Wikipedia

2019 United States FIBA Basketball World Cup team

(Redirected from United States at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup)

The United States men's national basketball team competed in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and finished in seventh place. After winning the past two World Cups in 2010 and 2014,[1] they were seeking to become the first country to capture three straight gold medals.[2] With high-profile players electing not to participate,[3] Team USA was devoid of A-list players from the National Basketball Association (NBA).[4] They were also impacted throughout by injuries to players Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart.[5][6] The Americans lost to France in the quarterfinals, ending their 58-game winning streak in FIBA (International Basketball Federation) and Olympic competition. Normally played every four years, the tournament was moved from its expected 2018 playing to avoid conflicting with soccer's World Cup schedule.[7]

After rule changes by FIBA in 2015, the US no longer automatically qualified for the World Cup despite winning the Olympics in 2016. Changes in timing also resulted in the qualifying rounds overlapping with the NBA's season. Consequently, USA Basketball decided to deploy squads of players mostly from the NBA G League, the NBA's development league. Coached by Jeff Van Gundy, they qualified the US for the World Cup, where the Americans switched to a team of NBA players coached by Gregg Popovich. They finished the World Cup as one of the top two countries in the Americas, directly qualifying them for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Background

edit
 
Gregg Popovich (pictured) replaced Mike Krzyzewski as the US head coach.

In 2015, FIBA changed the World Cup qualification process into a two-round tournament of home-and-away round robins over 16 months,[8] which was similar to FIFA World Cup's process for soccer.[9] Olympic gold no longer resulted in an automatic World Cup bid.[10] The US was in the Americas group of 16 teams battling for 12 spots in the second round of the qualifying stage and finally for seven World Cup berths.[11] To be eligible for the World Cup, the US first had to participate in the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup. The United States had not played in the FIBA Americas tournament since 2007; they had been exempt from qualifying, having won every prior Olympics and world championships.[12]

Players for the qualifying squads were chosen by a USA Basketball qualification committee.[13] Their teams were made up of players primarily from the NBA G League,[14] since FIBA had changed the World Cup qualifiers from summer to year-round,[15][16] most of which conflicted with the seasons of top professional leagues such as the NBA and the EuroLeague.[17][18][19] Unlike in soccer, there is no culture for leagues to schedule in-season breaks for players to compete for their national team.[17] The coach for the qualifiers was Jeff Van Gundy, who is a basketball analyst for ESPN/ABC and a former NBA head coach who coached in the NBA Finals.[13] He made his national team coaching debut in the 2017 Americup.[12] Van Gundy and his squads were tasked with qualifying the US for the World Cup, when the U.S. would switch to a team of NBA players coached by Gregg Popovich.[14] The five-time NBA champion Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs took over the national team from Mike Krzyzewski, who won three Olympic gold medals and two World Cups for the US.[20]

Qualification

edit
Further information: 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification (Americas)

Playing games in North and South America, the US qualified for the World Cup after going 10–2. They relied on an assortment G League players and free agents, using a total of 54 different players in the 12 games.[21]

First round

edit
 
Jeff Van Gundy was the US coach during the World Cup qualifiers.

In the first round of qualification, games were played in three windows in November 2017 along with February and June 2018.[22] The November team included four players from the US squad that went 5–0 to win the AmeriCup.[9] Only two players—forward Travis Wear and guard Larry Drew II—returned for Team USA in their second qualifying window.[23] The final window was also the first that was not during the NBA season. While some NBA players joined their national teams, the US continued playing with G League players.[24] Trey McKinney-Jones and Marcus Thornton joined the Americans after needing to withdraw in February on account of 10-day contracts they had signed with NBA teams.[25] On June 28, 2018, the US lost 78–70 to Mexico. It was the Americans first loss under Van Gundy and just the second defeat in 30 games against Mexico.[26] It was also Team USA's first loss at the national-team level since 2006.[27] The Mexico squad had just four players from its November team that lost by 36 points to the US They added players from various professional leagues who were unavailable earlier, including former NBA player Gustavo Ayón, who was coming off a EuroLeague championship with Real Madrid.[14] The Americans advanced after finishing the round 5–1.[28]

Pos Team
 Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   United States 6 5 1 506 396 +110 11 Second round
2   Puerto Rico 6 4 2 516 479 +37 10
3   Mexico 6 3 3 439 463 −24 9
4   Cuba 6 0 6 380 503 −123 6
Source: FIBA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head results; 3) Points difference; 4) Points scored.


