Team USA reminds that talent and arrogance don't guarantee winning basketball games
Basketball is more of a global game now than it has ever been, and the young stars on Team USA need to realize that the path is not paved in gold
Sept 12, 2023, 10:45pm GMT+3
I can only hope that some of Team USA's younger stars are able to reflect and internalize the valuable lessons made available to them during their disappointing FIBA World Cup run. Namely, it would be nice if they came away understanding that talent isn't always everything and hubris will not make you a winner.Team USA was ousted from vying for a World Cup gold medal in a semifinal loss against Germany, which went on to win the 2023 World Cup on Sunday. Then, with one more chance at some sort of redemption, the U.S. was bounced from medal contention completely, losing to Canada in the bronze medal game.There's no doubt that Team USA had the most talented team and that the collection of talent was greater than that of its opponents. But just because the U.S. was able to field an impressive roster didn't mean that the other teams were going to lay down and just let Team USA walk all over them — Team USA apparently didn't get that memo.WHAT A SAVE! Check out the best stops in Matchday 31
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Ahead of some of the group stage games, Team USA's leading scorer, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who made his national team debut this year, said he wasn't “really worried about those guys” when referencing Montenegro and Lithuania, the U.S.' s next two opponents.Well, Team USA scraped by against Montenegro before losing to Lithuania. Maybe Edwards should have been worried about “those guys.”It seemed that Team USA might have learned a bit from its early arrogance, continuing to win en route to a semifinal matchup with Germany. But I couldn't help but think about something else that had happened in late August.
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Warning: What you're about to read is incredibly childish.Noah Lyles, an American professional track and field star who specializes in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, had just won three gold medals at the World Athletic Championships. He laughed as he noted that he watches NBA players don clothing that reads “world champion” after winning the NBA Finals even though it's a not a global league.RELATED
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“World champions of what?” Lyles asked with a laugh. “The United States?”While at the FIBA World Cup, Indiana Pacers standout Tyrese Haliburton, who played on Team USA this year, was asked what he thought about Lyles' comments.“I really don't understand the point of it because the NBA is the best league in the world,” Haliburton said. “It wasn't the most intelligent response.”Haliburton was backed by numerous NBA players and fans who took to social media to clap back at Lyles, repeating Haliburton's sentiments and sometimes even taking it further. Current NBA champion from the Denver Nuggets, Aaron Gordon, took to X, previously called Twitter, to say that he would beat Lyles in the 200 meters.Report name
First of all, no. Gordon would not beat Lyles in a race of any kind and I hope that he said that in jest.Secondly, let's get a few things straight. It's been a few years since the winners of the NBA Finals have worn hats or shirts that read “World Champions.” But, Lyles is not wrong about that language being used.You'd be hard pressed to find an NBA championship ring that doesn't say "World Champions" and many banners that hang in arenas also say the same thing.For now, let's ignore that Lyles was wrong about the hats, because even those who wore the hats failed to notice the incorrect statement. Lyles is correct that NBA champions are not world champions. It's the National Basketball Association, not the World Basketball Association. And, we have all the proof that we need in the fact that Germany is the current basketball world champion.Yes, the NBA is the best basketball league in the world, with talent from across the globe. But that doesn't mean that the league hosts interna
Basketball is more of a global game now than it has ever been, and the young stars on Team USA need to realize that the path is not paved in gold
Sept 12, 2023, 10:45pm GMT+3
I can only hope that some of Team USA's younger stars are able to reflect and internalize the valuable lessons made available to them during their disappointing FIBA World Cup run. Namely, it would be nice if they came away understanding that talent isn't always everything and hubris will not make you a winner.Team USA was ousted from vying for a World Cup gold medal in a semifinal loss against Germany, which went on to win the 2023 World Cup on Sunday. Then, with one more chance at some sort of redemption, the U.S. was bounced from medal contention completely, losing to Canada in the bronze medal game.There's no doubt that Team USA had the most talented team and that the collection of talent was greater than that of its opponents. But just because the U.S. was able to field an impressive roster didn't mean that the other teams were going to lay down and just let Team USA walk all over them — Team USA apparently didn't get that memo.WHAT A SAVE! Check out the best stops in Matchday 31
What A Save! Presented by Allstate has the best saves from Matchday 31.WHAT A SAVE! Check out the best stops in Matchday 31
MLS | 1:22Monday's best in < 10 minutes
MLB | 8:43Audi Roundtable
MLS | 5:44Audi Roundtable - highlights
MLS | 1:37Crow-Armstrong called up, more
MLB | 2:46Should Inter Miami's 3rd goal vs. Sporting Kansas City stood?
MLS | 4:48Quick strikes! | Vote for your Goal of the Matchday
MLS | 1:392023 ACC 2-Minute Drill - Week2_FINAL
College Sports | 3:02Sunday's best in <10 Minutes
MLB | 9:469/10/23: Top 5 Plays of the Day
MLB | 1:07
Ahead of some of the group stage games, Team USA's leading scorer, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who made his national team debut this year, said he wasn't “really worried about those guys” when referencing Montenegro and Lithuania, the U.S.' s next two opponents.Well, Team USA scraped by against Montenegro before losing to Lithuania. Maybe Edwards should have been worried about “those guys.”It seemed that Team USA might have learned a bit from its early arrogance, continuing to win en route to a semifinal matchup with Germany. But I couldn't help but think about something else that had happened in late August.
Report name
Warning: What you're about to read is incredibly childish.Noah Lyles, an American professional track and field star who specializes in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, had just won three gold medals at the World Athletic Championships. He laughed as he noted that he watches NBA players don clothing that reads “world champion” after winning the NBA Finals even though it's a not a global league.RELATED
Does Tony Parker think Rudy Gobert's time with the French team has run its course?
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“World champions of what?” Lyles asked with a laugh. “The United States?”While at the FIBA World Cup, Indiana Pacers standout Tyrese Haliburton, who played on Team USA this year, was asked what he thought about Lyles' comments.“I really don't understand the point of it because the NBA is the best league in the world,” Haliburton said. “It wasn't the most intelligent response.”Haliburton was backed by numerous NBA players and fans who took to social media to clap back at Lyles, repeating Haliburton's sentiments and sometimes even taking it further. Current NBA champion from the Denver Nuggets, Aaron Gordon, took to X, previously called Twitter, to say that he would beat Lyles in the 200 meters.Report name
First of all, no. Gordon would not beat Lyles in a race of any kind and I hope that he said that in jest.Secondly, let's get a few things straight. It's been a few years since the winners of the NBA Finals have worn hats or shirts that read “World Champions.” But, Lyles is not wrong about that language being used.You'd be hard pressed to find an NBA championship ring that doesn't say "World Champions" and many banners that hang in arenas also say the same thing.For now, let's ignore that Lyles was wrong about the hats, because even those who wore the hats failed to notice the incorrect statement. Lyles is correct that NBA champions are not world champions. It's the National Basketball Association, not the World Basketball Association. And, we have all the proof that we need in the fact that Germany is the current basketball world champion.Yes, the NBA is the best basketball league in the world, with talent from across the globe. But that doesn't mean that the league hosts interna
