In just one month, the 2023 FIBA World Cup is set to get underway in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. The tournament will be held from August 25 through September 10 and will feature 32 teams from around the world fighting for international bragging rights. In 2019, Spain was crowned champions of the world while two teams from North America pondered about the future of their international teams and which direction they were going to go.
Team USA finished in a disappointing seventh place in the 2019 tournament. The group was led by players like Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Damian Lillard, and others but wound up falling to both France and Serbia on back-to-back days to finish seventh. In 2023, they have decided to continue with their youth movement on Team USA, filling the roster with young up-and-coming NBA talent rather than the usual veterans. The team looks a little different than we projected one month ago but filled in their team for the 2023 World Cup very nicely.
Meanwhile, Team Canada suffered an even tougher fate. The squad from up north failed to make it past the group stages and eventually fell to 21st overall in the World Cup. In 2019, the roster for Canada was slim pickings, to say the least, but in 2023, they look to take the international stage by storm. Devoid of A-List talent in 2019, the 2023 Team Canada roster features a lineup worthy of consideration for a medal and is perhaps even one that tops Team USA.
Today, as these two teams set out on their path to redemption internationally, we decided we would compare these rosters head-to-head and determine the more worthy opponent. There are strengths and weaknesses for each team, and as they may just cross paths in this tournament, we felt it only right to compare them in this format.
This is the full comparison of the 2023 Team USA and 2023 Team Canada FIBA World Cup teams.
Starting Lineups
2023 Team USA: Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr.
2023 Team Canada: Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, Dwight Powell
As far as an NBA showdown goes, this matchup would be one that puts people in the seats. It features a ton of young, star-studded talent that are beginning to carve nice career paths for themselves in the NBA. On an international level though, they may be too young and inexperienced to make any real noise but pack the firepower to shock and turn heads.
Team USA starts off with an electric backcourt of Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards. Brunson is coming off the best season of his career with the Knicks, as is Edwards in his third season with the Timberwolves. Brunson brings playmaking, leadership, and poise under pressure to a young Team USA Squad that will need guidance. Edwards brings an innate ability to score the ball from all three levels and can be the go-to guy for the USA on offense.
For the rest of the starters, Brandon Ingram is another solid offensive weapon who will give the USA some tough shot-making ability and length where they need it. The same can be said for Mikal Bridges who will definitely serve as USA’s top perimeter defender tasked with the toughest assignments possible. Finally, Team USA brings in reigning Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. to serve as their primary interior stalwart. Jackson is more than capable of serving that role successfully if he can manage to stay out of foul trouble which was an area for concern in 2022-23.
For Team Canada, they bring in one of the most talented backcourts of the entire tournament. Jamal Murray is fresh off an incredible playoff run and championship victory for the Denver Nuggets. Murray has as much ice in his veins as anyone in the game right now so his ability to remain calm under pressure will go a long way. The other half of the backcourt is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who broke out as a 30.0 PPG scorer, All-Star, and All-NBA First Team selection. The combination of these two together could give Canada something special in 2023.
The frontcourt could be seen as a weakness for Team Canada with Kelly Olynyk and Dwight Powell not exactly All-Star names but it will be a tad different internationally. Both Powell and Olynyk can get away with using more physicality at this level, something that will favor Canada in this matchup. RJ Barrett is an outlier for Team Canada simply because I do not know which version will show up. Barrett can not afford to be as inconsistent as he has been in the past if Team Canada is to actually medal in 2023.
Advantage: Team Canada
Bench
2023 Team USA: Tyrese Haliburton, Josh Hart, Austin Reaves, Paolo Banchero, Cam Johnson, Bobby Portis, Walker Kessler
2023 Team Canada: Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Osahe Brissett, Cory Joseph, Zach Edey, Thomas Scrubb
The bench is a little bit different story when it comes to the depth of these two teams. Team USA packs a really solid punch with Tyrese Haliburton bringing his playmaking skills to the table in relief of Brunson. The other two players to watch for Team USA will be Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero who will be scrutinized for his reported spurning of the Italian National Team. Also, Austin Reaves, who just received a massive payday from the Lakers and will showcase his talent on an international level for the first time will be a valuable bench piece for Team USA.
