Was this loss — as bad as it was for the United States — actually a good thing for the wider basketball world and the NBA in particular?
Team USA‘s loss in the 2023 FIBA World Cup has had a predictable effect, and its potential impact on the NBA is on people’s minds after the US National Team failed to medal. Was this loss — as bad as it was for the United States — actually a good thing for the wider basketball world and the NBA in particular?
Team USA’s loss in the FIBA World Cup is attributed to sending a less-than-A-list team, resulting in a defeat to the German National Team and then again to the Canadian National Team in the third-place game and a predictable call-to-arms from the league’s best American players.
To talk over what the loss might mean for the league, Team USA, and basketball writ large, the hosts of the eponymous CLNS Media “Bob Ryan, Jeff Goodman, and Gary Tanguay” podcast sans Goodman got together to hash it out on a recent episode.
Check out the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say about the glaring US loss.
If such a lineup were to actually make it onto the roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, it would go a long way toward determining whether the issue behing USA’s FIBA foibles is star power.
USA Basketball is enduring justified criticism in the U.S. media after a disappointing fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The field continues to take steps forward. Meanwhile, the U.S. national team appears out of its depth, the result of fielding questionable rosters and strategies given how FIBA rules differ from the NBA. The current roster lacks prior men’s national teams’ experience and features only three current All-Stars, another factor behind their recent struggles.
In response to that disappointing showing, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James committed to play for the U.S. Olympic team next summer and has reached out to some high-octane peers to help him get USA Basketball back on top per recent reporting from The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and Shams Charania.
“James has spoken to Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Draymond Green, and they are all prepared to commit as well,” writes The Athletic.
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“Separately, Phoenix’s Devin Booker, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox, and Dallas’ Kyrie Irving also have serious interest in committing,” they add.
Such a lineup actually making it to the 2024 Paris Olympics is a big ask given the ages of James, Curry, Lillard, Green and Durant and Davis’ spotty health. However, such a group would go a long way toward determining whether the issue behind USA’s FIBA foibles in on-Olympic years is star power or the need for Team USA to invest in a full-time coach, greater continuity and a roster structure better focused on the FIBA environment.
Canada earned its first-ever FIBA World Cup medal in men’s basketball, and the defense of #Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (named Best Defensive Player) was a huge reason.
Forward Dillon Brooks enjoyed a strong run as Canada secured its first FIBA World Cup medal, and he punctuated his effort with an astonishing 39-point outburst on peak efficiency during Sunday’s victorious third-place game versus the United States,
While the scoring breakout was certainly appreciated, Brooks’ contributions in Manila started on the defensive end, as they typically do in the NBA. That’s a big reason the Houston Rockets signed him in the 2023 offseason after a successful stint in Memphis.
With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Brooks was FIBA’s choice for Best Defensive Player of the tournament.
The Best Defensive Player is Dillon Brooks, who was more than glad to accept any defensive responsibilities for Bronze medalists Canada. His physical one-on-one defense against the likes of Luka Doncic and Evan Fournier played a huge role in important victories for The Land of Maple Leaf. Moreover, he was an integral part of one of the best defensive units in the World Cup.
It’s a fitting honor for Brooks, who will report to 2023-24 training camp with the rest of Rockets in early October.
[lawrence-related id=116435,116409,116404]
“I'm the best perimeter defender in this tournament, in the world, in the NBA.” 🛡️
Dillon Brooks is the Best Defensive Player of #FIBAWC 💯
With 39 points on peak efficiency, Dillon Brooks was sensational and even drew MVP chants as Canada upset Team USA to win its first-ever FIBA medal. #Rockets
The stakes of Sunday’s third-place game at the 2023 FIBA World Cup between Canada and the United States were well below the championship final that both NBA-laden rosters had expected.
Yet, for Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks, who had a strong World Cup run with his native Canada, it presented an opportunity to defend and attack some very talented opponents.
