This Wednesday's Men's Basketball World Cup team lost to France 79-89, which told us one thing: this American team is not talented enough. After many players' withdrawals and injuries, the US team must participate in the battle with a technically flawed team, and their weaknesses are fully utilized by this well-trained French team with an NBA level player in each position.
Compared with the World Cup, the best players in the United States prefer to play in the Olympics. This is not a problem for the US team that participated in the World Cup in 2010 and 2014 (also called the World Championships at the time), because those two US teams were to train the next generation of outstanding players. The problem with this World Cup is that many outstanding young players did not come to China with the team. Either they chose to stay at home or they were not prepared for international competitions. If we compare the young American players under the age of 25 in 2019 with young American players under the age of 2014 and 2010, we will find that the gap is still very big:
- 2010: Stephen Curry (22), Kevin Love (22), Kevin Durant (21), Russell Westbrook (21), Derek Rose (21).
- 2014: James Harden (25), Clay Thompson (24), Demarcus Cousins (24), Kyrie Irving (22), Anthony Davis (21).
- 2019: Donovan Mitchell (23), Myers Turner (23), Jaylen Brown (22), Jason Tatum (21).
Mitchell completed his mission, scoring 29 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the game against France, making him the most comprehensive player of the United States. Tatum sprained his ankle after only two games. Neither Turner nor Brown have performed enough to become the mainstay of this team.
There are many variables in the future. , the 2010 U.S. national team members no longer participate in international competitions. The 2014 US national team members may not appear in the national team in the future. Harden, Davis , Irving have won the Olympic gold medal, Thompson needs to recover from a cruciate ligament tear, Cousins has suffered a series of injuries. The U.S. national team may have many positions left for the next generation of players.
International basketball has changed drastically since the "Redification Team". Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the best basketball player on the planet in the next decade, and many other alternatives are not from the United States, such as Luca Doncic , Kristaps Porzingis and Carl-Anthony Towns. Team America must focus more on finding players that complement each other, rather than just gathering young talents and then finding ways to glue them together.
The good news is that the prototype of the next American team has gradually emerged. There are four young players with outstanding talents and the cornerstone of the future American team, and they are very suitable to play together:
Trey Yang (20)
Trey Yang was generous and glorious in the Hawks' rookie season. He was able to average 19.1 points per game with an average shooting rate of 41.8% and send 8.1 assists. He also joined the US National Team alternative this summer, having the opportunity to become the final official member, but withdrew from the ranks due to eye disease. His long-range shooting and organizational skills are very suitable for Team USA. The U.S. team does not need a strong scorer, but a player who can not only create simple scoring opportunities for teammates in conversion offenses, but also provides long-range shots in the half-field positional battle. Although he has weaknesses on the defensive end, the US team does not lack players with outstanding athletic ability or tall arms to help him on the defensive end, such as Mitchell and Tatum in the team this time, and Jonathan Isaac, who was previously in the alternative team.
Devin Booker (22)
Although Booker is still one of the most unbalanced players in the NBA, we all see his progress over the past four years.He evolved from a college shooter to an excellent scorer today, averaging 26.6 points per game last season and maintaining a shooting percentage of 46.7%. He can open up his opponent's defensive space (average 6.5 three-pointers per game), or he can make wedding dresses for his teammates (average 6.8 assists per game). The backcourt combination of Booker and Young can open up space and prevent the opponent from going to the joint defense. Booker's excellent personal data is due to the Suns giving him unlimited firepower, and his reputation in the league is not very good. He fits the image of a young star in a bad team, and when he plays for the United States, it may make people look at him with admiration.
Zion Williamson (19)
Although Zion has not played a formal NBA game yet, if he can come to China with the team this time, he will likely change the game. He has a height of 2.01 meters and a weight of 129 kilograms. His body, speed and athletic talent can form misalignment in the matches against many teams. At least he is better suited to the 5th position of the smaller lineup than Barnes . Not only is he excellent in physical talent, but his skills are also excellent in football business. He knows how to make full use of his physical talent. His ability to pass at high positions also helps a team that is not good at breaking the league. He is one of the most anticipated players in the league for a long time. It goes without saying how great he can be when the 2023 World Cup is held.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (19)
Jackson is the next "unicorn" of Team USA after Davis. The US team needs players with height, wingspan and athleticism like him to compete with players like "Antetokounmpo", Jokic, and Porzingis in future international competitions. He is one of the best big guys in 2018 rookies and should be better in his second year. Everyone knows his ability to throw three-pointers, protect the basket, and defend the outside. After the Grizzlies bid farewell to Gasol Jr. and Conley, Jackson also has the opportunity to show his ability to create shooting space for himself through dribbling. He can do almost anything in a high-level basketball game, and his contribution on both offense and defense is also what the United States lacks the most in this session.
Compared with "Reden Team", this list may not be so bluffing, but their style of play is more suitable for playing international games. The best way to defend the United States is to double-team the inside to limit their athletic talent and let them solve problems with their shooting. The best scorers of the next generation can shoot three-pointers, which means that the US team does not need to rely on pure pitchers like Harris and Lopez to crack the opponent's joint defense.
Young players like Young, Booker and Jackson all watched Curry play during their growth, and shooting three-pointers is the second instinct for them. Such shooting ability can also create a lot of space for players like Zion to end at the basket. The American team always has the best athletic players, and in the future, the best pitchers will also be in the American team.
