Team USA is an embarrassment

UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
As I said, lost to almighty France today.

To be honest, it's not really even much of an upset when you look at the rosters.

Our starting forwards in these games have been friggin Joe Harris and Harrison Barnes. Remember Joe Harris, the unathletic 6'5" white guy who (until this past season) spent most of his NBA career as a 12th man buried at the end of the bench? Yeah, well he not only made this team, but started at the SF spot. That sure is a huge drop down from the days when Team USA started guys like Lebron at that spot.

Meanwhile, France had a veteran team full of current and former NBA guys (Rudy Gobert, Nicholas Batum, Evan Fournier, Frank Ntikilina, Nando de Colo, etc.) with a lot more experience playing together than our guys did. Not a surprising loss under those circumstances.

But, now that it's over, I'll say that was one helluva 13 year unbeaten run Team USA had between 06 and now. All streaks have to end eventually.
 
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UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
What exactly is FIBA? I thought it was the notoriously corrupt crew that staged World Cup soccer. Are you allowed to use your hands in FIBA Ball?

You're confusing FIFA and FIBA.

FIFA is the "notoriously corrupt" organization that governs international soccer and runs the soccer World Cup. FIBA is the organization that governs international basketball.

Same basic idea, but different sports. Except FIBA has not been caught up in any ugly corruption scandals like FIFA has.
 

FLawLesS_NoLe

Junior
Sep 20, 2008
675
295
0
To be honest, it's not really even much of an upset when you look at the rosters.

Our starting forwards in these games have been friggin Joe Harris and Harrison Barnes. Remember Joe Harris, the unathletic 6'5" white guy who (until this past season) spent most of his NBA career as a 12th man buried at the end of the bench? Yeah, well he not only made this team, but started at the SF spot. That sure is a huge drop down from the days when Team USA started guys like Lebron at that spot.

Meanwhile, France had a veteran team full of current and former NBA guys (Rudy Gobert, Nicholas Batum, Evan Fournier, Frank Ntikilina, Nando de Colo, etc.) with a lot more experience playing together than our guys did. Not a surprising loss at all under those circumstances.

But, now that it's over, I'll say that was one helluva 13 year unbeaten run Team USA had between 06 and now. All streaks have to end eventually.

Did you just say boast about France having a roster full of current and former NBA guys like that should top USA? Guess what? Team USA has a roster full of CURRENT NBA players! Before you bash Joe Harris, realize Harris is a STARTING SF for the Nets and LED the NBA is 3pt fg% last year. France...Frank Ntilikina? the guy Knicks are trying to get rid of and played worse than his rookie season 5pts pg? Nando De Colo? He is out of the NBA and averages 3pts ppg. Gobert is good but USA still had All NBA Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell, Khris MIddleton all 20 average + ppg. All max salary players in the NBA and supposedly the best coach in the game.

The USA roster right now has more talent than France easily. Yes the top superstars did not play but the current USA roster still boasts much better talent than France. I cheer for Team USA but come on, I am not giving them a pass on this loss.
 
Jan 24, 2005
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Thanks. I was sorta just making the point that no one but Frogs and Limeys and Krauts and such care about FIBA. If it wasn't for this board, I wouldn't have been aware there was an ongoing tournament.
FIBA is not important enough to be corrupt. There aren't many countries wanting to bribe the organization to host the basketball world cup.

It is disappointing that the U.S. players care so little about it though. It would be a great learning/growing experience for players like Fox/Bam/Julius. It wasn't too long ago that Team USA was a training ground for superstars. Tons of players have had career years right after playing for Team USA.
 
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bluedog79

All-American
Mar 4, 2008
6,015
5,290
0
Donovan Mitchell and Kemba Walker lololol...That was your team? Really?
We tried to beat the world with Loserville and UConn?
lmfao.
Idiots.

Let me tell you the NBA talent overall is nothing crap on a stick type players except for about 10-20 guys. College all stars and d-league ''regular'' talent players
everywhere ....GETTING 14 MILLION A YEAR. or 20 million.:flush:
I'm glad KENTUCKY people aren't getting fleeced by professional sports teams and their money grubbing ways! Charging $100+ a ticket so they can pay Gatorade drinking bench talent players 14 million a year.
 
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UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
Donovan Mitchell and Kemba Walker lololol...That was your team? Really?
We tried to beat the world with Loserville and UConn?
lmfao.
Idiots.

Why are they "idiots"?

Jeez, you make it sound like Pop wanted it this way. NO, this certainly was not the roster he wanted, instead it was the roster he was stuck with because none of the League's stars (except for Kemba Walker) wanted to play this year.

And, fwiw, there's no basis to be taking shots at Kemba here. He deserves props as the only true star to sign on and commit to this team. He played his heart out, and played really well, but just one star surrounded by a bunch of journeymen ain't enough to beat the world nowadays.
 
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bluedog79

All-American
Mar 4, 2008
6,015
5,290
0
Why are they "idiots"?

Jeez, you make it sound like Pop wanted it this way. NO, this certainly was not the roster he wanted, instead it was the roster he was stuck with because none of the League's stars (except for Kemba Walker) wanted to play this year.

