Iziane, Bassul and Hortência

The big drama in Brazilian women's basketball regards the future of Iziane Castro Marques and Paulo Bassul on the Brazil women's national team.

Last summer, in the pre-Olympic tournament, Iziane refused the instructions of coach Paulo Bassul to go out late in a game when she had essentially been benched early on. Iziane ended up dismissed from the team, Paulo Bassul's team suffered because he didn't have Izi.

Brazilian women's basketball legend Hortência (now the director of women's basketball in Brazil) is trying to bring the two to compromise. However, Iziane leaves Brazil on Saturday to report to Atlanta. Furthermore, Hortência wants to make it clear that Paulo Bassul's job is not in jeopardy, so it looks like

a) no one is going to be satisfied, and
b) it's a big PR failure for Brazilian women's basketball.

(Heads up to the Painel do Basquete Feminino blog.)