November 23, 2017 Puerto Rico   78–85   United States Orlando, United States
19:30 Scoring by quarter: 23–17, 16–21, 19–23, 20–24
Pts: Vassallo 16
Rebs: Huertas, Sánchez 5
Asts: Rodríguez 8 		Boxscore Pts: Hearn, Warney 17
Rebs: Warney 11
Asts: Christon, Munford 4 		Arena: CFE Arena
Game moved from Puerto Rico because of Hurricane Maria.
Referees: Michael Weiland (CAN), Julio Anaya (PAN), Leandro Lezcano (ARG)
November 26, 2017 United States   91–55   Mexico Greensboro
17:00 Scoring by quarter: 25–12, 15–17, 32–18, 19–8
Pts: four players 14
Rebs: Wear 10
Asts: Sloan 7 		Boxscore Pts: Ramos 12
Rebs: Hernández, Ramos 7
Asts: Stoll 4 		Arena: Greensboro Coliseum Fieldhouse
Attendance: 3,000
Referees: Guilherme Locatelli (BRA), Americo Rodríguez (VEN), Alejandro Sánchez (URU)
February 23, 2018 United States   84–48   Cuba Santa Cruz
20:00 Scoring by quarter: 21–8, 20–16, 21–12, 22–12
Pts: Purvis 14
Rebs: Williams 12
Asts: Williams 6 		Boxscore Pts: Mensía 11
Rebs: Justiz 10
Asts: Guzmán, Martínez 3 		Arena: Kaiser Permanente Arena
Attendance: 2,033
Referees: Michael Weiland (CAN), Carlos Peralta (ECU), Andreia Silva (BRA)
February 26, 2018 United States   83–75   Puerto Rico Santa Cruz
20:00 Scoring by quarter: 20–13, 27–17, 19–22, 17–23
Pts: Harrison 16
Rebs: Williams 11
Asts: Drew II 7 		Boxscore Pts: Clavell 23
Rebs: Andújar 7
Asts: Rodríguez 5 		Arena: Kaiser Permanente Arena
Attendance: 1,984
Referees: Guilherme Locatelli (BRA), Alejandro Sánchez (URU), Christian Wilmore (BAH)
June 28, 2018 Mexico   78–70   United States Mexico City
20:30 Scoring by quarter: 31–10, 14–18, 10–23, 23–19
Pts: Cruz 24
Rebs: Ayón 9
Asts: Ayón 7 		Boxscore Pts: Thornton 14
Rebs: Jones 6
Asts: Munford 5 		Arena: Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera
Referees: Guilherme Locatelli (BRA), Matthew Kallio (CAN), Michael Scott (CAN)
July 1, 2018 Cuba   62–93   United States Havana
16:00 Scoring by quarter: 28–24, 9–26, 9–24, 16–19
Pts: Guzmán 16
Rebs: Justiz 9
Asts: Rivero 3 		Boxscore Pts: Munford, Hearn 16
Rebs: four players 5
Asts: two players 4 		Arena: Coliseo de la Ciudad Deportiva
Referees: Cristiano Maranho (BRA), Fabricio Vito (ARG), Sebastian Negron (CHI)

Second round

edit

In the first window of the second round, the US roster had a larger presence of players with NBA experience, though they were still mainly G League players. The June–July window in the first round conflicted with the NBA free agency period and NBA Summer League, while its first two windows were during the NBA season.[29][30] For the second window, the United States again relied exclusively on G-Leaguers, using nine current players and three free agents with previous NBA experience. Nine of the 12 players had not played in the eight earlier qualifiers.[31] The US qualified for the World Cup after rallying with a late 12–0 run against Uruguay to win 78–70.[2]

Pos Team
 Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   United States 12 10 2 1034 814 +220 22 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup
2   Argentina 12 9 3 1037 854 +183 21
3   Puerto Rico 12 8 4 967 939 +28 20
4   Uruguay 12 6 6 824 909 −85 18
5   Mexico 12 5 7 875 903 −28 17
6   Panama 12 4 8 844 930 −86 16
Source: FIBA
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head results; 3) Points difference; 4) Points scored.


