Gasolina: A celebration of Pau Gasol as one of basketball’s All Time great international players

Few international players have had his measure of success in the modern era as Pau Gasol, who helped usher in Spain's golden generation and made La Roja the world's most feared basketball team outside of USA. Here's a celebration of Gasol's stellar international career.

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International Watch: Ranking the top 10 FIBA World Cup players outside the USA

Although the USA – the world’s number one ranked team – were an automatic favourite to be crowned champions at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, few predicted that they would achieve the feat with such relative ease, winning each game by an average margin of 32.5 points per game and continuing their 63 game unbeaten streak in international basketball contests. But don’t let the Americans’ dominance distract you from the top performers from the rest of the world, many of whom, even in defeat, used the World Cup stage to further define their legacies.

Here are the top 10 players from the 2014 FIBA World Cup outside the USA. Click here for full feature.

USA stamps basketball dominance with another FIBA World Cup win

Without Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Blake Griffin, or Carmelo Anthony. Without even Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kevin Love, or Paul George. On paper, the 2014 World Cup featured a younger and 'weaker' USA side. This wasn't the 'redeemed' USA side that - since their last competitive loss in 2006 - had been undefeated and dominated opponents in every international basketball tournament since. This was, what many critics called, the 'C Team', the youngest USA side since the NBA began sending professionals back in 1992.

But basketball games aren't won on paper; Team USA's so-called 'C Team' turned the 'C' into 'Championship', defending the rebranded FIBA World Cup title for the first time in their history with a dominant performance that easily blew out the rest of the global competition. Winning every game by an average margin of 32.5 points, Team USA went an undefeated 9-0 at the World Cup in Spain, capping off their wonderful tournament with their best performance in the final: a 129-92 victory over Serbia in Madrid on Sunday, September 14.

After a slow start as Serbia raced to a 15-7 lead early in the game, USA bounced back with a 15-0 spurt and never looked back. USA made the most of the shortened international three-point line, hitting 11-16 threes in the final. Kyrie Irving (26) and James Harden (23) were the chief perpetrators as Serbia had no answer for the American onslaught. By the end of the contest, eight of the 12 USA players had scored in double figures en route to the 37 point win.

This was USA's fifth gold medal at the FIBA World Cup, tying for top slot with the former Yugoslavia. They have now won 63 straight games - 45 in official FIBA events and 18 in exhibition play - and are automatically qualified for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

USA won all of their group games with relative ease, yet, because of their slow starts and the quality of their opponents, doubts remained about the true talent of this young team. By knocking out Mexico, Slovenia, Lithuania, and then Serbia on the way to the gold, USA went on to erase all such doubts. Kyrie Irving was named tournament's MVP, but this was far from a one-man effort: the likes of Kenneth Faried, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, DeMarcus Cousins, Klay Thompson, and more came up big from game to game to keep the Americans at the head of the race.

Since breaking up with Yugoslavia, the silver in 2014 was Serbia's first ever medal at the tournament. Serbia were the competition's unlikely finalists: they won only two of their five group games to sneak into the knockout stage, and then, they suddenly found a way to turn their performances around. The Serbs blew out favoured opponents like Greece and Brazil and held on to win in a classic Semi-Final over France to reach the final.

France won the bronze medal by scraping past Lithuania 95-93 for a close win on Saturday. Led by 27 points by Nicolas Batum, France bounced back from a fourth quarter deficit to claim victory. Lithuania's high scorer was their young center Jonas Valanciunas, who finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. France, who won last year's EuroBasket, will be happy with their performance at the World Cup, especially since they were able to win a medal without the likes of Tony Parker or Joakim Noah in their lineup.

The biggest disappointment at the World Cup was the performance of hosts Spain. Featuring the likes of Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio, Serge Ibaka, Jose Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Rudy Fernandez, Spain entered the tournament at full strength and seemed to have all the pieces to be the only true challengers to USA's ascent. This was perhaps the last opportunity of Spain's "golden generation" heralded by Pau Gasol to beat the USA and claim their second World Cup win after 2006. Alas, after a fine start in the group stage and the round of 16, Spain were shocked in one of the great upsets in world basketball by France in the Quarter-Final. A defensive masterclass by the French knocked out the Spaniards and ended any hopes of the dream USA-Spain clash in the Final.

