- Former NBA point guard says there’s no longer ‘mystique’ to playing against NBA players
- Team USA is feeling the pressure after first tournament loss
- Team USA is losing its lead on the NBA scene
For decades now, Team USA has been at the top of the game when it comes to the game of basketball on the world stage. With 16 gold medals in US national basketball team history, it’s clear that the country has had a foothold on the sport for a while now.
But if you ask former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas, he fears that the best days are already in the past for Team USA. “There’s no longer the mystique of playing against the NBA player,” said Arenas on his podcast. “There’s still respect, but there’s not the same sort of fear or the awe that there was 27 years ago.”
After avoiding a loss for weeks, Team USA suffered its first defeat of the tournament this weekend with a stunning loss to Lithuania. Besides taking many by surprise, the loss served to show that Team USA may be losing its lead on the international basketball scene.
In the NBA, foreign-born stars are quickly outnumbering American players as we see with guys like Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Joel Embiid (among others).
So with the game expanding worldwide, the US isn’t the only country producing stars anymore and Arenas isn’t wrong to mention that the fear that once existed for Team USA is no longer what it used to be.
NBA Fans Are Shocked After The Loss To Lithuania
Team USA’s roster is far from the best we’ve ever seen but with the amount of star power available, one would think they have enough to take home the gold. But after an unexplainable loss to a major underdog today, confidence is waning that Team USA can actually close the deal in the World Cup this year.
According to the fans, who have been highly critical online, Team USA is in real danger of missing out on the gold and GM Tony Reagins is at least partly responsible for assembling this roster of mismatched players.
On Sunday, the only guy who really showed up to play was Anthony Edwards, who dropped 35 points on 14 for 26 shooting. No other player scored more than 14 points, including starting shooting guard Josh Hart who only attempted a single shot in 13 minutes of action.
To say that panic is starting to rise might be an understatement for the basketball community, but a loss in the World Cup this year could force Team USA to re-assess its recruiting process.
Team USA Needs More Stars
Besides Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Tyrese Haliburton, Team USA doesn’t include many of the NBA’s top American players. This year, unlike in years past, the team is mostly made up of role-players and bench scorers such as Austin Reaves, Josh Hart, and Bobby Portis.
Some, like Gilbert Arenas, have been very outspoken about the roster-building this year and there’s been some urgency from the fans for Team USA to recruit better players next time around.
“As a group, this is an F-tier list. Jimmy Butler and Jaylen Brown, that would be considered a C-group,” said Arenas. “This is an F group compared to what we have. When your grading, ‘alright, pick the best 12 [players in the NBA]’… This [Team USA squad] is the 5th [set of 12 players]. Only Anthony Edwards would be out of this group.”
Team USA is still 4-1 in the World Cup this year, so they still have a chance to come out as the winners in this competition. But if the top athletes continue to turn down the opportunity to play, things could take a turn for the worst for Team USA.
While some might not consider that a bad thing, millions of Americans across the country might have something to say about it.
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