Basketball Canada’s Debacle at 2010 World Basketball Championship

I have noted on our blog page several searches requesting why Jay Triano was let go as Canada Basketball’s Senoir Mens coach.  It occurred back in 2005.  Jay Triano was relieved from his position as the head coach of the Senior Men’s National Team, by Canada Basketball,  because Canada Basketball claimed to want their own ‘full-time’ head coach in return for the  sum of money they were paying Jay was already an assistant coach’ for the Toronto Raptors. After Canada Basketball failed to reach an agreement with Jay Triano, the decision was made to hire Leo Rautins from a pool of candidates who applied for the vacant position in a formal open search process.

The whole we want a full time coach makes no sense.  Jay Triano is a long time assistant coach in the NBA, he is now a Head Coach of the Toronto Raptors, he works with assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini, who is a great architect of European Basketball, and  the Raptors have employ a number of European players over the years.  Essentially Jay Triano is in the best position having a wealth of international experience both personally and what he doesn’t know is easily accessible through the assistant GM.  Further, he coaches in the NBA the best league in the world Basketball wise anyway.  Not to mention his involvement with Basketball Canada’s senior mens’ teams and under 20 teams as well.  He also coached at the University of  Simon Fraser.

Now regarading Leo Rautins, who must be fired,  he was hired despite the fact that he had no experience as a basketball coach prior to being hired for this job.  You hold an open search and select names from a list of applying candidates and Leo Rautins, no coaching experience,  is the best Basketball Canada could hire.  This is more proof its not what you know but rather who.   What is also odd is that is that he is a sports broadcaster,  play by play commentator and there fore also not a full time coach.  But the situation is currently so bad under Rautins that Canada:

Has gone 0-5 at the 2010 WBC championship

Lost their first 4 games by 27  points less than 7  per game.

Are missing alienated players like  Steve Nash, Samuel Dalembert, Juan Mendez and Jamaal Maglore.  Dalembert won’t  play for Leo, Nash has declined since Leo has been Coach and Juan Mendez was cut from the team the same time Leo also alienated Dalembert.

Leo has also failed to help Dalembert and Matt Bonner in matters of becoming a Canadian Citizen and really hasn’t seemed keen on adding Maglore to the roster.

Leo most likely only chose Denham Brown for this squad due to an injury to Carl English

One has to figure with these veterans and some of the youth that Canada has a blend of the two would have been beneficial we could have had  a 4-1 record at this years WBC as the most threatening opponent was Spain.  Canada Basketball needs to get Nash, Dalembert and Maglorew in a room or on a conference call and figure out what must be done and get it done.

For my good friend Anthony I am prepared to start a petition to have Leo Rautins fired because even had Basketball Canada hired a University Coach or even say a Jack Armstrong, they would at least have had coaching experience.

Yesterday, on the Score, they did a special featuring all the young up and coming talents that Canadian Basketball fans can look forward to but can only help for the 2016 Summer Olympics.  This is the first I have heard that Basketball Canada’s plan was to target 2016.  This is spin doctoring from the Broadcaster/coach Leo Rautins and his political allies at Basketball Canada after what has been a fiasco at the 2010 WBC.  It also will explain why Leo won’t be fired although he clearly should be.

Linas Kleiza:

Recently signed on as a small forward, this off season with the Toronto Raptors who made him an offer while he was a restricted free agent of the Denver Nuggets.  The Nuggets declined to match the offer.  Now many are concerned because Kleiza did not play in the NBA last season.

Well so far at the WBC, in Turkey,  Kleiza’s abilities have been on display.    Kleiza has 87 points in Lithuania s five matches so far including 18 points against Canada and 27 against New Zealand.    He is averaging 17.4 ppg, 6.8 RPG and shoots 58% from the field and over 38% from 3 point range.  These numbers suggest he can play some.

His scouting report says:

An offensive specialist who will knock down shots from the perimeter at a solid rate. Has good size and strength for either forward spot, but isn’t incredibly agile. Surprisingly good straight line speed. Doesn’t get by on his physical assets. A very good spot up shooter when he’s on his game. Will put points on the board in a hurry and can get extremely hot. Not a very good defender due to his lack of athleticism. Possesses a very high basketball IQ.

Jorge Garbojosa:

Former Raptor Jorge Garbajosa is still playing for Spain.  In Spains 5 matches he’s averaging 8.8 points a game 50 % from the field and 58% from 3 point range.