People who blame the players, please consider that there’s actual centers who should be been called up and to continuously allow Kemba to do his thing instead of feeding Mitchell was a lousy coaching job. Pop didn’t really care I think.
TBH I am glad that US lost and did not even reach semis. Sending this strange collection of ill fitted, 2nd grade NBA talent as an excuse for a team and still expecting to easily win is disrespectful to other countries competing. On a flip side maybe it will boost Rudy T. HOF chances for what he achieved in 1998 with non-NBA squad.
Is it "disrespectful" to send a team of the players who will agree to go? I mean, we didn't have a lot of choices. NBA players are increasingly seeing these intense summer seasons as career-shortening, payday-hurting charity endeavors. And it's really true, patriotism aside. I agree w' you that it's disrespectful for anyone who thought this team was going to walk all over the other teams. I don't think any of us basketball people ever thought that though. None of us seem very surprised by this result. Cheering for Argentina.
Most americans in general: "NBA is so good, even our team's benches could win world cup". After defeat: "Hey we had only bench players"
Naw man. This isn't the 90's or the late 00's; most fans realize the world is MUCH better. Going into the tournament, everyone knew it was going to be a struggle. There is no breaking news that the USA lost because everyone knew there was high potential for it to happen.
I'm at best a casual basketball fan at this point. Outside of Kemba and Lopez the rest of the names for me range from "That vaguely sounds familiar" to "Uh... who???". Reading articles I recognize more of the players from the opposing teams.
Seriously - why would you go? All it does is make money for scummy tournament organizers who profit off of you for free and risk money for you. It's maybe worth going to once for the experience and the shiny gold trinket and the parties - other than that it makes no sense
I don't think even the dumbest, most obnoxious Americans thought our NBA bench players could win an international soccer tournament.
I think these guys win with Carmelo or JVG as head coach. When the JVG lead d-leaguers beat the varsity, they should have maybe put some of them on the squad. Carmelo is the greatest international us player because his mid range shots are 3 pointers in the FIBA game. The USA 3-point shooting was terrible. I'm just happy the USA qualified for the Olympics, that's all I care about.
Didn't watch, simply because I just didn't see any advertising for it and was unaware of most of the game times. Not on TV apparently, not on my ESPN Sportscenter App, lol.
Never even bothered to follow the tournament. But then I got notification that Team USA lost so I looked into it. I checked the roster and was like.... That roster is a bunch of losers. Even the supposedly star players are selfish ISO players. 4 Celtics players on that roster after they had a disastrous seasons. lulz... Even then, no way this team loses if either Harden or Tucker did not withdraw. That's how good those two are.
