curry (Warriors)
SG: Eric Gordon (Clippers)
PG: Chauncey Billups (Nuggets)
PG: Derrick Rose (Bulls)
PG: Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
Description: The undisputed bullies on the block. They were unbeatable once, fell off for a brief period, and are now back on top again. They field a deeper roster than anyone, play faster than anyone, and generally overwhelm you on talent alone. Their low points would double as high points for most other countries, and their down cycles are almost criminally short, as they re-load faster than anybody. Their presence alone does not guarentee victory anymore, but they never go into a game as underdogs. Beating them just once is a feather in any country's cap.
NBA comparison:
Comment