Team USA no longer plays like the No. 1 national team in the world, as the FIBA rankings suggest.
The Sleeping Giant has been in a long slumber at the World Cup, and 2024 will mark 10 years since Team USA reached the finals. It’s been 10 years since Team USA won the World Cup in 2014. Former Net Kyrie Irving left the 2014 World Cup winning the tournament’s MVP award.
At the 2023 World Cup, the United States finished fourth despite having a chance to win a bronze medal if they finished third. Shorthanded Canada, which has emerged as one of the international basketball powerhouses, took on the United States in a bronze medal game that went into overtime. The Americans finished fourth, but it was still a better result than in 2019, when they finished seventh.
Notably, Nets forwards Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges wore red, white and blue uniforms at the 2023 World Cup. It would be cool to see them looking for revenge at the next World Cup in 2027 instead of running away from their predicament. Most players who play in other countries usually return without considering age at all. Team USA must put together a consistent core back on the world stage so that the chemistry from each World Cup carries over.
Cam Thomas is another player that came up when looking at this Nets roster as a player who could potentially play for Team USA in the near future. In three of his seasons, Thomas established himself as one of the NBA’s elite scorers. It’s safe to say he’s here to stay as one of the NBA’s elite scorers, so this next step in playing on the world stage will definitely be a can’t-miss for Nets fans.
If the United States is to regain its juggernaut status on the world stage, reaching out to members of the Brooklyn Nets will definitely peak their interest.
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