Final Standings

• 1. USA
  
• 2. Serbia
  
• 3. France
  

All Tournament Team

• Kyrie Irving (USA) - MVP 
• Kenneth Faried (USA) 
• Milos Teodosic (Serbia) 
• Nicolas Batum (France) 
• Pau Gasol (Spain)

The "All Turban" basketball game & hundreds of peaceful protests against FIBA's "No Headgear" rule

Remember when the International Basketball Association - FIBA - freaked out and barred a couple of Sikh Indian basketball players from playing with their turbans on at the FIBA Asia Cup in July? Remember when that happened again a month later at the U18 FIBA Asia Championship in Qatar and India's Anmol Singh had to remove his turban before playing in international basketball games? Remember how they unnecessarily delayed their decision on the turban/headgear bans? While the rest of the world seems to be fine with recognizing the traditional Sikh headgear as a part of the community's culture, FIBA is somehow still stuck considering the harmless - yet important - piece of cloth a 'threat'.

Photo via BaruSahib.org

In that case, FIBA officials would've found plenty to feel 'threatened' about in Sirmore a couple of days ago.

In an awesome display of the power of the peaceful protest against FIBA, the Kalgidhar Society on Wednesday, September 10 hosted an "All Turban" basketball game at their Akal Academy in Sirmore (Himachal Pradesh). Special guest at the game was Anmol Singh - India's under-18 player who was forced by FIBA officials to remove his headgear before getting to play at the U18 FIBA Asia Championship in Doha last month. Students from the academy - all in patkas (turbans) - took part in the game and as the audience with Anmol.

This might be shocking to some FIBA officials, but no players were hurt and no harm was caused despite all the turbans involved.

Photo via BaruSahib.org

The game at Sirmore was the final event in the first phase of Kalgidhar Society's massive pan-North India protest against FIBA: similar protest matches have already been held over the last few days at the society’s 128 other Akal Academies spread across the hinterland of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Apart from approaching FIBA and basketball officials in India, Kalgidhar Society has also filed an online petition against FIBA through Change.org on July 26. The petition #LetSikhsPlay has been supported by around 68,000 persons from across the globe so far. Sports legends like Milkha Singh, Bishen Singh Bedi and eminent personalities from music and culture like Daler Mehndi, Yo Yo Honey Singh etc. too have backed the campaign.

Commenting on controversy, Anmol Singh said, “I was shocked by the discriminatory behaviour of FIBA’s officials at Doha. It is a pity that FIBA continues to be adamant despite the global protest. US Congressmen have also pointed out that no such discrimination happens in American football. How can a turban hurt anybody?”

Photo via BaruSahib.org

Kalgidhar Society’s head Baba Iqbal Singh, 89, who was agriculture director of Himachal Pradesh government previously, said, “Rules are meant to conduct games harmoniously not to divide people. If we see the divine in every being, there will be peace and brotherhood which are desperately needed in the modern world. We should be empathetic to the sensitivities and feelings of all. This can put an end to all quarrels, controversies and wars.”

During FIBA's Central Board meeting at Seville on the eve of the Basketball World Cup (August 27), the committee decided to shelf any decision on its controversial 'Headgear' ruling - Article 4.4.2 of FIBA's official basketball rules - that has denied people of Sikh, Muslim, or Jewish cultures from wearing their traditional headgear (like turban, hijab, or yarmulkes). The official FIBA statement read: "On the subject of a review of the basketball rules regarding headgear, because of the importance of the matter, the Central Board decided that it requires further analysis before a final decision is made."

FIBA also elected a new chairman and several new board members at the World Cup. This new board is set to have their first official meeting tomorrow (September 13): they need to treat this matter with the decency and urgency that it deserves.

Hopefully some of these voices and images of protest reach FIBA so they can realize that playing with turbans or hijab is quite normal indeed with no hint of a 'threat'. The only threat they need to erase is from their own prejudiced thought process.

FIBA delays decision on Headgear Ban; Sikh community reacts

FIBA - the international basketball federation - is currently enjoying it's flagship event, the 2014 Basketball World Cup, in Spain. With this being basketball's biggest international event featuring 24 of the top teams in the world, it has been a chance for FIBA to show the world that basketball is truly a global sport and has the potential to bring people together.

