Greg Popovich Agrees That NBA Champions Are Not The "World Champions"

[Euroleague]

http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/archi...e-not-wor.html

Why Spurs' Popovich says Mavs are not world champions


Just call them champs: Recall that a few days before the season, Mavericks forward Shawn Marion said that the national media wasn't showing the Mavericks proper respect in the wake of their first NBA title.

"I want y'all to address me like that from now on -- world champion," Marion said that day.

Well, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has a pet peeve about people interchanging "NBA" and "world" in front of "champion."

True world champions, Popovich points out, are teams that win the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) tournament played in non-Olympic years.

"Those guys are world champions, but the Dallas Mavericks and Spurs and Lakers and Miami, whatever, are NBA champions," Popovich said. Popovich, who has won four NBA championships, said before Thursday night's game that he was unaware of Marion's request to be addressed as world champion.

"I'll have to tell him tonight," Popovich said. "I sent him a note [this summer] to congratulate him, but he isn't a world champion."

[tpols]

The U.S. won the FIBA tournament anyways..

[AirTupac]

America SMASHED AND DESTROYED Spain.

So Mavs = Champs
America = Champs

[Eric Cartman]

The best player on the Mavs was German & Barea who was a key piece is puertorican so i have no problem to call them World Champions.

They would destroy ANY TEAM IN THE WORLD.

[Brujesino]

Do you bring anything else to this forum besides NBA vs Euroleague stuff?

[(e)]

NBA: Where the best players in the world play

[Euroleague]

Originally Posted by tpols

The U.S. won the FIBA tournament anyways..

Since when is Team USA comprised of the current NBA championship team's roster? I'm pretty sure that the Dallas Mavericks didn't win that tournament.

[Euroleague]

Originally Posted by Eric Cartman

The best player on the Mavs was German & Barea who was a key piece is puertorican so i have no problem to call them World Champions.

They would destroy ANY TEAM IN THE WORLD.

Yet, they only played against teams from USA and Canada. Since when did the USA/Canada = "the world"?

[Euroleague]

Originally Posted by Brujesino

Do you bring anything else to this forum besides NBA vs Euroleague stuff?

This thread has absolutely nothing to do with the Euroleague.

[Xyph]

NBA has the best athletes from across the world. So when you have an NBA champion, its the best of the best from across the world. Euroleague would be like "City champions"

[9512]

Winning the NBA title = "League Champions" or "NBA Champions"

LOL @ "World Champions"

[Eric Cartman]

The best players in the world play in the NBA

FACT.

[Xyph]

Greg Popovich dipped from scrub Euroleague cause he knew it was awful.

[ikoiko]

Originally Posted by Eric Cartman

The best players in the world play in the NBA

FACT.

that doesn't change anything.

the winner of the fiba world championship are the world champions.

the winner of the nba championship are the nba champions.

see the logic there?

[Sarcastic]

Why can't you just admit that the best basketball players in the world are from the US?