Is Argentina still the best or has Team USA done what it takes to get back on top? What other teams should we be looking out for? Who is getting slept on? What prospects should we be checking out?
NBA.com has compiled the opinions and predictions of six international experts to give you a preview of what and who to watch during the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Read. Learn. Watch.
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The U.S. was the gold medal pick by four of six experts.
Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty |
Maurizio Gherardini was named the as the Raptors' vice-president and assistant GM this offseason, making the former Benetton Treviso GM the first European to hold a senior management position with an NBA franchise.
Brad Friedman is a features editor and NBA.com's own expert on international hoops. He had an international basketball column that appeared on USAToday.com for two years.
Frank Lawlor is the Editor-in-Chief of Euroleague.net, the official website for Euroleague basketball.
Simone Sandri is the co-host of NBA TV's Basketball International, the United States correspondent for Sky Italia, Italy's sports television network, and NBA columnist for Gazzetta.it.
Tim Shea is the Director of International Scouting for the Charlotte Bobcats. He has held similar positions with the Suns and Knicks and has played and coached all over Europe.
Yaron Talpaz is a live commentator, reporter and Head of Sports News Division at "SPORT 5" Channel In Israel, as well as an NBA.com blogger. He has been covering the NBA for Israeli media since 1997 and has written two books about the league.
| Gherardini | Friedman | Lawlor | Sandri | Shea | Talpaz | |
| GROUP A | ||||||
| Winner | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina | Argentina |
| Dark Horse | Serbia & Mont. | France | France | Nigeria | France | Serbia & Mont. |
| Most Talented | France | France | Argentina | France | France | Argentina |
| Most Underrated | Serbia & Mont. | Serbia & Mont. | Nigeria | Nigeria | Serbia & Mont. | Nigeria |
| Best NBA Prospect | N/A | Uros Tripkovic, SCG | Uros Tripkovic, SCG | Uros Tripkovic, SCG | Uros Tripkovic, SCG | Luka Bogdanovic, SCG |
| GROUP B | ||||||
| Winner | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain |
| Dark Horse | Germany | Germany | Germany | New Zealand | Germany | Panama |
| Most Talented | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain | Spain |
| Most Underrated | Panama | Panama | Panama | New Zealand | Panama | Panama |
| Best NBA Prospect | N/A | Rudy Fernandez, ESP | Rudy Fernandez, ESP | Rudy Fernandez, ESP | Rudy Fernandez, ESP | Rudy Fernandez, ESP |
| GROUP C | ||||||
| Winner | Greece | Greece | Greece | Greece | Lithuania | Greece |
| Dark Horse | Brazil | Brazil | Lithuania | Australia | Greece | Australia |
| Most Talented | Greece | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil | Brazil |
| Most Underrated | Lithuania | Greece | Australia | Turkey | Greece | Greece |
| Best NBA Prospect | N/A | Brad Newley, AUS | Sofoklis Schortsianitis, GRE | Semith Erden, TUR | Brad Newley, AUS | Robertas Javtokas, LIT |
| GROUP D | ||||||
| Winner | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA |
| Dark Horse | Slovenia | Slovenia | Slovenia | China | Italy | Italy |
| Most Talented | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA |
| Most Underrated | Italy | Slovenia | Italy | Puerto Rico | Slovenia | Slovenia |
| Best NBA Prospect | N/A | Yi Jianlian, CHN | Marco Belinelli, ITA | Marco Belinelli, ITA | Marco Belinelli, ITA | Marco Belinelli, ITA |
| PLAYERS & COACHES | ||||||
| Most Important to Team | Dirk Nowitzki, GER | Dirk Nowitzki, GER | Dirk Nowitzki, GER | Dirk Nowitzki, GER | Tony Parker, FRA | Dirk Nowitzki, GER |
| Most Dangerous Scorer | Arvydas Macijauskas, LIT | LeBron James, USA | Dwyane Wade, USA | Dirk Nowitzki, USA | LeBron James, USA | Dwyane Wade, USA |
| Best Shooter | Ruben Douglas, PAN | Arvydas Macijauskas, LIT | Juan Carlos Navarro, ESP | Arvydas Macijauskas, LIT | Arvydas Macijauskas, LIT | Kirk Penney, NZL |
| Best Athlete | LeBron James, USA | LeBron James, USA | LeBron James, USA | LeBron James, USA | Dwyane Wade, USA | LeBron James, USA |
| Best Defender | Dwyane Wade, USA | Andres Nocioni, ARG | Dimitrios Diamantidis, GRE | Dimitrios Diamantidis, GRE | Andres Nocioni, ARG | Greek Team |
| Best Rebounder | Anderson Varejao, BRA | Dwight Howard, USA | Dwight Howard, USA | Denis Marconato, ITA | Felipe Reyes, ESP | Anderson Varejao, BRA |
| Best Passer | Theodoros Papaloukas, GRE | Mark Dickel, NZL | Pablo Prigioni, ARG | Boris Diaw, FRA | Chris Paul, USA | Manu Ginobili, ARG |
| Most Clutch | Carmelo Anthony, USA | Dwyane Wade, USA | Theodoros Papaloukas, GRE | LeBron James, USA | Dwyane Wade, USA | Manu Ginobili, ARG |
| Best Coach | Mike Krzyzewski, USA | Mike Krzyzewski, USA | Carlo Recalcati, ITA | Carlo Recalcati, ITA | Mike Krzyzewski, USA | Antanas Sireika, LIT |
| International Player to Watch | Marco Belinelli, ITA | Yi Jianlian, CHN | Luis Scola, ARG | Dimitrios Diamantidis, GRE | Sergio Rodriguez, ESP | Sofoklis Schortsianitis, GRE |
| OVERALL | ||||||
| Group Rankings | 1. Group D 2. Group A 3. Group C 4. Group B |
1. Group A 2. Group D 3. Group C 4. Group B |
1. Group C 2. Group D 3. Group A 4. Group B |
1. Group D 2. Group C 3. Group A 4. Group B |
1. Group A 2. Group C 3. Group B 4. Group D |
1. Group A 2. Group D 3. Group C 4. Group B |
| Most Sound Fundamentally | USA | Greece | Spain | Argentina | Spain | Lithuania |
| Most Athletic Team | USA | USA | France | USA | USA | USA |
| Most Fun to Watch | Brazil | USA | Argentina | Argentina | USA | USA |
| Toughest Physically | Lithuania | Lithuania | USA | USA | USA | Greece |
| Toughest Mentally | Argentina | Argentina | Australia | Argentina | USA | Argentina |
| Most Spirited Fans | Greece | Greece | Greece | Greece | Spain | Japan |
| Faces Most Pressure | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA | USA |
| MEDALS | ||||||
| Gold | USA | USA | Argentina | Spain | USA | USA |
| Silver | Spain | Spain | USA | USA | Spain | Spain |
| Bronze | Greece | France | Spain | Argentina | France | Argentina |
| Gherardini | Friedman | Lawlor | Sandri | Shea | Talpaz | |