Do all strong teams in the world will play in WC?

[damelo]

Well, the wild cards are here for the great Bball countries, when they have an accident in the continental championships. I guess it would be better to ban it, for motivating players to play with their nationals team.

[hagakure]

No offense to the teams that received the wild card, but I think it's a disgrace (and yes I was saing the same things even before the Eurobasket, when my country still hadn't qualified for the WC). FIBA is simply trying to increase interest but essentially what they're doing is make players care less because they know that FIBA will give them a wildcard.

[Akis]

I believe that teams that take part in a competition should not be decided based on geographical, financial or marketing criterias. The only that should matter in sports is how good a team is to take part in a competition.
FIBA should set qualification games for world cup having groups which based on strength of teams and not based on their location. This will have as result to have the best 24 teams in finals (more or less depending the number of teams that will take part in final phase)
Like that nobody can complaint why an area has lot of spots while other less, nobody will complaint why a country got wild card instead of them and the most important we will not have teams in final that will be loosing by 40-50 or more points.
A great example of that silly system that FIBA is using is Israel. Isreal is in Asia but due to political reasons belongs to FIBA Europe. If Israel was taking part in Asian competitions would have been in finals always and easily but now hardly can qualify. Isnt it silly? Australia and New Zealand have in fact wild cards since Oceania has 2 spots and have to compete teams like Virgin Islands while Russia, Croatia are out of competition and Italy, Serbia, Turkey and Puerto Rico could have been out also if FIBA has not given them a wild card.

[Buducnost PG]

There're many basketball fans in my country, but I'm afraid the WC will not interest them, like the Russians or other bball lovers from countries that weren't good enough to earn tickets to Japan.
No doubt, the best teams in Europe won the tickets to WC, but does it mean all other WC participants are better than Russia, Israel or some other good teams from european groups? For example, we saw some days ago Senegal in preparation tournament in Lithuania and it was the worst team in the tournament. Liths are no doubt very strong team, but also Israel and Russia have played much better than WC participant. Of course, I want to see Senegal and other teams from all over the world in WC, but why not to expand the tournament and to let some more 3-4 interesting teams from european groups to be part of it?

You are right when you say that Russia, Israel, Croatia and even Bosnia and Hercegovina are better then Senegal or Venezuela. In preperation games both Croatia and Bosnia won against Venezuela. But this is a WC and not a EC so the FIBA have to let Teams from the whole World play in it. Now 24 teams are able to start at the WC and 9 from them are from Europe. 6 qualifyied directly and Serbia, Turkey and Italy get a wildcart. But when we see how much stronger the Teams from Europa are, which don´t are at the top of european basketball like Russia, Croatia, Israel and Bosnia then the Fiba perhaps should allow 11 teams from Europe to start at the WC. And the best would be, if they cancel the wildcarts.

[CG]

then bring all em nations and play one freaking tournamen of over 100+ to please everybody

that sounds a good idea
add Zulu also

[CG]

so we have 2 categories

1st: THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

with many kind of nations and little interest from the people of the planet but with uch expansion fact

2nd: THE WORLD BEST TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP

with little nations but with huge interest which someday will fight the world popular sport football but with no expansion factor.

xm i choose the second with qualifying rounds from the small natons in order to play at the latest stage

[kestas]

I believe that teams that take part in a competition should not be decided based on geographical, financial or marketing criterias. The only that should matter in sports is how good a team is to take part in a competition.

you people are floating in the clouds, imho. it's a mirracle FIBA has increased the number of participants of the WC. there's no way in this world they're gonna change the regional system anytime soon - that's simply too much for them. look, they can't even manage the official site of the Championships normally.. besides, we can all philosophise as much as we like, but truth is nations care about championships MUCH less if they're not represented. I, personally, hardly cared about the World Championships four years ago at all. don't remember if any games were shown or advertised on the TV here in Lithuania, coz I probably saw none. and we are crazy about basketball, remmember?

besides, I wonder what will you say when FIBA will pas the new sellection system for the Olympics. under the suggested system, which is being discussed for at least a year now, only finalists of Eurobasket would quallify for the Olympic games. other participants would be determined in an aditional tournament taking place in the summer before the Olympics. two major tournaments in one year will surely attract dead tired star players of countries like Lithuania!
what's more, despite the fact that FIBA Europe is against it, it most likely will go through, coz all other sections of FIBA are in favour of it. besides, FIBA Europe is weak, as we all know from their infamous club competitions for men and their relationships with ULEB, stagnating leadership and so on. so basically we can start bracing ourselves for the begining of the end of international basketball as we know it. and it will be done by FIBA themselves.

so please do not complain that FIBA did badly with these particullar World Championships. compared to what FIBA can do in the future their strategy towards this WC may seem as a very wise one

k

[ncroc]

Games in group C have been unbelievable so far. Go "12 Giant Men". Turkey, Italy (and Puerto R.) plays well. Where are the real Serbian players ? I really would like to see Serbia-USA ( Europe against America) game but with real Serbian players. Still feel bad about wildcards ?

[ajaxballer]

If the WC had all the strong teams Canada would be in it

[kestas]

Games in group C have been unbelievable so far. Go "12 Giant Men". Turkey, Italy (and Puerto R.) plays well. Where are the real Serbian players ? I really would like to see Serbia-USA ( Europe against America) game but with real Serbian players. Still feel bad about wildcards ?

how wildcards play is irrelevant, imho. its a question of principle - do we need Eurobasket and alike and do we honor sporting principles above polytical ones. though it's obvious that when Turkey reached the bottom there were no other way for them than up. Puerto Rico and Italy could be easily substituted by Russia and Croatia, who got 7 and 8 spots in Eurobasket. Turkey as well, btw

k