September 14, 2018 United States   114–57   Uruguay Paradise
19:00 Scoring by quarter: 28–8, 28–16, 28–16, 30–17
Pts: Mason 16
Rebs: Ellenson 9
Asts: Mason 8 		Boxscore Pts: Rodríguez 11
Rebs: García 6
Asts: García 5 		Arena: Cox Pavilion
Referees: Cristiano Maranho (BRA), Matthew Kallio (CAN), Carlos Peralta (ECU)
September 17, 2018 Panama   48–78   United States Panama City
20:00 Scoring by quarter: 7–18, 16–18, 15–21, 10–21
Pts: Carter 16
Rebs: Mitchell 7
Asts: Muñoz 3 		Boxscore Pts: Hearn 12
Rebs: Ellenson 11
Asts: White 4 		Arena: Roberto Durán Arena
Referees: Guilherme Locatelli (BRA), Rodrigo Mejia (COL), Felipe Ibarra (CHI)
November 29, 2018 Argentina   80–63   United States La Rioja
21:30 Scoring by quarter: 13–16, 22–16, 23–8, 22–23
Pts: Laprovíttola 17
Rebs: Scola 9
Asts: Laprovíttola 8 		Boxscore Pts: Trice 16
Rebs: Zeller 12
Asts: Trice 4 		Arena: Superdomo
Attendance: 10,000
Referees: Marcos Benito (BRA), Michael Weiland (CAN), Carlos Peralta (ECU)
December 2, 2018 Uruguay   70–78   United States Montevideo
20:00 Scoring by quarter: 17–22, 23–17, 14–11, 16–28
Pts: Fitipaldo 17
Rebs: Batista, Parodi 7
Asts: Parodi, Vidal 5 		Boxscore Pts: Trice 17
Rebs: Moreland 13
Asts: Trice 4 		Arena: Antel Arena
Referees: Cristiano Maranho (BRA), Daniel García (VEN), Nathaniel Saunders (CAN)
February 22, 2019 United States   111–80   Panama Greensboro
19:00 Scoring by quarter: 22–21, 31–25, 27–18, 31–16
Pts: Reynolds 26
Rebs: Frazier II, Onuaku 8
Asts: Trice 10 		Boxscore Pts: Carter 18
Rebs: Carter 7
Asts: Gaskins 7 		Arena: Coliseum Fieldhouse
Attendance: 1,272
Referees: Michael Weiland (CAN), Americo Rodríguez (VEN), Sebastián Negrón (CHI)
February 25, 2019 United States   84–83   Argentina Greensboro
19:00 Scoring by quarter: 22–14, 20–21, 17–30, 25–18
Pts: Frazier II 23
Rebs: Adams 6
Asts: Trice 6 		Boxscore Pts: Redivo 18
Rebs: Brussino 6
Asts: Faggiano 9 		Arena: Coliseum Fieldhouse
Attendance: 1,221
Referees: Cristiano Maranho (BRA), Carlos Peralta (ECU), Christian Wilmore (BAH)

World Cup roster

edit
 
Kemba Walker was the lone Team USA player who was on the All-NBA Team in 2019.

An initial pool of 35 players was named in April 2018 as candidates for the United States' 12-man roster.[32] The list included 11 members from their 2016 Olympic gold-medal team,[A] and five players who had won nine of the previous 10 NBA Most Valuable Player Awards.[B][20] The US held its first minicamp in July 2018, which 23 of the 35 players attended. In the past, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo had mandated that players attended camps or risk disqualification; however, rules were relaxed in recent years.[16][34]

In June 2019, a group of 20 players were initially invited to training camp to be held in Las Vegas in early August.[35] A number of players withdrew leading up to camp, but replacements were named, leaving 15 candidates to vie for 12 spots on the World Cup roster. Only four of the remaining players had been NBA All-Stars: Brook Lopez, Kyle Lowry, Khris Middleton, and Kemba Walker.[36][37] Of the 11 Americans who were among the 15 All-NBA selections in 2018–19, only third-team member Walker remained.[7][38][39] Lowry withdrew after his thumb had not recovered from surgery a month earlier to repair a torn tendon he suffered in the 2019 NBA playoffs during the Toronto Raptors' championship run.[40]