In a matchup with Team USA stalwarts, including Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges, Brooks was the star of the show. In leading Canada to the 127-118 win (box score) and a third-place finish, Brooks finished with a game-high 39 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks. He shot 12-of-18 overall (66.7% FG), 7-of-8 on 3-pointers (87.5%), and 8-of-10 on free throws (80%).
The astonishing performance by Brooks even elicited some “MVP” chants from fans in Manila. It resulted in Canada receiving the bronze medal — its first medal in FIBA World Cup history.
Read on for highlights, interviews, postgame analysis, and immediate reaction from social media. As for Brooks, up next is the start of 2023-24 training camp with the Rockets in early October.
After a standout season in the B.League, Japanese guard Yuki Kawamura further enhanced his reputation on the international stage during the FIBA World Cup. Standing at just 5-foot-8, he was the tournament’s second shortest player. However, his height didn’t stop him from being one of the brightest stars at the event.
Check some of his pictures at the World Cup below.
Datome played for Boston for a total of 18 games in the latter half of the Celtics’ 2014-15 NBA season, putting up 5.2 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.
Former Boston Celtics forward Luigi Datome officially retired from the sport as a player after his final contest for the Italian National Team in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, per multiple reports.
Datome, one of Italy’s most renowned basketball players, bid adieu to his playing career after a loss to Slovenia during the World Cup.
Despite the loss, Datome received a standing ovation after he was subbed out for the last time, and players from both teams paused to pay their respects to the veteran.
“It’s one of the incredible kind gestures I received this summer,” Datome said via Sports Inquirer’s Jonas Terrado. “I thank the fans for the applause and to the opponents for stopping the game to show respect.”
“I feel lucky, humbled, grateful, and blessed because I felt all the kind words that I get,” he added.
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Basketball fans around the world are now going to get the matchup with the Canadian National Team, though not in the way they likely thought.
What did you think of the U.S. losing to Germany in the 2023 FIBA World Cup semifinals?
Basketball fans around the world are going to get the matchup with the Canada, though not for the medal they likely were expecting.
Still, this seems like a good outcome for the sport overall with other countries dominating the tournament. And the U.S. has some silver linings as well. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and second-year big man Paolo Banchero appear poised to take a big leap forward in the NBA in 2023-24.
CLNS Media reporter Bobby Manning and Denver Nuggets writer Matt Brooks discussed the World Cup action to date on a recent episode of the “Garden Report” podcast.
Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say.
You may not remember since they gave up 110-plus points twice this week at the World Cup, but Team USA was once the gold standard for stifling defense in FIBA tournaments. There was a time when even the brightest international stars found it tough …
You may not remember since they gave up 110-plus points twice this week at the World Cup, but Team USA was once the gold standard for stifling defense in FIBA tournaments. There was a time when even the brightest international stars found it tough against them.
Who among these international legends managed to shine, and who got dimmed?
To find out, we delved into the archives, examining all the games Team USA (featuring NBA talent) played against players from our international GOAT list, focusing on their performances in the Olympics and World Cup.
Team USA has some big decisions to make coming soon.
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And just like that, folks, the FIBA World Cup is over for Team USA.
Well, technically it’s not over, I guess. They can still play for a bronze medal at the very least. They’ll have to face Canada to get it and, if they win, they’ll still end up on the podium.
But let’s keep it a buck. We don’t care about anything but the gold when it comes to these sorts of competitions. A bronze medal would feel like a glorified participation trophy at this point. That’s unfair, but that’s the way it is.
Regardless of where they fall in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, it’s very clear that some changes need to be made to this roster for the Paris Olympics in 2024.
So the question is now what? Where do we go from here?
Everyone seems ready to break the emergency glass and pull out the A-team from the NBA. I’m talking Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum. All of the players we’ve seen putting up numbers on the biggest stages in the NBA. Surely, there’d have to be some improvement, right? These are some of the greatest players of all time.
But I’m here to tell you that that’s not necessarily the easiest choice in the world.
Team USA’s biggest problem was a lack of chemistry and continuity. The team brought over a bunch of first-time players who’d never played in the program at this level before in an attempt to get a gold medal.
