Issues clearly didn’t go as deliberate for Staff USA after shedding not as soon as however thrice within the FIBA Basketball World Cup, together with the Bronze Medal sport to Canada. That gorgeous upset has the basketball world in a tizzy, with the once-invincible Staff USA shedding three of their final 4 video games.
With different international locations having dramatically improved because the authentic Dream Staff’s debut within the 1992 Olympics, the US has put growing effort into constructing the very best workforce, not only a roster stuffed with stars. That seemingly labored like a allure in 2008 with the well-known Redeem Staff, and once more in 2012, 2016, and 2020.
Now they are going to be compelled to return to the drafting board, with the competitors clearly stepping up their sport to counteract Staff USA’s technique. “It’s not 1992 anymore,” Coach Steve Kerr stated following the workforce’s loss to Greece. Proper, he’s, however there may be nonetheless hope for Staff USA within the 2024 Olympics.
Staff USA’s FIBA Cup failure will result in a brand new Dream Staff in 2024.
With alarm bells going off following their underwhelming displaying, the 2024 Males’s Basketball Olympic workforce may merge the very best of the 2020 Gold Medal workforce and this 12 months’s roster.
That would embody some mixture of Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Haliburton, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, and even LeBron James himself. Whereas LeBron will probably be 39 years outdated by the point subsequent 12 months’s Olympics come round, he hinted at his involvement following their latest loss.
Whereas they must watch out to not repeat the error of forming one other all-star workforce that doesn’t gel nicely collectively, including the very best elements to a workforce that already gained a gold medal two years in the past could be sufficient for Staff USA to win one other gold medal in 2024.
All in all, Staff USA’s disappointing play within the FIBA World Cup could be the wake-up name that they wanted to get issues on monitor earlier than the Olympics. It may additionally assist them recruit gamers who may need in any other case been on the fence about returning.
Printed on 09/10/2023 at 8:32 AM EDTLast up to date on 09/10/2023 at 8:32 AM EDT
