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World Cup 2023

Team Finland (aka the "Wolfpack") training camp for the Rising Stars has begun, with 19 named players on the list. Lauri Markkanen has been sighted on the site too (I don't know if he has been practicing with them, or if he has been there prep-talking to them; Lauri's garrison is not far from the training site, so might be either or both, as far as I would have to guess). The youngish players (some of them from NCAA, some from various European leagues) are competing for spots in the actual Wolfpack for World Cup or for the Universidas (University students "olympics") held in China in August. Of the 19 players on the Rising Stars training camp prolly two or three might get an invite to the World Cup team, 12 will get an invite to the Universidas team. The players chosen for the Universidas team will also join the actual Wolfpack training camp, and play practice matches (behind closed doors) vs the actual Wolfpack.
 
Goran Dragic won't play for Slovenia in World Cup, says he is too tired. That is a massive blow for Slovenia, as the past years he was together with Luka the reason Slovenia did so well in the competitions (Olympics 2021, Eurobasket 2022).
 
Swuul said:
Goran Dragic won't play for Slovenia in World Cup, says he is too tired. That is a massive blow for Slovenia, as the past years he was together with Luka the reason Slovenia did so well in the competitions (Olympics 2021, Eurobasket 2022).
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Let the man spend a summer in his nursing home, he must be 85.
 
First post edited now that Walker Kessler has committed to play for Team USA. I for one am happy for him, and also happy that I figured it out he would be in the challenger team or even the actual Team USA roster :)


Kessler to play for Team USA in the Fiba World Cup this summer

View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1669147573179801602 View: https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba/status/1669149149303013377
jazzfanz.com jazzfanz.com
 
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Walker will get to guard Wembanyama or Gobert if USA matches up with France. I'm guessing that's why USA needs the extra size. Gobert ran amok last time around.
 
Ferguson_Mellochill said:
Walker will get to guard Wembanyama or Gobert if USA matches up with France. I'm guessing that's why USA needs the extra size. Gobert ran amok last time around.
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FIBA matches are quite a bit more physical than NBA. Practically all teams have big strong dudes defending under the basket, which was something USA was not prepared for during the 2019 World Cup. On first play-off round the physical team of Serbia essentially wrestled USA to the ground, with Nikola Jokic taking care of the ball (in team Serbia Jokic is designated as a Power Forward, so he is not the Center in the team (in 2019 the gorilla at Center position was Nikola Milutinov, who knows all the tricks in the wrestling books), which leaves Joker free to run the show with the ball).

Should be an excellent opportunity for Kessler to show his strength and skills, something Team USA definitively needs under the basket, if they intend to be better than 7th team this time in the final standings.
 
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I really wish Lauri wasn't playing in this. The injury risk and the extra wear and tear he'll carry into the season for basically pointless games worries me.
 
Ron Mexico said:
I really wish Lauri wasn't playing in this. The injury risk and the extra wear and tear he'll carry into the season for basically pointless games worries me.
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I mean it was terrible for him last year… he will go god mode again and come into camp with crazy confidence… may mess around and become the mvp.
 
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