That sucks. He's so much fun to watch and root for. I was rooting like hell for his team to lose every game this last season and ended up becoming a Fox fan in spite of that.Fox withdraws from team after playing only handful of minutes last night.
I don’t blame him one bit. At this point I’m surprised more deep reserves aren’t dropping out. What is the upside to sitting on the bench in the exhibitions and in China for a month while sacrificing your summer vacation?Fox withdraws from team after playing only handful of minutes last night.
Why would you lose respect for Pop for not playing a guy he probably wasn't going to put on the final roster more? Fox saw the writing on the wall that he was either going to not make the final cut or be last man on the bench. Would you respect Pop more if he made guys think that they were going to be on the final roster when they weren't?That sucks. He's so much fun to watch and root for. I was rooting like hell for his team to lose every game this last season and ended up becoming a Fox fan in spite of that.
Officially, it's "to focus his efforts on the upcoming season". Some reports from Chris Haynes that Sacramento was pushing him to do so. If so, I hope they take some shit from the league and USAB. But if not, and it's just because of playing time - despite getting heaps of public praise from Gregg fucking Popovich - my respect for him is diminished. Hell, a lot of top players were happier to get less playing time, because it meant less injury risk in blowouts.
I think the dashes work differently in his post.Why would you lose respect for Pop for not playing a guy he probably wasn't going to put on the final roster more? Fox saw the writing on the wall that he was either going to not make the final cut or be last man on the bench. Would you respect Pop more if he made guys think that they were going to be on the final roster when they weren't?
Ah I see it, I was on my phone and missed that you meant Fox.I think the dashes work differently in his post.
Yes, lose respect for Fox, for not seeing out his commitment. Sorry for the ambiguity, it's on me to write clearly.Why would you lose respect for Pop for not playing a guy he probably wasn't going to put on the final roster more? Fox saw the writing on the wall that he was either going to not make the final cut or be last man on the bench. Would you respect Pop more if he made guys think that they were going to be on the final roster when they weren't?
I dunno, where could he possibly be on the PG depth chart? Kemba Walker... Derrick White? I gotta imagine they'd take Fox over Derrick White, unless people who've watched full scrimmages would tell me White's done better on defense or in running Pop's plays. But Fox would've been a fantastic slash-and-kick backup PG, going up against team's second lines in the rotation and just being twice as fast as anyone most of them have ever played against.I'm fine with Fox dropping, no reason to travel to AUS for a tuneup game if you're pretty sure you won't make the final cut. Pop was showing him where he was, and Fox decided to take himself out before he got cut.
Solid observation.Edit- So they released team photos today with guys in new jerseys, numbers 4-7 and 9-15 are visible (numbers 4-15 are used in FIBA play) the only 2 players who don't have visible number are Barnes and Kuzma. Presumably barring injury they are fighting for the #8 jersey and the last spot on the roster.
I thought Kuzma looked pretty good against Spain. Barnes didn't stand out much at all, good or bad.Yes, lose respect for Fox, for not seeing out his commitment. Sorry for the ambiguity, it's on me to write clearly.
It would be very hard for me to respect Pop more.
I dunno, where could he possibly be on the PG depth chart? Kemba Walker... Derrick White? I gotta imagine they'd take Fox over Derrick White, unless people who've watched full scrimmages would tell me White's done better on defense or in running Pop's plays. But Fox would've been a fantastic slash-and-kick backup PG, going up against team's second lines in the rotation and just being twice as fast as anyone most of them have ever played against.
Though obviously all of these guys can initiate offense, Donovan Mitchell is a 2, Smart is usually used as a 2, Joe Harris a 2/3 swing, etc. I think Walker and White are the only actual point guards on the roster right now, with Fox departed.
Solid observation.
Not sure who I'd pick between them, but I gotta imagine Kuzma is a likelier bet to stay in the USAB program for the longer term, even if Barnes is a better player today (and was on the 2016 Rio roster). In their most recent NBA season, Kuzma wins on PER (14.0 to 12.8), Win Shares is a push (3.1 to 3.6), TS% is a push (.546 to .550), Barnes is a better FT shooter (83% to 75%).