Harrison Barnes was the only player with Olympic experience (2016) on the final US roster.[41] It had become customary for the Americans' World Cup teams to have few former Olympians.[42] Barnes and Mason Plumlee (2014 World Cup) were the only former senior-level national team players.[43] While Team USA typically drew fewer star players for the World Cup than the Olympics, the turnout was low even by World Cup standards.[39] Only four members from the original 35-player pool were left on the final roster.[44] A factor cited by Colangelo was FIBA moving the World Cup and the Olympics to back-to-back years, and its conflicts with the NBA schedule.[45] Six NBA teams had preseason games scheduled overseas in 2019–20.[C]

 
Khris Middleton joined Walker as the only team members who were NBA All-Stars in 2019.

The US team was left with only two players, Middleton and Walker, who were All-Stars in the prior season.[46] Measured either by All-Star or All-NBA selections, the remaining roster ranked among the least accomplished of any US Olympic or World Cup roster made up of NBA players since they were first allowed in 1992.[39][46] Excluded was the 1998 World Championship team, which did not include NBA players due to the 1998–99 NBA lockout;[39] they used a mix of non-NBA pro players and college players and finished with the bronze medal.[46] The 2019 squad's two All-Stars from the prior season tied the low set by the 2004 Olympic team, which infamously did not win gold, for the fewest players coming off an All-Star season leading up to an international competition.[46] The five career All-Star appearances of Lopez, Middleton, and Walker was the lowest ever, roughly half the total of past World Cup squads.[46] Their All-NBA total also ranked the lowest.[D]

Walker, who had recently signed with the Boston Celtics as a free agent, was joined on the US team by Celtics teammates Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart. It was the first time Team USA had four teammates from the same NBA team.[E]


United States national basketball team – 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
G 4 Derrick White 25 – (1994-07-02)July 2, 1994 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) San Antonio Spurs  
G 5 Donovan Mitchell 22 – (1996-09-07)September 7, 1996 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Utah Jazz  
G 6 Joe Harris 27 – (1991-09-06)September 6, 1991 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) Brooklyn Nets  
G 7 Marcus Smart 25 – (1994-03-06)March 6, 1994 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Boston Celtics  
F 8 Harrison Barnes 27 – (1992-05-30)May 30, 1992 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Sacramento Kings  
F 9 Jaylen Brown 22 – (1996-10-24)October 24, 1996 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Boston Celtics  
F 10 Jayson Tatum 21 – (1998-03-03)March 3, 1998 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Boston Celtics  
C 11 Mason Plumlee 29 – (1990-03-05)March 5, 1990 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) Denver Nuggets  
C 12 Myles Turner 23 – (1996-03-24)March 24, 1996 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) Indiana Pacers  
C 13 Brook Lopez 31 – (1988-01-04)January 4, 1988 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) Milwaukee Bucks  
F 14 Khris Middleton 28 – (1991-08-12)August 12, 1991 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Milwaukee Bucks  
G 15 Kemba Walker 29 – (1990-05-08)May 8, 1990 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Charlotte Hornets  
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – as of 31 August 2019

Roster

The following were candidates to make the team:

