Stephen A. Smith stresses the importance of Team USA's gold medal victory at FIBA World Cup 2023 - "We are still those dudes"
Team USA is out to win the gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and Stephen A. Smith stresses that winning the top prize is important to keep the Americans on top of the basketball hierarchy.
Since the inception of the USA Dream Team to the turn of the decade, basketball has definitely evolved to a global game. Looking at the landscape of the NBA, more international players are cracking the All-NBA teams and bringing home MVP awards.
For Stephen A. Smith, winning the gold medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup is telling the world that the USA is still the best in the world and will still win even without sending the best players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry.
He said on ESPN's First Take:
"When you see excellence being displayed from other parts of the world more than here, it does make you wonder. So when you go and you win gold, you're reminding people, 'Excuse me, we haven't let go of the proverbial baton just yet. We are those dudes.' but you got to act like it and that's a step towards pulling that off"
WATCH: Stephen A. Smith talks about USA's stake in winning the FIBA World Cup
International players dominating the NBA is a wake-up call for American players says Stephen A. Smith
There was a total of 120 international players coming from 40 different countries in the past NBA season. While Americans still dominate the NBA population, foreign athletes have been taking over and bumping down local players from winning awards.
Luka Doncic of Slovenia is perceived by some to be the next face of the NBA and the current NBA champions Denver Nuggets led by Serbian center Nikola Jokic. This is just a small proof that international basketball is rapidly improving and taking over the league.
"When you look at it from that perspective and looking at the greatness that they're putting on display, while you celebrate it because it contributes to the globalization of basketball you do find yourself saying to the American athletes, 'Yo, what's up? Where the hell are you? What are you doing to elevate your level of play and be in that conversation?'," said Stephen A. Smith.
Team USA was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 2019 FIBA World Cup and held off from sending their best players this time around. Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Austin Reaves and Jalen Brunson are considered the top players in the US squad now have a vigilant task of bringing back the gold medal to their country.