Time For Change In Canada Basketball - By Sonny Bairos

Time For Change In Canada Basketball

GameShooter Sport Breakdown :

1. The writer makes some very valid points in his article most if not all of his criticism of the National Program has some merit and should be looked at closely by all in the Basketball Community.

2. We do not believe Coach Nikki Davis is or ever was Rowans hand picked guy for RJ. Coach Nikki is and should be considered one of the better Basketball minds in Canada and a man who's integrity is 100% without influence.

3. The Team Ennis situation when RJ played with Bounce along with his Brampton Grade 8 OBA championship team which lasted 1 summer the team was tremendous and only lost maybe 2 games that summer RJ played up a few times for Coach Nikki with the older boys for some reason the fit was not right and he decided to play for his 2000 Team Ennis Team for the majority of the summer. Coach Nikki is a hard demanded Coach that may have played into the move back to his 2000 team at that point however RJ did perform at a very high level with the 99' Team it had nothing to do with game play or performance.

4. Why did Team Ennis (Brampton 2000) decide to leave CIA Bounce after just 1 great summer as Team Ennis .. because this is now deep in the past it just came down to wanting more than any other Team in Canada was getting as a sponsored travel Team for the summer. CIA Bounce did not want to meet the request as it was at the time unusual in Canada for a team that young to require what was asked by Team Ennis (Brampton) so both parties decide to part ways.

5. Uplay secured the Nike deal prior to RJ coming on board the Uplay and Rowan had no involvment in securing that deal for Uplay why do we believe this statement .. well Canada SMNT hardly has a Nike deal if any we just don't believe Rowan or Basketball Canada has that type of pull with Nike. Uplay has also stated many times that this deal is based on their history of strong players within their program which is true they also service an area SWO that is also rich in basketball talent.

6. You would have to be blind to not notice the push on Uplay players in the National Program recently it all seems timely due the relationship with Basketball Canada & Rowan Barrett this type of push could be looked at as bias from other clubs with elite players who are not getting the benefit of the doubt.

7. Why are players not playing for the SMNT ? just watch last years summer qualifier and you will see why .. they benched Wiggins in the 4th quarter and had him watch Euro Pros / Carleton guys lose a game .. Stauskus didn't want to go back he was too busy training for the job that pays him in the NBA all of these guys are friends and know what is really going the atmosphere is not good at the SMNT level the kids with talent don't really want to play.

8. It would be good ideal to look at Team Ontario as they are equally bias in selection and driven by outside forces.

Sponsor :