They were more talented than teams like Germany and Lithuania, but they didn’t know exactly how to play together to be the best team possible. That matters in international competition. That’s the point Noah Lyles (hilariously and ridiculously) tried to make.
Bring in those big names and some of the players on this roster lose out on valuable experience. Keep the big names home and there’s a chance you’re outclassed by a team with better talent. After all, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and more will be playing for their home countries in 2024.
Grant Hill, Steve Kerr and Team USA have a tough choice to make. Surely, names like Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves have earned another shot at this. And no team is guaranteed to win, no matter what the talent level is.
But it’s hard to imagine a world in which someone tells LeBron James to stay home. The same with some of those other big names, too. So we’ll have to wait and see.
Regardless, this loss just made things a lot more interesting for 2024.
Embiid to the rescue?
Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
There is one star potentially on the table for Team USA that could completely flip things around. It’s Joel Embiid.
Yes, Embiid is Cameroonian. But the NBA’s MVP also holds citizenship in both France and the United States. He has the option to play for either country in the 2024 Olympic Games. Both sides have been quietly recruiting him, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“One of the biggest dramas in international basketball, for example, will play out in the coming months as current Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid considers whether he will play in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Both the U.S. and France — Embiid holds citizenship in both and hasn’t yet picked — have quietly made pitches to try to secure him for the Olympics. Embiid is not playing in the World Cup this summer because he’s getting married in July.”
Embiid hasn’t made a decision on whether he’s actually playing or not — he could just simply sit out. But, if he does play, where he chooses to go will completely shift international basketball.
Once Embiid makes a choice and plays for whichever team he chooses, he’s tied to that country in international competition for the rest of his career, per FIBA rules. So if he chooses to play for France, he’s playing for France forever. The same goes for the USA. Whatever choice he makes will give an international basketball powerhouse one of the best players in the world for, at least, the next couple of Olympic cycles. That’s a huge deal.
Grant Hill needs to get on his Draymond Green and make that parking lot call. Embiid could change everything for Team USA.
The last time we chatted, we went over how incredibly close the WNBA standings are. Now, with just five days left until the playoffs on September 13th, all but one of the eight playoff spots have been claimed.
Here’s a look at the standings now. All teams that are locked in for the playoffs are in bold.
Las Vegas Aces (32-6)
New York Liberty (32-7)
Connecticut Sun (26-12)
Dallas Wings (20-18)
Minnesota Lynx (19-19)
Atlanta Dream (18-20)
Washington Mystics (18-20)
Chicago Sky (16-22)
Las Angeles Sparks (16-23)
The Sky and Sparks are battling it out for that eighth seed. The Sparks have the Seattle Storm (11-27) as the only team left on their schedule. The Sky have two playoff opponents in the Lynx and the Sun left on theirs in that order. Chicago owns the tiebreaker here.
After defeating Canada in Friday’s World Cup semifinal, Serbia’s Nikola Jovic got in some light-hearted trolling by mimicking Dillon Brooks’ shadow-boxing celebration.
After an outstanding performance (before a fourth-quarter ejection) in Wednesday’s quarterfinal win at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks made headlines by shadow boxing in the arena tunnel — complete with boxing gloves — as he awaited his Canadian teammates to exit the floor postgame.
Unfortunately for Brooks, there was no opportunity for him to repeat that celebration Friday. Canada fell to Serbia, 95-86 (box score), in the World Cup semifinals. With 16 points and 3 rebounds, Brooks finished as his team’s second-leading scorer. He shot 5-of-12 overall (41.7%) and 3-of-8 on 3-pointers (37.5%).
There was, however, a celebration for second-year Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic. In light-hearted trolling, the Serbian starter did his own postgame shadow-boxing act in that same tunnel.
Canada will conclude its World Cup run with a showdown in Sunday’s bronze-medal game against the United States, which lost to Germany in another upset on Friday night. That could mean a perimeter matchup of Brooks versus Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.
Until then, here’s a look back at highlights, analysis, interviews and postgame reaction from Canada’s disappointing loss Friday.
