Baker and VanVleet Invited to Team USA Tryouts.

[proshox]

"Versatility" is important if you can't lock down your position as the primary player.

If you are the best available at your position, you don't need to be "versatile." You can't play more than 1 position at once.

Ok. How "MUCH" better is FVV than the other three? Is he heads and shoulders better? If not, his incremental value may not overcome the lack of versatility factor.

[Cdizzle]

You just made the argument that a player isn't "enough" better at basketball than another player to make a basketball team. They aren't competing in the decathlon.

I relent. Difficult to argue with that.

Congrats to Fred for making it as far as he did, and big congrats to Ron for making the team.

[WstateU]

Have you been drinking?

Bobby Brown was brought to teach the young guys the international game. He was never going to be cut.

Ron Baker's skill set always translated better to the non-college game and he can play the 1, 2, or 3.

A great player wasn't going to make the team. Unfortunately, for FVV it was him. He received excellent coaching and showed well.

At the end of the day - what an honor for both young men.

Sounds like "another" has had too many anothers...

[Art Bunch]

IMO they simply chose size and versatility, which trumped best pure PG skills.

Can't argue with that. No shame in being the guy who finishes second to Trimble. At next year's NBA draft people will talking about him like they were talking about the kid from Ohio St this year. He's got big time written all over him. Not literally of course.

[Art Bunch]

As you can see I've already moved through my 5 stages of grief over this.

1. DENIAL: "It can't be. He had to make it. They put them on the front page of the USA basketball website."
2. ANGER: "Those arrogant sons of b&@#$%s! Can't they see Fred's the best PG in the country?!?"
3. BARGAINING: "Could be a result of future matchups - and we haven't scouted the opponents like the coaches..."
4. DEPRESSION: "I'm never going on Shockernet again."
5. ACCEPTANCE: "No shame in being the guy who finishes second to Trimble."

[shoxlax]

As you can see I've already moved through my 5 stages of grief over this.

1. DENIAL: "It can't be. He had to make it. They put them on the front page of the USA basketball website."
2. ANGER: "Those arrogant sons of b&@#$%s! Can't they see Fred's the best PG in the country?!?"
3. BARGAINING: "Could be a result of future matchups - and we haven't scouted the opponents like the coaches..."
4. DEPRESSION: "I'm never going on Shockernet again."
5. ACCEPTANCE: "No shame in being the guy who finishes second to Trimble."

I actually have six as Binge Eating always makes my list

[another shocker]

Sounds like "another" has had too many anothers...

you've done it again. well done.

there is no better pg in the country than fvv, though. wichita state is headed for big things this year, joey. big things! hopefully, maryland (b1g) and wichita state (mvc) are both in the midwest bracket this next ncaa tournament. that would be a hoot.

[WstateU]

As you can see I've already moved through my 5 stages of grief over this.

1. DENIAL: "It can't be. He had to make it. They put them on the front page of the USA basketball website."
2. ANGER: "Those arrogant sons of b&@#$%s! Can't they see Fred's the best PG in the country?!?"
3. BARGAINING: "Could be a result of future matchups - and we haven't scouted the opponents like the coaches..."
4. DEPRESSION: "I'm never going on Shockernet again."
5. ACCEPTANCE: "No shame in being the guy who finishes second to Trimble."

I actually have six as Binge Eating always makes my list

6a. A little 'Binge Drinking' with old girlfriends for ole WstateU...

[Windiwu]

Puerto Rico team has been announced

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDIQqQIwA2oVChMI96Ti6-vfxgIVBleSCh3hLQRM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.courier-journal.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Flouisville%2F2015%2F07%2F15%2Fjj-barea-headlines-louisville-basketball-coach-rick-pitinos-pan-am-games-puerto-rico-team%2F30185413%2F&ei=Hr2nVfedFoauyQTh25DgBA&usg=AFQjCNGJS5MXNqL5WqebHCsCrg8UYAx8xQ

Hope that link posted correctly. It looks like the USA team will have it's hands full if they get past Venzuela. I can't find that TeamUSA is even scrimmaging with another team.

[Windiwu]

Correction of the above... They will face Puerto Rico second irregardless of the Venzuela outcome since the first three games are preliminary not elimination.

[RoyalShock]

Here is the schedule. I'm assuming the times are Eastern, so 21:00 should be 8pm Central.

http://results.toronto2015.org/IRS/en/basketball/event-overview-bkm400.htm

[Windiwu]

I can find them listed for streaming on ESPN3 but not on the rest of the ESPN family.

Wikipedia lists the team roster for Brazil for this game but I'm not sure how to cut out that section for linking. :) I have been unable to find information on the Venzuela team.

[RoyalShock]

[Windiwu]

Here should be a link to the Brazil team:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:2015_Pan_American_Games_Brazil_men%27s_basketball_team_roster

[Kung Wu]

OMG! Mark Turgeon didn't make the cut!