You first have to recognize that this isn’t NBA competition with NBA rules. Fox is a pure 1 and not only don’t you really need to be a pure 1 in FIBA rules vs FIBA competition but it also can be a detriment. Aside from Kemba you don’t need a pure 1 on the floor when you have Mitchell, Middleton, and even Smart on the floor capable of handling these same responsibilities in FIBA.I dunno, where could he possibly be on the PG depth chart? Kemba Walker... Derrick White? I gotta imagine they'd take Fox over Derrick White, unless people who've watched full scrimmages would tell me White's done better on defense or in running Pop's plays. But Fox would've been a fantastic slash-and-kick backup PG, going up against team's second lines in the rotation and just being twice as fast as anyone most of them have ever played against.
Though obviously all of these guys can initiate offense, Donovan Mitchell is a 2, Smart is usually used as a 2, Joe Harris a 2/3 swing, etc. I think Walker and White are the only actual point guards on the roster right now, with Fox departed.
Tomato, Tomahto since neither would be seeing anything more than token minutes. Pop obviously prefers having White there and the latter wasn't going to leave Pop's team due to lack of minutes since it was his NBA coach who invited him.Ok but isn't Fox's quickness a game-breaking weapon against the zones common in FIBA competition? You try to rotate and he's already past you.
You're right that Kemba is on the roster for his shooting and passing more than his initiating or defense, but don't you think Fox brings more to the FWC table than White?
There sere some reports from practices that White was "the best player on the court". FWIW.Ok but isn't Fox's quickness a game-breaking weapon against the zones common in FIBA competition? You try to rotate and he's already past you.
You're right that Kemba is on the roster for his shooting and passing more than his initiating or defense, but don't you think Fox brings more to the FWC table than White?
I think the fact that he was out there competing this whole time makes it unlikely it was "can't be bothered."ah well, that's too bad, he's an exciting player and he's not going to sniff the Olympic roster, so unless he's a top-10 guard in 4 years' time, we might not see him on that stage.
If Pop did tell him he was going to be cut, then that makes sense, but after all the other withdrawals and after weeks of training, it had a whiff of "I can't be bothered to play for my country".
I love Pop. He brings his guy to Australia and sits his ass on the bench the entire game. This is perfect.Derrick White got less than 3 minutes. Why wouldn't we think he's the one to be cut?
Kemba was leading scorer with 22, Smart started and had 7 points, 3 assists, Jaylen had 8 points, going 3 of 3 from the floor, while Tatum struggled a bit, with 5 points on 2 of 8 shooting.Rough game for the team usa celtics, beaten by Patty Mills and the dominant paint offense of Bogut and Baynes
I'm not concerned the way I am about paying for college for my kids, or about that supervolcano under Yellowstone. But it's a subpar basketball team.78-game international winning streak ends and nobody seems at all concerned with how bad of a FIBA team this actually is here?
Who for reasons I cannot fathom are still -400 to win this thing. My Serbia is down to +200 & +230. The individual game value is going to be off the hook. Turkey is a more than competent team and +800 to win the Group but the game number has the potential to be outrageous for this matchup.I'm not concerned the way I am about paying for college for my kids, or about that supervolcano under Yellowstone. But it's a subpar basketball team.
I think most of us care as much about FIBA as the top NBA players do. It's fun to watch some summer basketball, but I don't get really worked up over it.78-game international winning streak ends and nobody seems at all concerned with how bad of a FIBA team this actually is here?
Yeah, it’s nice to watch basketball in the doldrums of the summer (especially with four Celtics on the team) but I think like 98% of United States basketball fans couldn’t care less about FIBA.I think most of us care as much about FIBA as the top NBA players do. It's fun to watch some summer basketball, but I don't get really worked up over it.
Your Serbia bet is looking solid though.
They lost one exhibition game. Why would this concern me?78-game international winning streak ends and nobody seems at all concerned with how bad of a FIBA team this actually is here?
And an exhibition game where they admitted that they weren't running rotations that they likely would in a game.They lost one exhibition game. Why would this concern me?
First loss with NBA players in 17 yearsThey lost one exhibition game. Why would this concern me?
17 years? Shit, they lost to Greece in 2006 with LeBron / Bosh / Wade, Howard, Carmelo, etc.First loss with NBA players in 17 years
Not your fault. Any time one listens to 98.5 or 93.7, one cannot help mishearing.I misheard. 98.5 or 93.7
In any case, 13 years is bad.
Greece were playing full court press in that game. A very belated vindication for Rick Pitino.17 years? Shit, they lost to Greece in 2006 with LeBron / Bosh / Wade, Howard, Carmelo, etc.
edit: I'm gonna assume you misheard "78 games" as "17 years".