Question about Wiltjer on the Canada team

[uk78]

Apologizes if this was already addressed when the Canadian team with Murray was playing a few weeks ago in the Pan Am games. Of course Murray had great moments but from all the games I watched, Wiltjer was at the end of the bench. It wasn't like Canada or any of the teams were that great (even the USA had some secondary players from overseas). So, why didn't the coach play Wiltjer very much? Was he injured? Personally, I have never been a big fan, but he really did well in college last season. So, his not playing supported my overall view that he basically is a stiff, but I want to be objective. Was there ever a discussion or explanation on this?

 

[UK90]

There was no injury or any excuse like that. Seems the coach simply did not think he was good enough, he was essentially their 12th man, and got no invitation to their fiba training camp. Based on this summer's performance, appears his Team Canada career might be finished.

Which does not exactly surprise me, Kyle might score a bunch of points against inferior mid major competition, but he can't defend a fence post, is painfully slow and unathletic, can't rebound, is not strong, and usually appears in over his head whenever he has to face elite athletes.

 

[mj2k10]

Apologizes if this was already addressed when the Canadian team with Murray was playing a few weeks ago in the Pan Am games. Of course Murray had great moments but from all the games I watched, Wiltjer was at the end of the bench. It wasn't like Canada or any of the teams were that great (even the USA had some secondary players from overseas). So, why didn't the coach play Wiltjer very much? Was he injured? Personally, I have never been a big fan, but he really did well in college last season. So, his not playing supported my overall view that he basically is a stiff, but I want to be objective. Was there ever a discussion or explanation on this?

The competition wasn't great by Olympic standards. But consider- the US squad featured 5 guys who ESPN just rated as among the top 25 players in college basketball (a list on which they had Wiltjer 3rd, which I find baffling, but still), and those 5 guys are the leading returning scorers for teams they rated 1, 4, 9, 17 and 19 in their pre-preseason top 25. And the US lost twice, almost missed a medal.

Just how bad could the competition be if solid college talent like that couldn't handle it?

As for Wiltjer, UK90 hit the nail. He can't guard anyone, and he can't handle playing in the paint against any team with legit size and ability. My complaint at UK was that he wanted to be the world's tallest (and slowest) 2 guard, and though he showed improvement on that against WCC competition, it's still what he tends to be against real frontcourt talent.

 

[bucsrule8872]

Wiltjer had pros in front of him. NBA pros like Bennett (former number one pick). He wasn't going to play much.

Meanwhile Murray had one guy in front of him at PG, and he was clearly the best player at. His position.

It's apples to oranges, really. Wiltjer was buried on the bench at a position where Canada was deep. Murray plays a position of need for Canada.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Wiltjer just isn't very good when the other team has some decent talent.

 

[musrat59]

Poor Kyle can't guard anyone unless they play some sort of zone.

 

[1war]

Wiltjer had pros in front of him. NBA pros like Bennett (former number one pick). He wasn't going to play much.

Meanwhile Murray had one guy in front of him at PG, and he was clearly the best player at. His position.

It's apples to oranges, really. Wiltjer was buried on the bench at a position where Canada was deep. Murray plays a position of need for Canada.

THe game I watched in it's entirety was the championship game against Puerto Rico. Nicholson and Bennett got into foul trouble, all they had left was Buhlar and Wiltjer as bigs, and they decided to go small instead of playing wiltjer. They weren't very deep down low.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

Murray can do it all on the court. Kyle is only going to impact the game on one side of the court. At the end of the day, you have to decide if what he gives you on offense is worth what he's going to give up everywhere else on the court. Against teams with less talent, its a no brainer. When facing a team just as good or better, its not going to cut it.

 

[kats23]

I think you should know the answer to the question already. Kyle will be a nice college player for Gonzaga but athletically he isn't going to be able to run with anybody with high college talent. Nice kid, should make a decent career of things overseas if he wants