FIBA World Cup 2019: 3 Reasons why Team USA can win it all despite missing big players
On Wednesday, the NBA announced its preseason schedule. This means that the NBA preseason and regular season is getting closer.
The preseason is a little over a month away, but in the meantime, fans can enjoy basketball through the FIBA World Cup.
The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 is a special event where the best basketball players from across the globe come together to represent their respective countries. This year's event will be held in China and takes place from 31st August to 15th September. This is a few weeks before the start of the NBA's preseason.
The World Cup is an exciting event, and this year will be no exception. This year, several teams will try to dethrone the winner of the last edition. The World Cup was last held in 2014. Team USA won the event by beating Serbia 129-92.
The United States won their fifth gold medal with their 2014 win. This team featured some of the NBA's best players, as they faced teams of other nations. The team featured players such as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and James Harden.
With so many talented players, Team USA's win came as no surprise. This team was different from USA's typical Olympic team, which consists of players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant as well as their 2010 World Cup team. The 2014 World Cup team had some new additions, and they pulled off the win.
This year, Team USA's team has a new look. This team features several players who have never played for the Olympic team or the World Cup team. Players like Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Kevin Love, and James Harden were all in consideration. However, all of them withdrew for their own reasons. Now, Team USA is in an interesting position.
Team USA's roster is being taken lightly by fans and media alike. But they are still the team to beat. Here are three reasons why Team USA can win it all, even without big-name players.
#3 They're young and talented
In basketball, youth can help or hinder you. A young team consists of players that still have room for growth. There may be skills a player needs to improve on, but with experience, they can add them to their repertoire. However, most young players are athletic and have the endurance to play long stretches in games. So, youth can help the US as they go through the tournament.
For Team USA, their oldest player is Brook Lopez. Lopez is 31 years old and has been in the league for 11 years. After Lopez, Team USA's roster features players in their early to late 20s.
The youngest player on USA's roster is Boston Celtics' forward Jayson Tatum. Tatum is a good player, who has a chance to become the Celtics' go-to guy. As he approaches his third season, Tatum has a chance to become even better (and grow into a bigger role).
Team USA consists of several young players, who like Tatum, have exceptional talent. If they combine their potential with their youth and athleticism, Team USA can outrun and outlast other nations.