• Trae Young was not selected to represent Team USA at the 2023 FIBA World Cup
• Point guards Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton were selected over Young
• Gilbert Arenas thinks sneaker politics influenced the decision to not select Young for the squad
Trae Young was left off the Team USA squad for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, a decision that has been mildly controversial. He has expressed a desire to suit up for his country many times previously.
Arenas passionately implied that Young wasn’t selected for Team USA because he’s an Adidas athlete while Team USA is sponsored by Nike.
“It’s that sorry a** other brand! It’s that other brand! It’s that other brand, man! They be doing too MFing much!”
Gilbert Arenas blames Nike for keeping Trae Young off of Team USA’s roster
“It’s that sorry a** other brand! It’s that other brand! It’s that other brand, man! They be doing too MFing much!”
(h/t @TalkBasket ) pic.twitter.com/b9bvpotdQ1
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 7, 2023
This is a relatively baseless comment by Arenas. While the majority of players on Team USA are Nike or Jordan athletes, there are two Adidas athletes on the roster. Walker Kessler and Anthony Edwards are both signed with Adidas, so it doesn’t seem like sneaker allegiances were a key factor in deciding the roster.
Young averaged 26.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 10.2 assists last season. He took another step at establishing himself as one of the league’s best point guards, but it seems to not have impressed the selection committee.
Was Trae Young A Bad On-Court Fit For Team USA?
There is no questioning the incredible scoring and playmaking ability that Young possesses. Neither Tyrese Haliburton nor Jalen Brunson can score like him, but they have other traits that make them a very good choice for FIBA basketball.
Brunson has a proven track record of being able to excel in FIBA games based on his success at the U-19 level. Haliburton is a pass-first point guard who can not only playmaker for everyone on the roster but also hold his own defensively. Young would create a massive defensive weakness for Team USA.
Even though this might have been a snub, it seems Team USA is extremely happy with Brunson and Haliburton running their point guard rotation. Hopefully, Young can get a shot at Team USA in the future, but it seems he needs to prove his game is well-rounded to get that opportunity.
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