After World Cup failure, can the United States regain its throne?

After World Cup failure, can the United States regain its throne?FIBA

s Choice USA leave philippines world cup Touched with pride, there are still many questions that need clarification.The loss on day two left a bitter aftertaste, and not just because of the loss in the semi-finals to Germany, But there was also consolation in not winning a bronze medal. For a team accustomed to dominating the world’s major events, being left off the podium is a crushing blow, regardless of whether they are the brightest stars.

“We expect to win year in and year out. That’s what’s expected based on the results and history of our team,” the Knicks point guard said. Jaylen Brunson One of 12 players selected for the national team Steve Kerr in this sentence. “These are outsider opinions. My view is that obviously we were not ready to play from the start.”

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he 1992 “Dream Team”inside barcelona olympics, setting a high standard for Team USA. NBA star, with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird

Up front, they were fully committed to the Olympics and won every game by more than 30 points. The team has done a lot to spread the image of the sport. But it’s also motivation for other countries that haven’t stopped bridging their differences.

U.S. players look disappointed after losing to Germany

indeed USA Gold medals in seven of the last eight Olympics since ’92 (the only exception being Athens-2004), but they suffered several defeats at the World Cup, which convinced people that they would be vulnerable if they didn’t play with their best players. It happened in his own home, Indianapolis In 2002, a team with Gregg Popovich On the bench with stars like this Paul Pierce and Reggie Miller. In 2019, it happened again, as they lost in the quarter-finals to France In 2023, it happened again and he defeated Germany in the semifinals.

Kerr’s explanation

“This game has taken the world by storm over the past 30 years. The competition is complex. We are no longer in ’92”, is the explanation Steve Kerr. “The players around the world are much better. And the teams. The World Cup or the Olympics are no longer easy wins.”

Criticism in the US media has intensified in recent hours, with some outlets, such as NBC or The Athletic They all pointed out that they need to recruit big-name players to regain their dominance next summer. Paris 2024 Olympics.

ESPN SportsCenter project evaluates a team’s potential LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard and Kawhi Leonard

and his own lebron Speculation was sparked, with a picture created by ESPN being retweeted, suggesting it could be part of the bet.

star lakers He won a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics but won gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics final against Spain and will no longer compete in the Rio Olympics. 2016 and 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

german coach Gordie Herbert Explained that one of the keys to his team’s success was the mid-term commitment that some players received after lengthy conversations with him Dennis Schroeder In 2021, plan for the future.Germany have been with the same team for a few years (winning bronze at the European Championships a year ago), just like the other teams Serbia or Spain.

Through this example, they asked Steve Kerr If only U.S. Soccer could adopt a similar policy and build a solid base of players to work with over the long term, rather than just five weeks before a tournament begins. “I’m not sure how to do that. “If the question is asking ten players to play every summer, I don’t think that’s a very realistic thing to do,” the coach explained. golden stateHe took over in December 2021 and has had very little time working with these players.

“Part of the commitment to the federation is passing the baton to the next group of players and coaches,” he explained. Kerr. “It’s very different to what happens in other countries. But we are unique. We have a lot of talented players and a lot of very valuable players. I think everyone should be lucky enough to wear this shirt at some point.”

The Philippines’ World Cup debacle raised a lot of questions in the United States, but a year later there are only a handful of stars committed to making the national team for the next Olympics.