Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 9) — There was a time when team USA was just waiting for its opponent in a championship or gold medal match on the global stage.
The way Americans dominated the game put fear in the hearts of their foes even before tip-off.
But after Team USA was stunned by Germany in the semifinals of the 2023 FIBA World Cup on Friday, the once mighty nation was again slapped with a harsh reality check.
USA head coach Steve Kerr noted teams have significantly improved over the years, which made it tougher for them to win the top prize.
\”Players are better all over the world, teams are better. It’s not easy to win a World Cup or Olympic games,\” the 57-year-old mentor told reporters after their loss to Germany.
\”It means the game has been globalized over the last 30 years or so. These games are difficult. This is not 1992 anymore,\” he said.
Kerr, a multi-titled NBA champion as a player and head coach, was referring to the 1992 USA squad dubbed as the ‘Dream Team,’ a group of NBA superstars headlined by Michael Jordan who cruised to gold in the Barcelona Olympics with an average winning margin of 44 points.
This is the second straight time that USA won’t be contending for the FIBA World Cup trophy. It finished seventh in the 2019 edition held in China.
Team USA last won the World Cup title in 2014 in Spain.