Alas, FIBA seems to be turning this potential push forward into - in simple basketball terms - a turnover.

During FIBA's Central Board meeting at Seville on the eve of the World Cup, the committee decided to shelf any decision on its controversial 'Headgear' ruling - Article 4.4.2 of FIBA's official basketball rules - that has denied people of Sikh, Muslim, or Jewish cultures from wearing their traditional headgear (like turban, hijab, or yarmulkes). The protest against this rule has been flaring up for the past year, but became a loud outcry particularly over the past few months when three Indian Sikh players - Amrit Pal Singh and Amjyot Singh at the FIBA Asia Cup and Anmol Singh at the FIBA Asia U18 Championship - were forced to remove their turbans before participating in international games.

After pressure from the Basketball Federation of India (BFI), US lawmakers, and Sikh activists - including the #LetSikhsPlay social media campaign - FIBA had decided to review this issue at the Central Board meeting in Spain at the end of August. Unfortunately, the meeting came and went with no further result.

From FIBA.com's report of their Central Board Meeting on August 27:

On the subject of a review of the basketball rules regarding headgear, because of the importance of the matter, the Central Board decided that it requires further analysis before a final decision is made. Both the Technical and Legal Commissions shall study and present options to the Central Board.
A new Central Board will be elected during the World Congress taking place on Thursday-Friday 28-29 August and will meet for the first time on Saturday 13 September in Madrid.

Roopam Sharma, the CEO of the BFI, had promised to raise this topic among FIBA officials at the World Cup. She spoke to The Times of India recently, saying "I have been waiting for my opportunity to raise this issue in the World Congress. I will make them understand that patka is a part of Sikh culture and tradition. It is not an accessory, and it is in no way injurious to players. It is just a piece of cloth that Sikhs wear on their heads. I hope we would be able to resolve the issue and bring it to its logical conclusion."

In response to this delay, Sona Simran Kaur, the Communications Director of Sikh American Legal Defense and Education
Fund (SALDEF) said, "It is a shame that FIBA has decided to let bureaucracy stand in the way of progress and religious freedom.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup starts on Saturday, August 30. While FIBA presents itself as a representative of global sport, Sikh and Muslim players will still be forced to choose between playing the game they love and following their religious beliefs."

Simran Jeet Singh, the Senior Religion Fellow for the Sikh Coalition who initiated the #LetSikhsPlay campaign added, "As the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, 'Justice delayed is justice denied.' This is an issue of basic morality and ethics, and we hope that FIBA will do the right thing by allowing religious minorities to play basketball freely. Basketball is a beautiful sport that's growing rapidly around the world. It's time for FIBA to embrace the diverse communities it represents and to modernize its outdated and discriminatory rules. Other major sports organizations, such as FIFA and the NCAA, allow Sikhs to play with their turbans, and there is no logical reason to keep them off the basketball court for international competitions."

Members of Kalgidhar Society staged a protest demonstration against FIBA during their conference in Seville.

Meanwhile, the online support for turban-clan basketball players has gained further support. Several Sikh/Indian celebrities, such as pop stars Yo Yo Honey Singh and Daler Mehndi have promoted a change.org petition against the discrimination by FIBA. So far, the petition has gained over 59,000 signatures.

FIBA have had a changeover in its top brass at the World Congress, too. Argentina's Horacio Muratore was elected as the new FIBA President for the 2014-2019 term of office, replacing Yvan Mainini. Delegates from the 116 national federations in attendance at the FIBA World Congress on Thursday elected 13 of the potential 29 members that will make up the Central Board for the upcoming term.

This new board will meet on September 13 again, near the end of the World Cup, for the first time. Hopefully, the new head honchos treat this issue with the seriousness and urgency it deserves. Until the rule has changed, many of India's players who wear religious/traditional headgear, will have to continue playing without it for future international basketball games.

World Cup Shot Clock: 24 things to look forward to for the FIBA Basketball World Cup

Over the next two weeks, some of the top basketball players in the world will face off at the FIBA World Cup, the biggest global festival of hoops. From top contenders, exciting new faces, dark-horses, and a little bit of history, here are 24 things that you need to look forward to for the World Cup.

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