Consideration|Bahamas men's basketball naturalized Clay? FIBA embarked on the point of no return to smash its own signboard

Written by | Yu Ruiyin

Edited by Bojan

The Caribbean island nation of Bahamas, with a total population of only 394,000, ranked 50th in FIBA and never before in any World Series finals, actually "killed" the South American traditional big brother Argentina in the Olympic qualification round? This is a basketball parable of the decline of old money and the rise of new money, if it were not for the Bahamians exposing their potential "riot" prematurely...

Because they don't seem to be satisfied with the luxurious lineup led by Ayton, Gordon, Hield and Kai Jones, four active NBA players, they have extended their tentacles to more star-like candidates early. According to Bahamas Basketball Association president Eugene Horton, in order to stand out in the losing tournament next July and achieve a historic breakthrough in the Olympic Games, they plan to invite Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors to complete naturalization and join the team.

Although Klay has played in the World Cup and Olympics for the U.S. men's basketball team, there are always exceptions to the rules.

Naturalized Clay? A bit outrageous

Whether this is the wind released after the two sides first contacted, or the wishful thinking of the Bahamas Basketball Association, it is not yet known. Kinship-wise, Klay's father, Michael Thompson, a 1978 draft pick, himself a Bahamian citizen born in the capital, Nassau, sounds reasonable. But in addition to Clay himself agreeing to this prerequisite, looking through the past resume reveals that there is an obstacle - the US men's basketball team won the 2014 World Cup in Spain and the 2016 Rio Olympics, Clay was proudly listed.

Don't worry, it's not a problem. The Bahamas, whose GDP per capita is second only to the United States and Canada in the entire Americas, is rich and savvy. Before "Round Face Deng" successfully naturalized, and even played the role of the anchor in the just-concluded qualifying tournament, didn't he also represent the American team to win the 2010 World Championship in Turkey? In the past, representing a country in senior competitions or even U-series youth competitions, it was almost impossible to put on the "hard bar" of another national team's jersey, and in recent years, it has fallen again and again, and finally become a decoration.

Perhaps there is another "iron rule" to counter, that is, the rule that a team can only have one naturalized player. Oh no, that's once it used to be. The Spanish team, which overflowed with talent in the golden age 10 years ago, will have a hard time choosing between the "black and white towers" of Mirotic and Ibaka because of this regulation; But you are looking at it now, the South Sudan team in the same group as the Chinese men's basketball team officially announced 4 overnight a while ago, of which Gabriel, who has no problem with qualifications, the rest are naturalized players.

You have to ask the above rules, they are still in place today, and it stands to reason that the "riot operation" in the Bahamas and South Sudan does not work and does not work; However, many FIBA policies have set aside such as "only need the consent of the transfer/transfer country" and "only need the consent of the FIBA Secretary-General", etc., which are expressed as "unless in some special circumstances, such changes are in the best interests of basketball" - ostensibly to support basketball underdeveloped countries/regions, but you who are well versed in human nature must understand that the so-called "exceptions" are only 0 times and countless times.

"Roundface" is the first naturalized player in the Bahamas men's basketball team, can he still naturalize Clay?

Whose poverty has "basketball poverty alleviation" helped it?

So in the summer of every "big year", fans and friends can not only watch the NBA trading and signing market, billionaires play multimillionaires in the high-end game between the palms of their hands, but also savor the conspiracy of national teams to recruit and treat FIBA rules as nothing. The difference is that although both sides are also scheming, at least there is sufficient public information disclosure, and they dare not have too many excessive "games under the table". As for the latter, they can always package gorgeous coats such as "returning to their hometown to find their roots", "giving back to the people" and "boosting the basketball level of their hometown", but the transmission of money and other benefits is unwilling and will not be made public.

In the long run, FIBA's so-called "poverty alleviation clause" that is "in basketball's best interest" is almost impossible to achieve his original intention. For example, in South Sudan, under the situation of the national economy and people's livelihood being stretched, it also spent 6.5 million US dollars on horse racing, which is clearly a hammer sale. Born in the United States, Kalik Jones and Canada's Marial Shayok have no connection to South Sudan, and it is difficult to imagine what substantial contribution they can make to this hometown that does not really exist after the World Cup mission is completed. As for the Bahamas, although it is indeed not the object of "poverty alleviation" from the perspective of economy and people's wealth, FIBA's basketball poverty alleviation is not a thin stream of water and a long flow, but makes people eat fat - or puffy.

The recruitment of the South Sudan men's basketball team proves that only the unthinkable, not impossible.

It's as if a hungry man who was originally skinny and dying should first be fed some light and digestible replenishment, and then wait until the body function is basically restored, and then pursue advanced factors such as taste, quality, and nutrition. FIBA connived at the operation of South Sudan and the Bahamas, and directly brought the hot pot barbecue crayfish into the ward, and of course the hungry people would all smile like swallowing dates, and then show a grimpse full of oil and lovelessness. But how many days can this make a normal person top? Anyway, normal people have not tried it this way.

FIBA frantically smashed its own signboard

Not only did it not substantially help these "brushing results" teams, but even FIBA's efforts to build the men's basketball World Cup brand event and share a piece of the Olympic men's basketball competition have collapsed because of these "riotous operations". FIBA transformed the World Championship into the World Cup from 2014, and held it in the last "staggered" to odd-numbered years to avoid top events such as the Olympic Games and the Men's World Cup, in the hope of making this 4-year gathering of the world men's basketball team bigger and stronger. But with the unbridled naturalization, you will find that more games have become a small roster reorganization after the long NBA season, and the "acquaintances" in the NBA, G League and other related leagues, the front foot just separated, the back foot met again, aesthetic fatigue.

Imagine next year – "History is made!" Klay Thompson helped his "homeland" Bahamas reach the Olympic men's basketball tournament for the first time, and now they are facing the Big Mac American men's basketball team. Stephen Curry, who officially represented the United States in his last World Series appearance, stepped forward to say hello to his old Warriors buddy, but did they win gold medals on the same national team 10 years ago? ”

As a result, FIBA's events have become more convenient and casual due to the flow of personnel, and the buff that originally came with "winning glory for the country" has been infinitely weakened, lacking feelings and blood, leaving games and interests. Under this premise, the world's perception of FIBA as a company and its game brand is constantly weakened - the national team can sign, trade, and change at will, isn't this an accessory whose rules are no different from the NBA? Moreover, the depth of the lineup and the level of play are far inferior to the NBA...

There were no generals in the squad, and Edwards and Brunson were in the vanguard.

Epilogue:

Looking back a few years later, this is a hole that FIBA dug for itself with the ostensible goodwill and the name of the world. Otherwise, look at the seats on the U.S. team roster for this World Cup (no offense, just for comparison, these 12 contestants are already good enough NBA stars), and the recognition and participation of the absent top stars for the World Cup? The basketball court in Paris summer next year will be blessed with the aura of the Olympic Games itself, which will not be too shabby; But in the past 10 years of restructuring, but found that its positioning has become more and more embarrassing and marginalized, who is the initiator of the deviation of the route?