Hoops

FIBA World Championship Wild Cards

And this is what Australian FIBA President Bob Elphinstone had to say: http://linky.com.au/cl7lv

And the winners of the Wildcards are:

Germany
Lebanon
Lithuania
Russia

These 4 teams were officially awarded wild-card entries to basketball's 2010 world championships in Turkey.

I am outstounded that the Dominican Republic did not score a wildcard, and Great Britain was also overlooked despite hosting the 2012 Olympics...but that's politics!

FIBA Link + Video: http://linky.com.au/fr5m6

Let's be serious, Lebanon would not win a single game at the WC's.

Meanwhile, FIBA.com and Interbasket discussed the top 11 contenders...

FIBA Link: http://linky.com.au/9cunv

Cameroon
Dominican Republic
Germany
Great Britain
Korea
Lebanon
Lithuania
Nigeria
Poland
Russia
Taiwan

Let's be serious, Lebanon would not win a single game at the WC's.

Meanwhile, FIBA.com and Interbasket discussed the top 11 contenders...

FIBA Link: http://linky.com.au/9cunv

Cameroon
Dominican Republic
Germany
Great Britain
Korea
Lebanon
Lithuania
Nigeria
Poland
Russia
Taiwan

From BA Website:

Twenty nations, including Australia, have already qualified for the event, with the final four wild card entries expected to be announced by FIBA, the world governing body of basketball, on Sunday night.

The draw for the 2010 FIBA World Championship will take place at the Carigan Palace Kempinski Hotel in Istanbul on Tuesday from 8:30pm EDT, with Basketball Australia represented by its General Manager of High Performance Wayne Carroll.

Carroll represented Australia at the 1982 World Championship in Bogota, Columbia and the 1986 incarnation of the event in Madrid, Spain as well as at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games.

FIBA will stream live video of the draw ceremony on FIBA TV at www.fibatv.com

Link: http://linky.com.au/o3w9h

I definitely think the following teams will get a
Wildcard: Russia & Dominican Republic. However the last 2 spots could go to anyone, and in my revised order:

Lithuania
Germany
Great Britain
Poland
Macedonia
Nigeria
Cameroon
Lebanon

Not long to go now...

Labanon are crap...

Lebanon have a poor team in comparison to the European teams in contention, such as Russia, Poland, Macedonia, Germany, even Lithuania (who are a shadow of their former selves at the moment), Italy (who could not even qualify for Eurobasket) and Great Britain.
Dominican Republic will get a spot as they are easily the best team outside of Europe that has not yet qualified.

I cannot see how Lebanon deserves a spot...far too may other teams in front of them.

Lebanon have a poor team in comparison to the European teams in contention, such as Russia, Poland, Macedonia, Germany, even Lithuania (who are a shadow of their former selves at the moment), Italy (who could not even qualify for Eurobasket) and Great Britain.
Dominican Republic will get a spot as they are easily the best team outside of Europe that has not yet qualified.

I cannot see how Lebanon deserves a spot...far too may other teams in front of them.

Lebanon have a poor team in comparison to the European teams in contention, such as Russia, Poland, Macedonia, Germany, even Lithuania (who are a shadow of their former selves at the moment), Italy (who could not even qualify for Eurobasket) and Great Britain.
Dominican Republic will get a spot as they are easily the best team outside of Europe that has not yet qulified.

I cannot see how Lebanon deserves a spot...far too may other teams in front of them.

Lithuania's performances at Eurobasket were very poor for such a proud basketballing nation with a successful history. I guess only time will tekll he gets the final 4 tickets. But I really do think Russia and the Dominican Republic will be the first two teams chosen to receive their tickets.

Lithuania are a shoe in. Good results over the last 15 years or so and some of the best supporters in world basketball. A FIBA tournament wouldn't be the same without them.

FIBA can't select teams based on who may or may not play. I really think they will select teams based on results. Although I'd love to see a wildcard tourney like what was held for the last Olympics.

Read this original post on exactly the same topic: http://linky.com.au/tfzsc

From that list, if I were to pick the next best 4 teams right now, this is how I see it:

1. Russia (Europe)
2. Dominican Republic (Americas)
3. Macedonia (Europe)
4. Poland (Europe)

I left out Germany as you can only select teams based on results, and Poland did better at Eurobasket than Germany. Italy were not even considered as they did not qualify for Eurobasket.