Earlier candidates
Player NBA team[i] Added Removed Reason
Devin Booker Phoenix Suns April 6, 2018[32] June 10, 2019 Not named to 20-man roster[35]
Jimmy Butler Philadelphia 76ers
Mike Conley Jr. Memphis Grizzlies
DeMarcus Cousins Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors
DeMar DeRozan San Antonio Spurs
Kevin Durant Golden State Warriors
Paul George Oklahoma City Thunder
Draymond Green Golden State Warriors
Blake Griffin Detroit Pistons
Gordon Hayward Boston Celtics
Kyrie Irving Boston Celtics
LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers
DeAndre Jordan New York Knicks
Kawhi Leonard Toronto Raptors
Victor Oladipo Indiana Pacers
Chris Paul Houston Rockets
Isaiah Thomas Denver Nuggets
Klay Thompson Golden State Warriors
John Wall Washington Wizards
Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder
Anthony Davis Los Angeles Lakers July 15, 2019 Withdrew[49]
James Harden Houston Rockets July 19, 2019 Withdrew[50]
Bradley Beal Washington Wizards July 22, 2019 Withdrew[51]
Tobias Harris Philadelphia 76ers Withdrew[51]
Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers July 23, 2019 Withdrew[52]
Kevin Love Cleveland Cavaliers July 24, 2019 Withdrew[53]
CJ McCollum Portland Trail Blazers July 25, 2019 Withdrew[54]
Eric Gordon Houston Rockets
Paul Millsap Denver Nuggets June 10, 2019[35]
Andre Drummond Detroit Pistons April 6, 2018[32] August 1, 2019 Withdrew[55]
Montrezl Harrell Los Angeles Clippers July 25, 2019[54]
Julius Randle New York Knicks August 3, 2019 Withdrew[36]
Thaddeus Young Chicago Bulls August 9, 2019 Roster cut[56]
Bam Adebayo Miami Heat August 1, 2019[55]
Marvin Bagley III Sacramento Kings August 9, 2019[56][57] August 11, 2019 Withdrew[58]
Kyle Lowry Toronto Raptors April 6, 2018[32] August 12, 2019 Injured[59]
P. J. Tucker Houston Rockets June 10, 2019[35] August 16, 2019 Injured[60]
De'Aaron Fox Sacramento Kings August 9, 2019[56] August 17, 2019 Withdrew[61]
Kyle Kuzma Los Angeles Lakers June 10, 2019[35] August 24, 2019 Injured[62]
  1. ^ Player's team at the time they were removed from consideration, listed under column Removed

Exhibition games

edit

Team USA was 3–1 in exhibition games. They split two games against Australia, losing the second game 98–94. The loss ended a 78-game winning streak in major international tournaments and exhibitions with an NBA roster, which dated back to the 2006 FIBA World Championship team.[63][64]

August 16, 2019
10:00 PM ET
Spain   81–90   United States
Scoring by quarter: 20–31, 20–23, 17–17, 23–19
Pts: Gasol 19
Rebs: Gasol 4
Asts: Rubio 7		 Pts: Mitchell 13
Rebs: Walker 6
Asts: Walker 8
Honda Center, Anaheim
August 22, 2019
5:30 AM ET
Australia   86–102   United States
Scoring by quarter: 20–22, 23–22, 18–32, 25–26
Pts: Goulding, Mills 19
Rebs: Landale 7
Asts: Dellavedova 6		 Pts: Walker 23
Rebs: Turner 14
Asts: Tatum 4
Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 51,218
August 24, 2019
12:00 AM ET
Australia   98–94   United States
Scoring by quarter: 23–26, 25–23, 30–27, 20–18
Pts: Mills 30
Rebs: Bogut 9
Asts: Ingles 7		 Pts: Walker 22
Rebs: Barnes 6
Asts: Smart 3
Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 52,079
August 26, 2019
5:30 AM ET
Canada   68–84   United States
Scoring by quarter: 9–20, 22–26, 16–18, 21–20
Pts: Wiltjer 18
Rebs: Birch 6
Asts: Pangos, Nembhard, Wiltjer 2		 Pts: Brown 19
Rebs: Turner 15
Asts: Mitchell 4
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Attendance: 15,155

Group phase

edit

First round

edit
Further information: 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Group E
Pos Team
 Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   United States 3 3 0 279 204 +75 6 Second round
2   Czech Republic 3 2 1 247 240 +7 5
3   Turkey 3 1 2 254 251 +3 4 17th–32nd classification
4   Japan 3 0 3 188 273 −85 3
Source: FIBA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Czech Republic

edit
September 1, 2019
20:30
Czech Republic   67–88   United States
Scoring by quarter: 14–17, 15–26, 19–23, 19–22
Pts: Satoranský 17
Rebs: Bohačík 9
Asts: Satoranský 5		 Pts: Mitchell 16
Rebs: Turner 7
Asts: Walker 4
Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai
Attendance: 17,800
Referees: Manuel Mazzoni (ITA), Wojciech Liszka (POL), Duan Zhu (CHN)

Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 16 points and led all Americans with 25 minutes played as the US won 88–67 over the Czech Republic.[65] The Czechs took an early 11–7 lead,[65] but the US pretty much cruised the rest of the way.[66] NBA player Tomáš Satoranský scored a game-high 17 points and added five assists for the Czech Republic,[65] whose game plan was to have their 6-foot-7-inch (2.01 m) point guard use his 6-inch (15 cm) advantage over Walker.[67] However, Walker held his own on defense and had 13 points along with four assists.[67] Barnes was the second-leading scorer for Team USA with 14 points.[65]

Turkey

edit
September 3, 2019

20:30
United States   93–92 (OT)   Turkey
Scoring by quarter: 26–21, 21–21, 18–19, 16–20, Overtime: 12–11
Pts: Middleton 15
Rebs: Tatum 11
Asts: Walker 7		 Pts: İlyasova 23
Rebs: İlyasova 14
Asts: Osman 4
Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai
Attendance: 18,000
Referees: Aleksandar Glišić (SRB), Ferdinand Pascual (PHI), Wojciech Liszka (POL)

Middleton made two free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining in overtime to put the US ahead 93–92, and they hung on to win after Turkey's Ersan Ilyasova missed a 3-pointer as time expired.[68] The Turks were ahead 92–91 with under 20 seconds remaining, but Cedi Osman and Doğuş Balbay missed four straight free throws to keep the Americans in the game. Tatum had forced overtime by making two of his three free throws after he was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds left in regulation.[4]

The US led 10–2 early, and were never behind in the first half. They led 26–21 after one quarter, and were up 41–26 with 5:33 remaining in the half. However, US-born Scottie Wilbekin, who was naturalized in Turkey a year before, led a 12–0 run, and the contest remained close for the rest of the game.[68] Ranked No. 17 in the world, Turkey figured to be the US team's toughest competition in the first round. Their lineup featured NBA players Ilyasova, Osman, Furkan Korkmaz and Semih Erden.[4] Ilyasova had a game-high 23 points and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes.[4][69] The Turks played most of the game using a 2–3 zone defense, which stalled Team USA's offense.[69][70] The Americans made 14-of-40 from 3-point range and just 13-of-37 on 2-pointers.[69]

Tatum sprained his left ankle while making the pass to a driving Middleton which led to the game-winning free throws.[68] Initially ruled out for at least the next two games,[71] he missed the remainder of the World Cup.[72]

Japan

edit
September 5, 2019
20:30
United States   98–45   Japan
Scoring by quarter: 23–9, 33–14, 28–8, 14–14
Pts: Brown 20
Rebs: Turner 9
Asts: Walker 8		 Pts: Baba 18
Rebs: Takeuchi 6
Asts: Watanabe 2
Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai
Referees: Manuel Mazzoni (ITA), Andris Aunkrogers (LAT), Duan Zhu (CHN)

The US raced out to an 11–0 lead en route to a 53-point win over Japan, 98–45. Brown had 20 points and seven rebounds, and Walker scored 15 and Barnes added 14 in the Americans' best offensive performance to date.[73] Team USA held Rui Hachimura, Japan's top player and the No. 9 overall pick of the 2019 NBA draft, to four points on two-of-eight shooting.[74] Yudai Baba led the Japanese with 18 points and was their only player to score in double figures.[75]

In addition to missing Tatum, the US played without Smart, who was suffering a left quad strain. Smart had missed most of training camp with a calf strain, also on his left side. The Americans had already qualified for the next round, which lowered the stakes for the game.[76]

Second round

edit
Further information: 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup Group K
Pos Team
 Pld W L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1   United States 5 5 0 437 330 +107 10 Quarter-finals
2   Czech Republic 5 3 2 417 395 +22 8[a]
3   Greece 5 3 2 403 382 +21 8[a]
4   Brazil 5 3 2 409 427 −18 8[a]
Source: FIBA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c Czech Republic 1–1, +15, Greece 1–1, +6, Brazil 1–1, –21

Greece

edit
September 7, 2019
20:30
United States   69–53   Greece
Scoring by quarter: 19–17, 19–8, 16–12, 15–16
Pts: Walker 15
Rebs: Brown 9
Asts: Walker 6		 Pts: G. Antetokounmpo 15
Rebs: G. Antetokounmpo 13
Asts: Calathes 5
Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre, Shenzhen
Referees: Aleksandar Glišić (SRB), Ferdinand Pascual (PHI), Wojciech Liszka (POL)

