Like the NBA dunk contest, Team USA has seen a sharp drop in star participation in recent years. Far removed from squads like the ‘Dream Team’ with Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson and the legendary ‘Redeem Team’ with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, the country hasn’t had a truly star-studded international team in years now.
But, thanks to some changes from Team USA, that could be about to change.
“Kerr, whose day job is to coach the Golden State Warriors, has been asking opposing coaches for permission to have discussions when the Warriors play teams with players on Team USA’s list. Golden State was in Memphis on Saturday to play the Grizzlies. Bane is a prototypical international player as a sizable guard who can shoot 3s and defend, and Jackson is a talented big who leads the NBA in blocked shots,” wrote The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “Neither has played for the national team previously. Kerr has also spoken with the Bulls’ Alex Caruso, among others.”
Both Bane and Jackson Jr. would be huge additions to the team USA roster, and while there is no guarantee they will agree to play, recent changes to the process have made the path easier for players interested in suiting up for their country.
NBA Players Will No Longer Have To Try Out For Team USA
This news comes after an announcement today where Grant Hill revealed that NBA players would no longer have to try out to make the roster.
“There’s been a little bit of a generational shift that’s occurred in the league and basketball in general, and so I think we have to be willing to adapt and adjust to the times and adapt and adjust to players today,” Hill said Monday during an appearance over Zoom. “We feel that it’s best served going forward to use that time to come together as a team and to really work on building that chemistry and that camaraderie and preparing for a very different game and a different style of play that exists in international play,” Hill said.
While it’s unlikely all of the top-level stars will suit up for the World Cup, it will be easier for Team USA to attract some of the top-level players — and, apparently, Steve Kerr already has a few names in mind.
But with growing international talent, it’s growing increasingly difficult for the USA to defend its place atop the basketball hierarchy, and it’s why Steve Kerr is wasting no expense to ensure the USA has a strong showing in the next round of world competition.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
