Kyle Kuzma appears to take shots at Anthony Edwards and co following humiliating FIBA World Cup losses: 'Can you be cool with defending?'
Over the past week, Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has been one of the many to speak out on Team USA. After entering the FIBA World Cup as the favorites to win, they finished in fourth place after losing to Canada in the bronze medal game.
There is no denying that Team USA had a lot of talent on the roster, but they lack the togetherness that other squads had. Since the roster was loaded with All-Star-level players, some guys struggled to be impactful with less touches they are used to getting.
Kyle Kuzma took to Twitter to voice his thoughts on Team USA's run in the World Cup. He feels the roster needs to be put together with stars who are willing to embrace a lesser role on the international stage.
"USA basketball better get some nba stars that know how to play a role. Anybody can be nice with the ball in their hands but can you be cool with defending and going to the corner for a few possessions?"
The next time Team USA will be in action is the 2024 Olympics. According to reports, LeBron James is trying to get multiple NBA superstars to commit to playing.
Kyle Kuzma could have suited up in the FIBA World Cup
Kyle Kuzma has talked a lot about the FIBA World Cup on social media, but at the end of the day, he could have helped team USA pursure a gold medal. As a native of Flint, Michigan, he is eligible to play for the United States in international competition. On top of that, he's been invited to try out in the past.
Kuzma is able to voice his opinions, but he could have been out there himself. He is critcizing other players for something he decided not to partake in.
While he's coming off a career year with the Washington Wizards, Kuzma knows all about taking on a lesser role at times. Following the arrival of LeBron James on the LA Lakers, the former first-round pick saw his playing time reduced.
It took some adjusting, but Kuzma managed to still be effective on a team with two superstars. Because he found a way to make it work alongside LeBron and Anthony Davis, he got to be part of a championship team in 2020.
As someone who has had all kinds of roles in the NBA, Kuzma is someone that could have been a big help to Team USA in the World Cup.