Walker scored a team-high 15 points and had six assists in a 69–53 win over Greece.[77] The NBA's reigning most valuable player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Greeks, but his plus-minus was -17 when he was in the game.[77][78] Coach Popovich went to a small lineup at times, enabling the United States to switch effectively on pick and rolls by Antetokounmpo.[78] American center Lopez did not play at all in the game. Antetokounmpo and his brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, had to be separated from the US team after a hard foul by Thanasis late in the game left Barnes on his stomach.[77]

Brazil

edit
September 9, 2019
20:30
United States   89–73   Brazil
Scoring by quarter: 21–18, 22–21, 24–17, 22–17
Pts: Turner, Walker 16
Rebs: Turner 8
Asts: Mitchell 7		 Pts: Benite 21
Rebs: Varejao 8
Asts: Huertas 5
Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre, Shenzhen
Referees: Saverio Lanzarini (ITA), Ferdinand Pascual (PHI), Julio Anaya (PAN)

Walker and Myles Turner each scored 16 points in a 89–73 win over Brazil.[79] The US advanced to the quarterfinals, and also clinched a berth in the 2020 Summer Olympics as one of the top two finishing teams from the Americas (along with Argentina).[79]

Final round

edit
Further information: 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup final round
Fifth place5th–8th classificationQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
10 September – Dongguan
  Argentina97
12 September – Dongguan  Serbia8713 September – Beijing
  Serbia94  Argentina80
  United States8911 September – Dongguan  France66
  United States79
14 September – Beijing  France8915 September – Beijing
  Serbia90  Argentina75
  Czech Republic8110 September – Shanghai  Spain95
  Spain90
12 September – Shanghai  Poland7813 September – Beijing
Seventh place  Poland84  Spain (2OT)95Third place game
14 September – Beijing  Czech Republic9411 September – Shanghai  Australia8815 September – Beijing
  United States87  Australia82  France67
  Poland74  Czech Republic70  Australia59

France

edit
September 11, 2019
19:00
United States   79–89   France
Scoring by quarter: 18–18, 21–27, 27–18, 13–26
Pts: Mitchell 29
Rebs: Mitchell 6
Asts: Barnes, Mitchell 4		 Pts: Fournier 22
Rebs: Gobert 16
Asts: Fournier 4
Dongfeng Nissan Cultural and Sports Centre, Dongguan
Referees: Guilherme Locatelli (BRA), Georgios Poursanidis (GRE), Ferdinand Pascual (PHI)

France came back from a seven-point fourth quarter deficit to win 89–79 over the US, ending the Americans' 58-game winning streak in FIBA and Olympic competition. Evan Fournier scored 22 points and reigning back-to-back NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winner Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 16 rebounds for the French.[80][81] Mitchell had 29 points for Team USA, but he was held scoreless in the final period.[81] The loss dropped the US into the fifth-place bracket.[3]

In the third quarter, Team USA was faced with its first 10-point deficit of the tournament, when Popovich went to a small lineup. The United States went on a 20–9 run to lead 66–63 entering the final period. However, the French outscored the Americans 20–5 over the final 6:59. The US missed seven of their 11 free throws in the quarter and committed three turnovers in the final 3:07.[80]

Serbia

edit
September 12, 2019
19:00
Serbia   94–89   United States
Scoring by quarter: 32–7, 12–33, 27–28, 23–21
Pts: Bogdanović 28
Rebs: Bjelica 5
Asts: Jokić 7		 Pts: Barnes 22
Rebs: Middleton 6
Asts: Walker 8
Dongfeng Nissan Cultural and Sports Centre, Dongguan
Referees: Cristiano Maranho (BRA), Yu Jung (TPE), Luis Castillo (ESP)

Bogdan Bogdanović scored 28 points to lead Serbia to a 94–89 win over the United States, who were assured of their worst major tournament finish ever, surpassing their sixth-place showing in the 2002 World Championship. The Serbs outscored the Americans 32–7 in the first quarter for a 25-point lead, but the US held a 33–12 advantage in the second period to trail 44–40 at the half.[82] Entering the tournament, the US and Serbia were considered the favorites to meet for the gold medal.[82][83] Smart missed the game due to an injured left hand.[82]