For Team Canada, all eyes will of course be on professional instigator Dillon Brooks who signed a large contract with the Rockets this offseason worth $80 million over four years. Lu Dort and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will also be major contributors for Team Canada off their bench, especially on the defensive end. I am curious to see what kind of role Zach Edey will play for them in the tournament or see if he is there simply as preparation for the professional level.
Advantage: Team USA
Coach
2023 Team USA: Steve Kerr
2023 Team Canada: Jordi Fernandez
Now we break down the coaches for these two teams who boast incredibly unique resumes. In 2021, Steve Kerr took over the duties for Team USA from Gregg Popovich after winning the Gold Medal at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. Kerr will lead Team USA into battle at the 2023 FIBA World Cup as well as the 2024 Paris Olympic Games alongside his coaching staff that includes Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Pistons coach Monty Williams, and Gonzaga Men’s Basketball coach Mark Few.
After being let go by the Toronto Raptors following the 2022-23 season, Nick Nurse would also relinquish his duties as head coach of Team Canada. In his place stepped Jordi Fernandez, a coach without a big wow factor attached to his name but with plenty of the right experience. Fernandez is currently an associate Head Coach with the Sacramento Kings and has served on both the Spanish and Nigerian National Team’s staff as well. Fernandez was also an assistant coach with the Denver Nuggets from 2016 through 2022. Fernandez may not have the hardware or experience Kerr does but do not slack on what he can do with a team.
Advantage: Team USA
Team USA Advantages
Each team will have a host of advantages over the other, as this matchup is pretty even across the board. For Team USA, the first advantage they have is their depth off the bench. Haliburton, Reaves, and Banchero are three incredibly NBA-level starters and stars who can impact any team they are a part of. This depth is going to allow Team USA to plug in different parts in different situations without losing much of a step in their rhythm.
The other advantage they will have in many of their 2023 FIBA World Cup matchups is the fact they have the right people in charge. Steve Kerr, Erick Spoelstra, and Monty Williams have all been to the NBA Finals with Spoelstra and Kerr winning multiple championships. Having these types of winners and teachers around a young team can do wonders for their confidence and assertiveness in big moments throughout the tournament.
Team Canada Advantages
Team Canada also has a few advantages that they hold over Team USA but also have over other teams they will face in the tournament come the end of August. The biggest and most exciting advantage they have is their starting backcourt. Jamal Murray and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may just be the best starting backcourt in the entire World Cup. In international competition, it is incredibly important to have players who can create for themselves and hit clutch shots down the road. Murray and Gilgeous-Alexander do that with their eyes closed.
Another advantage that Team Canada will have is their second unit’s defensive abilities. On that unit will be borderline elite defenders such as Dillon Brooks and Lu Dort. Both are premier perimeter defenders who can size up bigger matchups as well, giving Canada an advantage in playing small ball. Their second unit should be able to keep things afloat long enough for the starters to get back on the court and take over offensively. Team Canada has a sneakily disruptive defensive unit overall and their bench gives them the depth to move things around when they get figured out at any point.
Who Would Win This Matchup?
Before coming to a final conclusion, it should be noted that a game between Team USA and Team Canada in 2023 can go either way. It really goes to show Canada’s growth over the last few years on an international level because this conversation could not be had 10 years ago. With Team USA’s decision to go younger, they will experience some growing pains along the way and a loss to Canada is certainly on the table.
With that being said, I do like the overall talent of Team USA a bit more as well as their coaching staff. The experience of their coaches with numerous championships and tutelage on an international level is an experience that cannot be overlooked. From top to bottom, it is easier to find advantages for Team USA than it is for Team Canada. Interior defense, shot-creation, playmaking, and rebounding may all be things that Team USA runs away with on the court in a head-to-head with Team Canada.
Team Canada is right on the cusp of accomplishing tremendous things internationally and heck, even 2023 could be the year. They have improved greatly as a unit and have inserted a great coach in Jordi Fernandez who knows what it takes to win internationally. Canada will turn some heads this year at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and I do believe that Team USA will shock some people as well. Now, it is time for it to unfold and see if Canada and the United States meet on their way to gold.
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