2012 Team USA Winning the gold medal game. (Photo Courtesy ESPN)
For the second time in four years, Team USA has lost in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Tournament. This defeat has shocked Americans in the United States, and American-born NBA (National Basketball Association) players. The main question regarding this situation is how did we get here?
In 1989, FIBA voted to change the rule to allow NBA players to participate in FIBA Basketball World Cup Tournaments, and the Olympics every four years. The vote was 56-13 to allow NBA players to participate. Before this ruling, NBA players were not allowed to play in the Olympics and FIBA Basketball World Cup Tournament. However, NCAA players were allowed to participate in these events, meaning international players would be facing off against college basketball players who were not drafted into the NBA.
In 1992, the USA Basketball Olympic team often referred to as "The Dream Team" was assembled. This Olympic team was led by Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, and Larry Bird and is considered to be one of the greatest American basketball teams in Olympic history. “The Dream Team” not only made history, but paved the way for American NBA players today to play basketball for the United States of America.
After 1992, USA Basketball would go on to win in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics but would lose in 2004 to Lithuania to receive a bronze medal. This alerted American-born players and superstars to never allow this to happen again. In the summer of 2008, the "Redeem Team" was formed, led by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. The "Redeem Team" would go on to win the gold medal against Spain and sent a message to the world who runs basketball.
Since 2008, USA Basketball has won the gold in 2012, 2016, and 2021, while USA FIBA Basketball has not won a championship in ten years. In this year's FIBA tournament, Team USA lost in the semifinals to Germany and lost in a match for third place against Canada.
In recent years, born American superstar NBA players have spoken strongly about not playing for Team USA Basketball due to spending time with their families in the offseason, injuries, and focusing on their personal lives, knowing the FIBA Basketball World Cup and Olympics are every four years.
American-born NBA superstars such as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who has been asked for years to play in the Olympics, has never played. Over the years, USA Basketball recruiters have brought in players to join Team USA who have never received All-NBA Team recognition, league Awards, and All-Star selections due to the lack of star players refusing to play.
According to ESPN, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is seriously interested in playing in the 2024 Paris Olympics and has started his recruitment of American basketball players to join.
This recruitment seems to be working as interest seems to be growing among superstars like Stephen Curry and Chris Paul of the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, who holds both United States and French citizenship.
Players that should consider joining in 2024 are Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks, Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, and Zach Lavine of the Chicago Bulls.
It is time for superstar NBA players to wake up and commit to USA Basketball. Team USA's basketball mission every year should be one goal, and that is winning.
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