- Team USA falls after loss to Germany in Semi-Finals
- Stephen A. says US basketball play has fallen off compared to other nations
- Team USA accused of lacking depth and cohesiveness
Despite housing the best basketball league on the planet, the USA continues to fall behind on the international basketball scene. In their latest step towards rock bottom, Team USA was eliminated from World Cup play after suffering their second loss of the tournament against Germany on Friday.
Like many other fans and experts in the field, Stephen A. Smith found himself disappointed by Team USA this year and even went so far as to say they got “exposed” after failing to make the Finals for the second straight year. “That’s glaring. It gives credence to Noah Lyles and others who have basically said this ain’t no world championship when they win the NBA championship,” said Stephen A. “It’s the NBA championship, it’s not the world. International competition is different and the USA gets exposed because their lack of depth, lack of cohesiveness, compared to some of these other teams from other nations speaks volumes and this is another example of it.”
.@stephenasmith reacts to the USA failing to reach the FIBA World Cup final again:
"That's glaring. It gives credence to Noah Lyles … International competition is different and the USA gets exposed." pic.twitter.com/rBXLFzClFq
— First Take (@FirstTake) September 8, 2023
In the aftermath of their World Cup elimination, social media is buzzing about Team USA as fans come to grips with the disappointing run. For the first time in a while, it really seems like the world has caught up to the USA, and it’s not so easy to win every game like before.
Noah Lyles Comments Get Validated After USA Elimination
Earlier this summer, Noah Lyles sparked outrage when he questioned why the winners of the NBA Finals call themselves the “world champions” when they only play against other American teams. Many Americans took offense to these comments, including Tyrese Haliburton, who quickly fired back against it.
“I really don’t understand the point of it because the NBA is the best league in the world,” said Haliburton. “It wasn’t the most intelligent response. We’re going to let that fly.”
Well, it seems that the USA may not be so far ahead of the curve as originally thought. While the US may have more talented players on paper, the international game is different than NBA action, and we saw this year that Team USA is far from unbeatable compared to teams around the world.
What’s Next For Team USA?
After the game, we saw Steve Kerr take some accountability for his team, but he didn’t deny that it’s a new era for international basketball. The days of going undefeated are likely over now for Team USA, and they’ll have to be more selective with their roster-building process in the future.
Over the next few weeks and months, Team USA will be subject to a full review as fans and critics look for someone to blame. Needless to say, it will be a rough summer for the players and coaches this year, as it’s never easy to disappoint your home country.
Fortunately, there is a chance for redemption. In 2024, the Olympic games will take place in Paris, and the US will have another attempt to re-establish its lead over the basketball scene. But in order to avoid disaster and secure a better future, Team USA will have to convince the superstars to join.
Hopefully, in the future, we’ll have more participation from the elites like Curry, LeBron, and Kevin Durant, who could easily take the United States back to another gold medal.
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