Jason Williams never tiptoed around his opinions as a player, and retirement has not softened him one bit. On the Hoopin and Hollerin podcast, the former NBA champion went all in on a familiar debate, claiming that a Team USA stacked with American stars would still overpower a lineup made entirely of elite European talent. And in classic Jason Williams fashion, he did not exactly choose subtlety.
“You can put them all on the same team, and the Americans are winning. If they got to win the game or they die, the Americans win.”
“That’s the way I’m looking at it because this All-Star game they’re going to play, that don’t mean nothing. That don’t mean nothing to the Americans.”
“None of them can stop Kevin Durant. Wemby going to get his a** busted. All seven foot six of his a** KD going right through that sh*t.”
A decade ago, this argument would have landed far more comfortably. Back then, the league’s best players were overwhelmingly American, and international stars were exceptions rather than pillars. In today’s NBA, that framing feels outdated. The European talent pool is not only deeper, it is driving the league’s highest level of play.
A realistic Team Europe starting five would be terrifying on paper. Luka Doncic as the primary creator, Giannis Antetokounmpo as a downhill force. and Nikola Jokic as the offensive hub. Add Victor Wembanyama’s rim protection and either Lauri Markkanen or Alperen Sengun for spacing and secondary scoring, and you have a lineup with size, skill, playmaking, and versatility across every position.
That group is not hypothetical dominance. Luka, Giannis, and Jokic are MVP winners or perennial finalists. Wembanyama already looks like a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in his early twenties. This is not ‘foreign basketball catching up.’ This is foreign basketball sitting at the top of the league.
Williams’ core argument rests on two things: competitive edge and Kevin Durant. He believes that when the stakes are real, Americans respond differently, feeding off each other’s intensity and experience. He also maintains that Durant remains unguardable, regardless of who is in front of him. There is truth there. Durant is still one of the most devastating scorers the game has ever seen, and in a high-stakes setting, he can swing any matchup.
Team USA’s strength has never been just about top-end talent. It is about depth, variety, and stylistic chaos. And there are things the Americans still bring that Europe simply does not replicate.
For one, Stephen Curry is still that dude. No defender on earth, European or otherwise, warps a defense the way Curry does. His gravity breaks schemes before the ball even crosses half-court. Even now, he forces lineups to bend in ways that open the floor for everyone else. That kind of off-ball terror is something no European star truly matches.
Then there is Anthony Edwards, who may very well be the best American player right now. Edwards’ explosive athleticism, downhill aggression, and willingness to attack anyone at any time are something Europe lacks in sheer volume.
Beyond that, Team USA’s depth is overwhelming. Jalen Brunson can run an offense and close games. Jaylen Brown is playing at an MVP level this season. Cade Cunningham gives size and playmaking from the perimeter. That is not even touching the second and third waves of American talent that can change pace, style, and defensive looks instantly.
And yes, LeBron James still factors into this conversation. At 41, he is not the force he once was, but his basketball IQ, playmaking, and ability to control moments would still matter in a single high-pressure game. You do not just ignore LeBron James in a win-or-else scenario, regardless of age.
This debate is gaining more attention as the NBA leans into a Team USA vs. Team World concept for the 2026 All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Realistically, that setting will be an exhibition, not a war. Defense will be optional. It will not answer the question Williams is posing.
Still, his comments reflect a larger tension between eras. For players like Jason Williams, American dominance is not just a statistic. It is identity. But today’s NBA tells a more complicated story. The gap is no longer obvious. And dismissing a European superteam outright says more about loyalty to the past than the reality of the present.