And, fwiw, there's no basis to be taking shots at Kemba here. He deserves props as the only true star to sign on and commit to this team. He played his heart out, and played really well, but just one star surrounded by a bunch of journeymen ain't enough to beat the world nowadays.
kemba walker a true big timer? No way imo.
 

Big John Stud

All-American
Jan 14, 2003
23,281
8,876
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FIBA is not important enough to be corrupt. There aren't many countries wanting to bribe the organization to host the basketball world cup.

It is disappointing that the U.S. players care so little about it though. It would be a great learning/growing experience for players like Fox/Bam/Julius. It wasn't too long ago that Team USA was a training ground for superstars. Tons of players have had career years right after playing for Team USA.
Bam was cut so they could keep a Plumlee.
 
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UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
And they just lost again. This time to Serbia.

Unfortunately, the guy who comes out of this looking great is Coach K. The Team USA program was in shambles back when he took over, then it crushes the world for a decade straight with him, and now the first team without him loses for the first time in 13 years.

Not that K would've won either with this roster.
 

DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,894
12,044
101
The fact that Mitchell was the co-face of the USA's biggest failure gives me some joy.
 
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FLawLesS_NoLe

Junior
Sep 20, 2008
675
295
0
The great thing Coach K had going for him was that he is a great recruiter motivator. So he could get a lot of stars to come out and play for him.

It's harder for Pop since he is already an NBA coach for another team. He is a great coach, but brings different strengths to the team.
 
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uk78_rivals88018

All-American
Feb 6, 2003
12,401
8,783
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As I said (now 3rd confirmation post) they just lost to Serbia. I know everyone is saying the coaching is great for the USA but maybe. All I know is in all the losses no one seems to get these foreign teams are all about 3 point shooting. Watching the games there have been so many times the USA simply doesn't seem to get that concept in their defense. Many wide open 3's with the Serbia player having a simple screen and instead of a screen and roll, they easily dribble into the open 3. Well, like my original post, I was and continue to be correct.
 

UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
Colangelo's aiming these comments straight at De'Aaron Fox:

"I can only say, you can't help but notice and remember who you thought you were going to war with and who didn't show up," Colangelo said. "I'm a firm believer that you deal with the cards you're dealt. All we could have done, and we did it, is get the commitments from a lot of players. So with that kind of a hand you feel reasonably confident that you're going to be able to put a very good representative team on the court.

"No one would have anticipated the pullouts that we had."


https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27600706/colangelo-forget-us-world-cup-pullouts
 

DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,894
12,044
101
I firmly believe Pop didn't pick the right guys across the board. I believe he ran off Fox.
 

ZakkW

All-Conference
May 22, 2002
4,686
4,933
113
Good job, Pop.

Also, I don't blame LeBron, Curry and the top-tier guys for not playing but the second-tier guys who bailed on this tournament can get pumped.
 

UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
I firmly believe Pop didn't pick the right guys across the board. I believe he ran off Fox.

This is such nonsense.

Jeez, some of you guys can't ever take off the blue blinders. Fox simply quit, he wasn't "run off." It's OK to say it, that doesn't make you a disloyal UK fan.

And the problem is that "the right guys" simply did not want to play this time, NOT that they weren't "picked." You can't pick those who refuse to play.
 
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DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,894
12,044
101
Running Fox off for one by giving him 6 minutes his last game. Best defensive guard out there. Didn’t put a good chemistry team together either. Tatum no defense. Brown limited offense. Kimba is a terrible defender guarding the three. Mitchell doesn’t make anyone around him better...doesn’t like to pass. Etc...
 

LineSkiCat14

Heisman
Aug 5, 2015
39,779
62,753
113
Who. Cares.

It's our F-Team, super young, which has no chemistry with each other.

Honestly, I'd love to see us rotate a bottom5 NBA franchise every year and watch them win by 25.

Congrats Argentina, you just got beat by the state of Georgia.
 

king of cali

All-Conference
Nov 24, 2005
6,955
3,877
0
Running Fox off for one by giving him 6 minutes his last game. Best defensive guard out there. Didn’t put a good chemistry team together either. Tatum no defense. Brown limited offense. Kimba is a terrible defender guarding the three. Mitchell doesn’t make anyone around him better...doesn’t like to pass. Etc...

Fox quit after the first exhibition game. It’s laughable to suggest he was “run off” when it’s no secret that the purpose of those games were to play as many lineup combinations as possible to see what worked and what didn’t. Fox never gave it a chance to work for whatever his reasoning was.
 

DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,894
12,044
101
Fox quit after the first exhibition game. It’s laughable to suggest he was “run off” when it’s no secret that the purpose of those games were to play as many lineup combinations as possible to see what worked and what didn’t. Fox never gave it a chance to work for whatever his reasoning was.
It was the last before they went overseas.
 

UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
It was the last before they went overseas.

"The last"? LOL on your wording. It was also the "first." They only played one before going to Australia.

