2010 World Basketball Championship

[Bukefal]

The wildcards have been given. Germany, Russia, Lithuania and Libanon will participate in the championship after all. Im surprised Italy did not get a wildcard.

From Europe:
Spain, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece, Lithuania, Russia, Turkey, France, Germany and Croatia.

From Asia: China, Jordan, Libanon and Iran.

From Africa: Angola, Ivory Coast and Tunisia.

From North-America: USA and Canada.

From Middle and South-America: Puerto Rico, Brasil and Argentina.

From Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.

The game system will be known on 15 december.

It will all be between USA, Serbia, Spain, Greece and Argentina. USA will probably end up winning.

[dave]

if bonner can get his citizenship in time, he will lead canada to a first-place finish :downspin:

[urunobili]

Argentina sans Manu won't go past third round...

[Chieflion]

if bonner can get his citizenship in time, he will lead canada to a first-place finish :downspin:
Co-signed.

[velik_m]

Im surprised Italy did not get a wildcard.

Only teams playing in the continental champoinship were eligable for wild card. Italians didn't qualify for Euro, so they had no right to get it.

[mogrovejo]

The wildcards have been given. Germany, Russia, Lithuania and Libanon will participate in the championship after all. Im surprised Great Britain did not get a wildcard.

From Europe:
Spain, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece, Lithuania, Russia, Turkey, France, Germany and Croatia.

From Asia: China, Jordan, Libanon and Iran.

From Africa: Angola, Ivory Coast and Tunisia.

From North-America: USA and Canada.

From Middle and South-America: Puerto Rico, Brasil and Argentina.

From Oceania: Australia and New Zealand.

The game system will be known on 15 december.

It will all be between USA and Spain. USA will probably end up winning.

Fixed.

[Ghazi]

go IRAN!

[Bukefal]

Only teams playing in the continental champoinship were eligable for wild card. Italians didn't qualify for Euro, so they had no right to get it.

I see. They should've given one to Macedonia :lol They deserve it more than the Germans do.

But well it's based on how much money and influence a country's basketball association has on world basketball. How much they do for the sport and how much support they have. No chance to compete with the Germans there. :lol

[Muser]

I take it parker will be playing, I look forward to the many threads about how it is wrong for him to play for france in the Spurs forum.

[urunobili]

only way Manu plays if it's the Spurs are champs and he gets a contract from them...

[Bukefal]

I take it parker will be playing, I look forward to the many threads about how it is wrong for him to play for france in the Spurs forum.

Yeah, that would be horrible, seeing all the hate towards his international career. :lol But if US players play for USA, they all have nothing to say. Hypocrites.

Anyway, I like international tournaments, it's great and it's just an honour to play for your country, something you must do and something everyone wants to do. I think no club should have the right to disagree or prevent players to play for their country.

I see you are from the UK. It's a shame Great-Britain nor my country will be part of the championship. :(

[TMTTRIO]

only way Manu plays if it's the Spurs are champs and he gets a contract from them...

Actually the Spurs might not give him a contract if he has the intention of playing for the NT and he still hasn't said that he's quitting the NT yet. I do think he'll have a whole lot on his plate this summer (with the babies on the way and trying to find a team to play for) so I don't know if he'll do it or not. This is the only thing he needs left to achieve to give him a pretty successful career.

[Muser]

If he stays healthy then Manu will get a new contract, 99% sure he'd stay with the spurs.

[Unholy Turkey]

go IRAN!

[Kobayagi]

group A

Argentina
Serbia
Australia
Germany
Angola
Jordan

--------------

group B

USA
Slovenia
Brazil
Croatia
Iran
Tunis

--------------

group C

Greece
Turkey
Puerto Rico
Russia
China
Ivory Coast

--------------

group D

Spain
France
Canada
Lithuania
New Zealand
Lebanon





I'm thrilled with our group :toast

[Bukefal]

Greece has obviously the 'easiest' group.

Cant wait for it to begin!

[Pero]

Hm not bad. Groups look more or less even, maybe Greece does have the easiest group.

I think we'll lose against US and Croatia (they'll want it more because we beat them at the Euro), possibly win against Brazil (not sure how good they are), and win against Iran and Tunis.

[sonic21]

not bad for France.

They need to finish 2nd to avoid usa and spain later. If Noah and Pietrus are playing, i think they can go far.

[MB20]

Hm not bad. Groups look more or less even, maybe Greece does have the easiest group.

I think we'll lose against US and Croatia (they'll want it more because we beat them at the Euro), possibly win against Brazil (not sure how good they are), and win against Iran and Tunis.

They are very good. Better than Argentina lately.
Argentina, without Manu, is an average team.

