Following an all-winning Group C trip at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the United States team had its light training session prior to the group phase second-round clash with Montenegro.

Familiar faces were spotted on the court such as NBA champion coaches Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, Gonzaga's Mark Few, Grant Hill as the team's managing director and director of scouting Jeff Van Gundy.

After training in the gym at Shangri-La The Fort in Manila, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, head coach Steve Kerr admitted that the U.S. basketball was no longer at its sole proprietorship but still one of the best teams worldwide.

The U.S. dispatched a young squad with an average age of less than 25 years old to Manila, much younger compared to defending champion Spain's 28 and other title contenders such as Canada and Serbia's around 27.

To select a bunch of energetic young guys, Kerr aimed at the long term: "We wanted to get a really talented young team for the future of USA basketball, these are all the next guys."

"When you think of Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Paolo Banchero, these guys are all gonna be All-Stars for most of their careers. So, they are coming, and they are great players right now, too." Kerr commented, adding "But we wanted to bring a team that was very competitive and with that had a lot of energy, I really wanted to be here, and all 12 of these guys really wanted to come."

Took the pointer in December 2021, Kerr will coach the U.S. national team through 2024, covering the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the Paris Olympic Games and all national team training camps. Now the tune has been set.

The team cruised past New Zealand, Greece and Jordan in the group phase with an accumulated point difference of 103, and Kerr attributed the victories to team efforts.

"We've been really solid. I think the main thing is they've come together quickly," Kerr noted. "They're playing excellent defense, and the ball is really moving. We purposely built a team that could pass, because the more you pass, the better your chemistry and your energy [will be]."

The U.S. basketball holds an overall record of 132 wins and 29 losses entering the 2023 edition of the championship, lifting the trophy five times. While, in the latest one held in China in 2019, the bitter seventh place finish was still remembered by Kerr, who was the assistant coach aside Gregg Popovich.

"Spain is the No. 1 team in FIBA, and we're No. 2," Kerr said, explaining "So we are no longer as dominant as we were, but we are still one of the best teams."

"We still have the most talent, the biggest well of talents that we can go to pull different players from. But we know the rest of the world is very talented and very good, and FIBA is not a sure thing for us."

The tournament co-hosted by the Phillipines, Indonesia and Japan also has seen splendid performances by naturalized players such as Carlik Jones, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jordan Clarkson, who are all current or former NBA players with dual citizens holding American passports.

While that didn't bother Kerr. "It doesn't bother me when we see other American players playing for other countries. I think it makes the FIBA competition tougher, and more competitive. It's great opportunities for our American players who weren't able to play for us. For them to play in FIBA, we like that, they get those opportunities too," Kerr stated.

The generous speech doesn't indicate the U.S. basketball prioritizes the Olympics over than FIBA World Cup, as Kerr dismissed the concerns with "A lot more people in America watch the Olympics than watch the World Cup of basketball, but for USA basketball, we are taking FIBA World Cup very seriously."

"We want to win this championship so badly. I want to win it for the players. It's an amazing group of players. They're so committed and so together, they have great chemistry, and they are so unselfish. This would mean the world to us if we can win."

The Golden State Warriors head coach also gave his prediction of basketball in the future, while corresponding to his side's playing style in NBA as more 3-pointers, faster in speed and pace.

"World basketball is still big and physical, FIBA basketball is more physical than the NBA. But I do believe that all of FIBA eventually will be playing more 3-point shooters, more speed, more pace, and not as much power basketball inside," Kerr said.

Kerr also addressed the unbalanced World Cup, as all Asian and African teams failed to reach the final 16.

"The African [or Asian] teams started playing [basketball] much later in their countries. Teams in Serbia, throughout Europe, and Lithuania, have been playing basketball for 100 years. I lived in Egypt when I was 15 years old, nobody played basketball, they just started playing basketball last 20 years, so they're behind. It takes a long time to build up a strength in a sport in a country if you haven't been playing for a long time."

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)