🏀 It's FIBA Time

You’re not dreaming. You will be watching NBA players play meaningful basketball this week. Not actually in the NBA…but meaningful in a different way! That’s right, we’re rapidly approacing FIBA World Cup time, and we’re going to bring you up to speed on the rosters of countries your friends don’t even know exist. Just kidding, we know your friends are worldly. But we’re still going to get you ready for the World Cup, and we have a brand new segment. What a day. Strap in 🫡

Today’s Lineup

We’re Goin’ Worldwide: All you need to know about the FIBA World Cup 🌍

Ready To Pop: This sophomore big is destined to become a defensive force 🛑

Odd Things Happen In Philly: Why is the NBA investigating the Sixers? 🔍

FIBA World Cup Preview

FIBA tournaments are Enjoyable for a variety of reasons; we get to watch high-level basketball in August, we’re reminded just how global this game is, and we’re introduced to great players we’d otherwise not get to watch. The next few weeks are going to be a blast, so here are some of our favorite storylines heading into the FIBA World Cup.

Oh, Canada?

The bad news? Jamal Murray will not play for Canada in the World Cup. The good news? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, RJ Barrett, Dillon Brooks, and Lu Dort will! Canada’s team is loaded with household NBA names.

Ant-Man And His Squad

Unsurprisingly, the United States remains the odds-on favorite to win the whole tournament. Anthony Edwards went bananas in the USA’s showcase game against Germany, and USA head coach Steve Kerr is ready to hand him the reigns. And with Tyrese Haliburton, Mikal Bridges, Paolo Banchero, Austin Reaves, Jaren Jackson Jr., and more ready to lend hands when needed, knocking off Team USA will be a tall task.

Slow-Mo On Team 🇨🇳

If you heard the PA announcer say, “Starting at forward for China, Li Kaier,” you likely wouldn’t expect to see a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves…but you would! Kyle Anderson has officially gained Chinese citizenship and will suit up for Team Dragon at the World Cup.

Worth Tuning In!

Every game in this tournament is worth tuning in for because we just love hoops…but here are a few familiar names that will be repping their countries.

Lauri Markkanen, Finland: The reigning NBA Most Improved Player will have to do pretty much all of the heavy lifting for Finland, who may need a monster tourney for Lauri if they want to spring some upsets.

Josh Giddey, Australia: OKC’s young stud, on the other hand, will have some well-known weapons flanking him, including Patty Mills and Josh Green.

Karl-Anthony Towns, Dominican Republic: KAT has been proudly putting on the DR jersey for a decade now, and he’ll continue to play for them in this World Cup.

Ready To Pop: Mark Williams

Welcome to Ready To Pop! For the next few weeks, we’ll be examining the rookie seasons of players who did not make an All-Rookie team but are poised for coming out parties in 2023-24 nonetheless. 

First up? The long-limbed, surprisingly graceful, potential defensive menace: Mark Williams, who Charlotte snagged with the 15th pick in last year’s draft, their hope being that Williams would fill the “rim protecting, lob finisher” role for years to come.

That’s not an unfounded hope, either. Williams possesses a 7’7" wingspan (reminiscent of a Condor, if you ask Hornets announcer Eric Collins) and showed a captivating nimbleness in his two seasons at Duke—posting the ACC’s best defensive rating and best BLK% during his sophomore year.

Williams was eased into a major role for Charlotte— but the bigger his responsibilities became, the more confident he looked. His distinguished defensive efforts were perhaps the impetus for Charlotte posting the NBA’s 8th-best defensive rating after the All-Star break.

Season stats: 43 G, 9.0 PTS, 7.1 REBS, 1.0 BLK

Season stats (as a starter): 17 G, 11.6 PTS, 9.8 REB, 1.1 BLK

Personal highs: PTS: 22, REB: 20, BLK: 5, STL: 3

His raw stats don’t jump off the page—but many of Williams’ advanced numbers point to the 21 year-old already being a positive player. He did not play enough games to technically qualify, but his 4.7% block rate would have situated him right in front of Joel Embiid, and just behind Anthony Davis. His defensive rebound rate would have been top-10 in the league as well, and his defensive rating is comfortably the best on the Hornets.

Williams showed some impressive ability to guard out to the perimeter; while his incredibly long frame helps with that in part, Williams’ foot speed and recovery ability jumped off the tape time and time again as well. In the post, Williams showed patience, and an ability to contest shots without fouling that is beyond his years.

A solid touch around the rim and occasional quality post move have believers understandably thinking that Williams’ offensive ceiling is perhaps higher than “play finisher.” He understands how to bend and adjust his body extremely well, a helpful trait on both ends. What he may lack in raw explosiveness, he makes up for with a fundamental understanding of where to be and how to maximize the efficiency of his movements.

Are big things coming soon from Charlotte’s young center?

Frozen Moments

• Are the Philadelphia 76ers a social experiment of some kind?

• We kind of forgot the Aces could lose at home, to be honest…

• Superstar showing from one of the future faces of the NBA…

What We’re Enjoying

The History of the Minnesota Vikings: If you don’t know by now, the good folks over at Secret Base produce some of the very best sports content, period. And the first three episodes of The History of The Minnesota Vikings just reinforce that fact even more. Meticulously researched, spectacularly edited, and truly as engaging as any high-budget documentary, we are fully confident this series will lure you in even if you’ve never been to the state of Minnesota (great state, by the way, you should go if you get a chance.)

Signing Off

And we’re out of here! Not many things in life are sure things, but us having a great time hanging out with you all is always a guarantee. Look at some stars this week. Calvin might be on to something here. Talk soon.

-Quinn Everts

Trivia Answer: Most points in the last FIBA World Cup? That distinction belongs to then-Sacramento King, Bogdan Bogdanović.

Before you go…