You can keep trying to spin blue blinder excuses, but the truth is it was a ****** move by Fox. When a man commits to something like this, he should keep his word and follow through on the commitment, rather than quit after the first exhibition game.

And, if he was a former UL, Duke or UNC player, you'd think that too.
 
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DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,894
12,044
101
"The last"? LOL on your wording. It was also the "first." They only played one (against Spain) before going to Australia.

You can keep trying to spin blue blinder excuses, but the truth is it was a ****** move by Fox. When a man commits to something like this, he should keep his word and follow through on the commitment, rather than abruptly quit after the first exhibition game.

And, if he was a former UL, Duke or UNC player, you'd think that too.
Wrong. There were plenary of unc and duke players to turn it down. I agree with Fox whether you do or not. 6 minutes to inferior back ups. I’m not traveling across the seas just to be cut. Fact is. Pop failed. Players failed. Worst showing ever from USA basketball. Fact. Sorry that makes you happy. Having Kimba and Mitchell be the face of that forever makes me happy. Same with Pop who imo is a prick.
 
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UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
Wrong. There were plenary of unc and duke players to turn it down.

"Plenary"? I don't think you know what that word means.

And there's a big difference between simply declining an invitation, and accepting, making a commitment to an endeavor, but then abruptly quitting shortly after it starts. No Duke or UNC players did the latter. If Fox didn't want to play, then he should've declined from the start, but once he made the commitment he should've kept his word.

And, no, he would not have been cut. That's just you making up excuses based on no evidence.
 
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DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,894
12,044
101
"Plenary"? I don't think you know what that word means.

And there's a big difference between simply declining an invitation, and accepting, making a commitment to an endeavor, but then abruptly quitting shortly after it starts. No Duke or UNC players did the latter. If Fox didn't want to play, then he should've declined from the start, but once he made the commitment he should've kept his word.

And, NO, he would not have been cut. That's just you making up excuses based on no evidence.
I’ll type slowly for you this throne. It’s called a typo. Also Pop gave zero commitment to Fox and he owed none to Pop. Ego man still was going to cut someone. Zero commitment. Sorry your boy Mitchell failed. On the other hand since it was never announced why he left you have to make up your own reasons.
 

Montana81

Heisman
Aug 12, 2004
82,727
29,410
113
Can’t say I blame fox either. Like others mentioned pop sat him behind inferior players. He was probably the most talented player on the team. Bad move. Now coangelo wants to take veiled shots at the guys that saw the train wreck coming and walked away. Might be time for him and pop to move on as well.

As much as I hate K, guys wanted to play for him and that made a huge difference. Need to get someone else in there guys want to play for.
 

king of cali

All-Conference
Nov 24, 2005
6,955
3,877
0
Can’t say I blame fox either. Like others mentioned pop sat him behind inferior players. He was probably the most talented player on the team. Bad move. Now coangelo wants to take veiled shots at the guys that saw the train wreck coming and walked away. Might be time for him and pop to move on as well.

As much as I hate K, guys wanted to play for him and that made a huge difference. Need to get someone else in there guys want to play for.

Lol guys don’t wanna play for Pop?

Fox played a grand total of 1 exhibition game. Basically no sample size at all, but you’re acting like he was entitled to some set sort of minutes. Pop didn’t sit Fox behind any inferior players. Guards like Walker, Smart and the others are all in the same tier.
 

UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
I’ll type slowly for you this throne.
You write some oddly incomprehensible sentences. This makes no sense.
On the other hand since it was never announced why he left you have to make up your own reasons.

No, you don't "have to" do that at all. Instead, you can just honestly acknowledge that you don't know why he quit, rather than pretend you do know by making up ********. Your claim that Pop "ran off" Fox without a shred of evidence to back it up is just dishonest nonsense.
 
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DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,894
12,044
101
You write some oddly incomprehensible sentences. This makes no sense.


No, you don't "have to" do that at all. Instead, you can just honestly acknowledge that you don't know why he quit, instead of pretending you do know by making up ********. Your claim that Pop "ran off" Fox without a shred of evidence to back it up is just dishonest nonsense.
I know as much as you on the reason but that's my opinion. You don't have to agree or like it. I don't agree with yours so we're good.
 

GonzoCat90

Heisman
Mar 30, 2009
32,377
34,559
0
On the list of guys to decide to go home, focusing on or pinning this on Fox is absurd. Much, much more important guys than him decided to stay away.
 
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cmkanb121314

Freshman
Mar 24, 2016
676
65
0
Kids need to play for their country first. Being honest haven’t even watched them play yet. Do they look as bad as it sounds
 

UK90

Heisman
Dec 30, 2007
31,460
27,816
0
I think you're right but that team years ago with Damon Bailey as the star has to rank right up there.

Huh? What team was that? I don't recall Damon Bailey ever playing for Team USA, much less be its "star."

I think maybe you've been smoking too much of the the strong stuff.
 
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KYCAT78

All-American
May 24, 2006
7,858
6,073
0
Will Popovich get **** on like Cal did? I think Cal medaled at least.
Pop is a hypocrite, says players did their best leave them alone yet he is very vocal about his political views and the job the President is doing.
 
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