[duncan228]

Surveying the 2010 Worlds Draw (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-surveyingtheworldsdr&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
SportingNews

FIBA has announced the draw (http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/lateNews/p/newsid/37868/arti.html) for the 2010 World Championships, and while America is the greatest and should probably steamroll everyone, there are threats lurking in the grass. It goes down in Turkey next summer; here’s the lay of the land, including which city they’ll be playing in:

Group A (Kayseri): Serbia, Argentina, Australia, Jordan, Germany, Angola
Group B (Istanbul): Croatia, Brazil, Tunisia, Slovenia, Iran, USA
Group C (Ankara): China, Turkey, Russia, Puerto Rico, Ivory Coast, Greece
Group D (Izmir): Lithuania, Lebanon, France, Spain, Canada, New Zealand

Over at FanHouse (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/12/15/team-usa-gets-tough-fiba-draw/), Tom Ziller suggests that, while the goal was to avoid a so-called "Group of Death," the USA still ended up with one of the toughest paths to the championship. Others are saying that Spain, our great foe in hoops, got the short end of the stick. What does this tell us? Well, that the balance of power shifts quite frequently in international hoops these days. But also that the world is brimming with talent, and there’s at least a critical mass of teams that could have a shot at the winner’s circle.

Worth noting: At least one NBA stud, Dwyane Wade, is still on the fence about participating. Given all that might go down in the NBA this summer and how much uncertainty might linger, it’s very likely the USA won’t be at full-strength. Which is actually an issue these days.

*********************

US to play Iran at basketball worlds (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-2010worlds-draw&prov=ap&type=lgns)

The United States will face Iran, and Greece will take on Turkey in a pair of group games at the world basketball championship.

The Americans and Iranians were drawn into Group B on Tuesday along with Croatia, Brazil, Tunisia and Slovenia. The tournament will be played Aug. 28-Sept. 12 in the cities of Ankara, Kayseri, Istanbul and Izmir.

The United States and Iran have never met in a top level men’s or women’s FIBA competition.

The 24 teams at the men’s tournament were drawn into four groups of six, with the top four from each advancing to the knockout round.

U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has led the Americans to a pair of third-place finishes in the worlds, said in a statement he doesn’t “see a team in any of the groups that isn’t capable of advancing into the next round.”

“Our preliminary round group has an interesting mix of talented and tested veteran national teams like Brazil, Croatia and Slovenia, as well as two less experienced, but nonetheless talented teams in Iran and Tunisia who are making their first appearances in a world championship,” Krzyzewski added.

Greece, which will also face China, Russia, Puerto Rico and Ivory Coast in Group C, appears to have drawn the toughest opposition. The Greeks reached the 2006 final after upsetting the Americans but lost to Spain.

In other groups, defending champion Spain will lead Group D against Lithuania, Lebanon, France, Canada and New Zealand, and Argentina will face Serbia, Australia, Jordan, Germany and Angola in Group A.

The Argentines are the top-ranked team in the world, but the United States won the Olympic gold medal last year in Beijing.

The winner of the worlds automatically qualifies for the 2012 London Olympics.

[Venti Quattro]

Sig bet? The US will win in 2010.

[diego]

IMO groups C and D are toughest. More evenly matched than A and B that are more clear cut in terms of 1st, 2nd, 3rd... greece v turkey in turkey is going to be crazy, hopefully it doesnt escalate too much

the 2nd round might have some very tough matchups, inevitably someone is going home much earlier than expected.

if Manu doesnt play Argentina will be lucky to make it past the 2nd round. It doesnt help that Oberto isnt playing enough in the NBA, he should have gone to europe to build a rhythm. Argentina has huge holes in the roster (pg and C). Any chances deJUAN blair has argie blood? :lol

[Bukefal]

IMO groups C and D are toughest. More evenly matched than A and B that are more clear cut in terms of 1st, 2nd, 3rd... greece v turkey in turkey is going to be crazy, hopefully it doesnt escalate too much

the 2nd round might have some very tough matchups, inevitably someone is going home much earlier than expected.

if Manu doesnt play Argentina will be lucky to make it past the 2nd round. It doesnt help that Oberto isnt playing enough in the NBA, he should have gone to europe to build a rhythm. Argentina has huge holes in the roster (pg and C). Any chances deJUAN blair has argie blood? :lol

Yeah, you should check out that game, it will be very interesting. Possibly total crazyness. :lol

[boston.balla]

ay I got a english buddy who resides in liverpool who went in istanbul once for a game (soccer european league .. the supporters were like 10 times crazier than we are at christmas game lebron vs kobe) and some brits were killed that night after/before the soccer game. Turns out the turkish fans are insane. Never went to turkey so i cannot guarantee, but, here's a link of some of these savages:

gZZoIRRZGDo&feature=related

Said savages cause i never saw such manifestations. Not even at a motherf***ing metal concert. Not counting that my english friend told me they are allowed with torches, knives, guns and other shit at a game. That's downright scary for any sane being.

[Bukefal]

Yeah they are, just like the rest of fanbases from the Balkans

[Bukefal]

Have a look at these documentaries:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Q636h2i18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heZXy8jn3yk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7Y-rUtrnE8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfxUCY3RUEo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCkEr807KHg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GseDLqbycYU

I know its alot, but its worth watching, you will be amazed.

[Bukefal]

Have a look at these documentaries. I know its alot, but its worth watching, you will be amazed. Its a series of one episode.

o9Q636h2i18

heZXy8jn3yk

l7Y-rUtrnE8

UfxUCY3RUEo

DCkEr807KHg

GseDLqbycYU