LAS VEGAS—The United States has dominated all levels of international basketball since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, when they defeated Spain in the gold medal game to start a streak of five consecutive championships in both the World Cup in 2010 and 2014 and the Olympics in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
But this country no longer gets the best players to participate the way it did when NBA participation was new back in 1992, 1994 and 1996.
There are less marquee players dotting U.S. rosters than ever before and it may just be a matter of time before the Americans losing in the sport they invented becomes the biggest story, like it was when Team USA finished fifth in the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis and settled for bronze medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 World Championships in Tokyo.
Nothing lasts forever.
Even though the NBA provides the U.S. men’s senior team with the largest talent pool in the world, this country can take only so many hits before it implodes. That is not to say a young American team cannot win the gold medal in the upcoming World Cup in China.
But it will not be as easy as it looked in both the 2014 World Championships in Spain and 2016 Olympics in Rio.
In 2004, the U.S.—which had gone unbeaten in the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico, suffered 10 major defections before Athens when All Stars like Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, and Ben Wallace all cited fatigue; Kevin Garnett, Vince Carter and Ray Allen were getting married, Koby Bryant had legal problems and Jason Kidd, Karl Malone, Elton Brand were injured and Mike Bibby and Tracy McGrady cited security reasons. .
The U.S. was left with a depleted roster of young players making their Olympic debuts. A 19-year old LeBron James was on the roster, but hardly played, as did Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade. Center Emeka Okafor was selected as a college player, leaving Larry Brown had to rely heavily on future Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, who wasn’t necessarily a fit for this team; and Stephon Marbury, who had a contentious relationship with Brown, at the other guard spot. Center Tim Duncan was the only generational player on the team that also included second tier talent like Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Carolos Boozer and Richard Jefferson.
The U.S. surprisingly was still the favorite, but wound up losing three games and limping home with a bronze medal after losing to a better, eventual gold medalist Argentina in the semi-finals when guard Manu Ginobili from the Spurs scored 29 points and he and veteran point guard Pepe Sanchez outplayed an off form Iverson and Marbury during a 89-81 victory.
The Americans took a while to get their balance. They entered the 2006 FIBA World Championships in Japan with a new coach Mike Krzyzewski and a relatively new team, with James, Anthony and Wade playing integral roles. Team USA advanced to the semi-finals, only to be upset by Greece, 101-95, during a game at Saitama, Japan where the Greek guards dominated play.
Skilled ball handling point guard Theo Papaloukas outplayed a young Chris Paul and an overmatched Kirk Hinrich, running the pick and roll while guard Vasillis Spanoulis had the best game of his career with 20 points. Anthony scored 25 points for Team USA but for the most part, the Greeks confused the Americans for long stretches with a zone defense.
The Americans finally regained its place at the top of the medal stand when it won gold in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing when Krzyzewski used a backcourt of Kidd and Bryant, who was the best player in tournament; to beat Spain in the gold medal game. Since then, the Americans had a history of using high level shooters like Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving to run the point.
Kemba Walker, an All-NBA point guard from Boston, should continue that tradition as a scoring lead guard who could dominate weaker competition. Lowry, a defensive pit bull who won a gold medal with the 2016 Olympic team in Rio, could also be a huge addition if he is cleared to play following his thumb surgery. But Lowry is less than 100 percent and may be unable to participate, leaving Popovich will likely flesh out the position out with super quick, 23-year old De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings, who started life with the Select practice squad but was elevated to the National team and use Donovan Mitchell as a scoring one in any emergency.
Finding lock down shooters at the off guard has more difficult. But Mitchell as Utah’s first option on offense and seems ready for a breakout tournament while Jaylen Brown of Boston is a versatile, two-way player with UBA Basketball experience. Popovich could always take a long look at Trae Young from Atlanta, a second- year NBA player and legitimate long-range shooter from the Select team; if 6-8 Khris Middleton and 6-6 Joe Harris, the team’s two best wing shooters, continue to slump in scrimmages.
Given the fact Slovenia, the European champion with guards Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic, did not qualify for the tournament, the Americans should have the great group of guards in China.
But there is still a lot of work to do.
