Group play is done, and we’re into the knockout stage at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. The frenzied prelude to the round of 16 allowed us to watch some players Americans rarely get to glimpse, along with some players Americans rarely get to see lead a team. It’s been fun. Here are the 10 most notable performances, according to ironclad objective fact.
Pau Gasol, Spain
If all you knew of basketball was this tournament, you’d assume Pau Gasol is the greatest player in the world. When playing for and in his home country, he’s a man transformed. His disposition is sunny, his legs are springy and his trigger finger seems itchier than the scraggly hairs on his neck.
Now free of Kobe’s direct influence, FIBA Pau appears like a swaggering, 7-foot mamba out there. He’s averaging 21.1 points in 26 minutes of play. Even more impressive, he’s doing that on just 12.6 shots. His most enjoyable performance came against Brazil’s formidable front line. Spain needed to stretch Brazil’s bigs out from the key, so Gasol uncorked three 3-pointers with an eagerness and fluidity you rarely see on his NBA jumpers. Rest of the world, beware: FIBA Pau is a monster.
Marc Gasol, Spain
The statline looks pedestrian on the surface, but Marc has roughly twice as many points as he does shots. When he does shoot, it’s a thing of idiosyncratic beauty. Gasol not only has a pretty jump shot, but it’s the rare kind of jumper that lacks “dip,” the motion where a player pulls the ball down before actually shooting.
In the FIBA setting, we're seeing more of Gasol using that unusual form. Over his last two games, he’s equaled the amount of 3-pointers he hit all of last season (two). Oh, and he’s the best defensive player in this tournament. That should probably be noted.
James Harden, USA
Harden might as well epitomize this version of Team USA. Isolation-oriented, shaky defensively, criticized a bit, but ultimately very successful. Harden has been America’s best perimeter player. Given that, it’s a bit unfair that an Internet search of “Harden” and “FIBA” leads you to many posts about one defensive play he happened to take off.
Harden has taken his Eurostep to the source, turning defenders’ knees into cheese. Kenneth Faried has drawn raves for his 79.1 percent shooting clip in pool play, but he’s still not scoring as efficiently as Harden, who has 27 free throw attempts to Faried’s lone freebie.
Anthony Davis, USA
It was tempting to give this spot to Faried, whose slow motion replays look like your average player moving at full speed. Davis is the team’s best big and most important player, though. Not only does he protect the rim, but he also racks up fouls on overmatched opponents. He’s been brilliant overall, save for a few botched dunks and instances where he got knocked out of position in the post.
Luis Scola, Argentina
Luis Scola has retreated to the NBA fringes, but he remains a monster on the international stage. FIBA Scola is a little like “Olympic Melo,” a player who’s clothed in spectacular power when clothed in his country’s jersey.
Scola’s second in scoring among all players in this tournament, and he keeps doing it at the pace of a man walking on a putting green. The last major link to Argentina’s golden generation is alive and well.
J.J. Barea, Puerto Rico
An NBA role player point guard scoring big for Puerto Rico? We’re seeing shades of Carlos Arroyo’s 2006 FIBA tournament in this Barea performance, wherein wee J.J. leads all tournament players in points. Adding to the fun, Arroyo passes the torch while playing alongside Barea.
Barea is letting it fly in this setting, averaging four made 3s per game in his 29 minutes of play. Always the eager ref baiter, J.J. is hoodwinking credulous FIBA refs left and right, tallying 32 free throw attempts in pool play. Unfortunately, he couldn't save his team from an early exit. Too bad, because Puerto Rico probably underperformed relative to its talent.
Bojan Bogdanovic, Croatia
Bojan “Not to be confused with Bogdan” Bogdanovic has been a scoring maestro for Croatia. What he lacks in highlight plays he makes up for in shooting touch and feel for the game. The large wing has powered Croatia to the bracket stage by scoring 43 points on 20 shots over his last two games, both victories. If he plays anything like this for the Brooklyn Nets next season, maybe they’ll actually get through a year without a major firing or resignation.
Goran Dragic, Slovenia
Goran “Not to be confused with Zoran” Dragic has been as forceful on the court as he’s been on Twitter when accusing Australia for match fixing. Dragic really benefits from a chaotic FIBA setting where every team’s transition defense isn't exactly set. He’s been a one-man fast break, hitting more than 70 percent of his 2-point opportunities in part because he’s behind the defense on so many of them.
Ioannis Bourousis, Greece
You’re likely familiar with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but do you know about Ioannis Bourousis? And would you believe me if I claimed to have not copy/pasted either name? Of course you wouldn't.
Anyway, Bourousis has been a force for undefeated Greece, manning the middle, wrenching in rebounds and blocking Facundo Campazzo through the floor. The lumbering, ultraskilled center was the main reason Greece was able to best Argentina. It isn't all about the burly big man, though. Greece, as per usual, presents a balanced attack.
Leandro Barbosa, Brazil
You would have assumed that the notable Brazilian player would be a big man, given that its roster boasts Nene, Tiago Splitter and Anderson Varejao. Somehow none of its NBA starting big men have stood out so far, even as Brazil impressed with four victories in the group stage.
Much like Scola, Leandro Barbosa looks a lot better here than he’s been of late in the NBA. He actually reminds you of that “Brazilian blur” guy we saw in Phoenix, but with more shooting off the catch. Shooting 56 percent on 3s might not be sustainable for Barbosa, but he’s certainly playing well right now.
