Steve Kerr won’t get tired of reminding that the world has finally attained basketball globalization, and his Team USA’s contest for bronze collapse against Canada this 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup just serves as his newest example to present.
In the postgame of the Americans’ 127-118 overtime defeat against the Canadians to come up short within the Top 3 of the World Cup, Kerr reiterated his consistent message ever since the mighty U.S. squad fell out of contention for the coveted gold and Naismith Trophy.
“I don’t need any reminder. I was on the staff in the 2019 [World Cup] when we finished seventh. United States hasn’t won a World Cup since 2014. It’s hard. These teams in FIBA are really good, well coached, they got continuity, they played together for long times,” Kerr stated.
“This is difficult. It’s been difficult already.”
The United States will go home medal-less for the second straight World Cup.
The Americans’ Achilles heel was exposed at their Group Phase finale against Lithuania. But despite a convincing bounce-back display in the quarterfinals against Italy, the U.S. shockingly crashed out of the competitive scenes upon being rocked by Germany at the Semis.
And this Sunday, the stars and stripes suffered to a disappointing finish as Canada came out bigger at their Battle for Third bout. Amid dismissing their shorthanded units with Brandon Ingram, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Paolo Banchero announced out due to illness, America’s gallant efforts went wasted as they painfully absorbed an overtime defeat and settled for an unexpected 4th-place berth to cap off the World Cup.
As much as they desire to construct the best, formidable team they can to respond emphatically to their shortcomings at the international events, Kerr also clarified that it won’t be possible given the unpredictability around the players’ willingness to join the program.
With the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris just less than a year away, all eyes are directed at the plans of the Americans to rewrite their horrifying story from this World Cup.
“I mean, its hard for us to build continuity with Team USA because we just naturally have turnover year-to-year,” Kerr said.
“I think what we’ve tried to do is to learn what went to FIBA game, we really studied everything about FIBA, history of United States basketball. What we’ve won, what has been the reason. When we lost, what has been the reason.”
