USA Basketball is Going to Be OK
The men's USA basketball team got fourth in FIBA. I know some people are up in arms about this. I'm not.
We played about as well as I thought with this collection of players. We had some very talented players, namely Anthnoy Edwards. But this was not the best of the best. These were not the guys that were going to represent the USA in the 2024 Olympics. I think most knowledgeable basketball fans understand this. And I do agree with people who say other countries are better than they have ever been and that they are closing the gap on the US. Germany has studs. Lithuania is very good. France, who also played poorly at FIBA, is still very good. Spain can win a ton. These countries have gotten better with every passing year and they will be a thorn in the US's side in Paris.
When I look at the FIBA roster for Team USA, Edwards is the only dude that I think has a real shot to play in the Olympics. Jalen Brunson is a fine player, but I'd much rather go with players like Steph Curry, Bradley Beal or De'Aaron Fox at point guard. Tyrese Haliburton did play well as a bench guard, and he should get a long look, but I think the three guys I mentioned are better. The two guard will be more interesting. Again, I think Edwards will be on the team, but make him a bench guy. When it comes to the best two guards in the US, give me guys like Devin Booker or Khris Middleton. I'd even give Desmond Bane and Trae Young a look. Young is too hoggy, so he wouldn't work. But you give that starting spot to Booker and let it ride with him. Then you can bring Edwards and Middleton off the bench. They offer so much more in that role. Forward is where the US truly shines. FIBA had great players like Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram and Paolo Banchero. None of those guys would get picked over Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler or Anthony Davis, just to name a few. You replace Bridges and Ingram with LeBron and Durant and you are unguardable at that spot. Then you have Jimmy Butler and AD off the bench. Those dudes would eat the competition alive on defense. And Durant should have carte blanche to go wild on offense. Center is the toughest because of minor complications. Jaren Jackson Jr, who I am a big fan of by the way, was not good at FIBA. He fouls too much and didn't shoot the ball at all. Walker Kessler is too young and green for the competition. Where this gets dicey is Joel Embiid. If he can be convinced to play for the US, he is a dual citizen with France, then that problem is instantly solved. Putting Embiid in the starting five with Curry, Booker, KD and LeBron, that is lights out. They would crush any opponent. But if Embiid plays for France, or doesn't play at all, then the US has to search a bit. They could go to Brook Lopez, but he is old and creaky. Evan Mobley is young and talented, but he may not be ready for the Olympics just yet. Kevon Looney may be the best rebounder in the league, but he is a zero as a scorer. And Mitchell Robinson brings too much baggage. If Embiid decides not to go, I'd go with Bam Adebayo and platoon him with AD. Adebayo is small for a center, but he is an elite defender, he is strong, he is smart and he plays incredibly hard. Putting him on this team with all these upper tier stars would bring out the best in him. So if you sit me down and ask me my dream starting five for men's basketball in the 2024 Olympics, give me Steph at point guard, Booker at the 2, KD at 3, LeBron at the 4 and Adebayo at the 5. Then I'd get a bunch filled with superstars like Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, De'Aaron Fox and Khris Middleton. That is a much better representation of Team USA basketball than the FIBA starting five, which was Brunson at the 1, Edwards at the 2, Hart at the 3, Bridges at the 4 and JJJ at the 5. No disrespect to those guys either, but my starting five is wayyyyyy better. Curry can't be guarded, Booker is the best mid range scorer in the world, KD is 6'10 and shoots and handles like a guard, LeBron is the second greatest basketball player ever and Adebayo is one of the best modern defenders I've ever seen. That team would be clutch.
While others are hand wringing over a fourth place finish at FIBA, I have very little worries about Team USA men's basketball at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. They will be challenged, but should be the favorites for the gold. Let's get LeBron another gold medal. He deserves it.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.