Following Semi-Final Loss, What Changes Are Coming?
Expectations for Team USA entering the 2023 FIBA World Cup weren’t as high as they usually were as the roster was largely one in transition. Gone were the LeBrons, Carmelos, and KDs of the world, and in were up and coming stars, and role players who had never donned the Red/White/Blue before.
While hoops fans usually view anything other than gold as an abject failure for the States, this year’s squad didn’t have the same level of hoopla surrounding them. And it didn’t help the team that they struggled even in their tune-up games.
After arriving in Manila for the competition, they became more popular than the Filipino national team with the local crowd as they seemed to be righting the ship in the early going. The Americans finished the first two rounds with only one loss against Lithuania.
The Steve Kerr-coached American squad demolished the Italians in the quarterfinals, 100-63- setting up a semifinal date against Germany. And that’s where the team’s shortcomings took center stage.
Germany Stunned Team USA
Andreas Obst drained a three-pointer with 1:14 to go in the fourth quarter and Dennis Schroder made a two-point basket to ice the game for the Germans in a stunning 113-111 victory over the Americans. While the US was able to score at will, their inability to stop anything on defense was ultimately their undoing.
Obst finished with 24 points and six assists. Franz Wagner added 22 points, while Daniel Theis shot 10 for 15 from the field for 21 points. Schroder, who’s heading to the Toronto Raptors for the 2023-2024 NBA season, finished with 17 points, nine assists, and two steals.
Team USA was led by Jalen Brunson’s 23 points followed by crowd favourite Austin Reaves’ 21 points. Mikal Bridges added 17 points with Anthony Edwards chipping in 15 more.
While the game was close throughout, Germany managed to pull away at one point leading by as many as 12 points. But it would be the US’s inability to clean the glass in their own end that would cost them down the stretch.
The Germans had 12 offensive rebounds from which they scored 25 second-chance points. Germany exposed the Americans’ lack of a tall frontline. Without potential Olympic roster players such as KD, or Anthony Davis, the US had to rely on players like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Bobby Portis to hold things down defensively.
What’s Next?
Team USA can still salvage a bronze medal finish with a win against the Canadians on September 10th.
However, the question of “What’s next?” now looms large above Team USA’s heads. Will Steve Kerr still be tagged to lead the squad to Paris in 2024? Will the lack of gold inspire veteran holdouts to once again suit up for their country? All viable questions in the aftermath of the semi-final loss.
The good news though: they still qualified to play in the 2024 Olympics in Paris by finishing in one of the top two spots for the FIBA Americas region in the World Cup. However, one can expect major changes in the team- particularly in the roster construction.
For one, Steph Curry, who has yet to suit up for Team USA in the Olympics, has expressed interest in doing so next year. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, via a social media post also hinted interest in playing for the American team. If Steve Kerr stays on as head coach and gets both Curry and LeBron on board, Team USA will have the kind of championship experience they were missing in Manila this year.
There’s also the question of continuity. Most national teams in the World Cup this year built their respective basketball programs with continuity. Steve Kerr and the Team USA coaching staff have a choice to make after the FIBA World Cup: maintain the current core or add the Olympic veterans and risk having to start from scratch in the next Olympic cycle.
Age is also another factor for bringing in the veterans for the Olympics. LeBron will be 39 by the time the Paris games start. Curry will be 36. Durant will be 35. For now, the Americans still have a bronze medal to compete for in Manila. Then, it’s training camp time for the upcoming season in the NBA followed by the Olympics.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Keith Allison. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.