Poland

edit
September 14, 2019
16:00
United States   87–74   Poland
Scoring by quarter: 28–14, 19–16, 16–25, 24–19
Pts: Mitchell 16
Rebs: Turner 8
Asts: Mitchell 10		 Pts: Ponitka 18
Rebs: Ponitka 7
Asts: Slaughter 5
Wukesong Arena, Beijing
Referees: Aleksandar Glišić (SRB), Yu Jung (TPE), Takaki Kato (JPN)

The United States won 87–74 over Poland to finish the World Cup in seventh place. The Americans received strong performances from Mitchell (16 points and 10 assists) and Joe Harris (14 points). The US was up 17 points at halftime, but Poland kept the match close for much of the second half.[84] Team USA played again without the injured Smart, and Walker missed the game as well with a neck injury.[85][86]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ The other team member, Carmelo Anthony, retired from the national team after winning his third Olympic gold medal in 2016.[33]
  2. ^ LeBron James (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013), Kevin Durant (2014), Stephen Curry (2015, 2016), Russell Westbrook (2017), James Harden (2018)[32]
  3. ^ Toronto and the Houston Rockets were to play in Japan, the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers in China, and the Sacramento Kings and the Indiana Pacers in India.[45]
  4. ^ Ranking based on scoring system of five points for a first-team All-NBA player, three points for second team and one for third.[39] The 2023 World Cup team did not have any players that had been All-NBA before.[47]
  5. ^ The 2012 Olympic team had Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, while the 2016 Olympic squad had Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors.[48]

References

edit
  1. ^ Golliver, Ben (July 26, 2018). "Building USA Basketball's Dream Team for the 2020 Olympics". SI.com.
  2. ^ a b "USA qualifies for FIBA World Cup". NBA.com. Associated Press. December 2, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Stein, Marc (September 11, 2019). "France Upsets U.S. at Basketball World Cup". The New York Times. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Golliver, Ben (September 3, 2019). "Near-loss to Turkey forces USA Basketball to confront its mortality earlier than expected". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  5. ^ Horne, Erik (September 14, 2019). "FIBA World Cup: USA closes tournament with bounceback against Poland". The Oklahoman. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  6. ^ Pelton, Kevin (August 27, 2023). "How good would this Team USA roster be in the NBA?". ESPN. Retrieved September 1, 2023. Part of the reason the U.S. struggled in 2019 was losing Tatum -- already a key starter -- to an ankle sprain during a narrow win over Turkey early in the group stages. Then-Boston teammate Marcus Smart also missed the USA's last two losses due to hand soreness, compromising the roster's perimeter depth
  7. ^ a b Stein, Marc (August 2, 2019). "U.S.A. Basketball Asks for Focus to Be on Who Is Here, Not Who Isn't". The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  8. ^ Long, Stephen (August 22, 2017). "FIBA World Cup & Olympic qualifying FAQ: Understanding the new format". Sportsnet.ca.
  9. ^ a b Zillgitt, Jeff (November 22, 2017). "U.S., Jeff Van Gundy set to play first FIBA World Cup qualifying games". USA Today.
  10. ^ Wojarnowski, Adrian (August 25, 2017). "Jeff Van Gundy dusts off whistle, pours himself into Team USA bid". ESPN.com.
  11. ^ Winderman, Ira (November 22, 2017). "Heat G League prospect Larry Drew working with U.S. national team". Sun-Sentinel.
  12. ^ a b "US men's basketball enters a new world – without its stars". NBC Sports. Associated Press. August 17, 2017. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018 – via Yahoo! Sports.
  13. ^ a b Johnson, Joe (November 14, 2017). "Amile Jefferson was a national champion. Can he add a world championship?". The Herald Sun.
  14. ^ a b c "Mexico stuns US in World Cup qualifying, 78–70". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. June 29, 2018.
  15. ^ Helin, Kurt (July 5, 2017). "It's official: Jeff Van Gundy to coach Team USA in AmeriCup 2017, World Cup qualifying". NBCSports.com.
  16. ^ a b Windhorst, Brian (July 26, 2018). "Answering common questions leading into the Team USA minicamp". ESPN.com.
  17. ^ a b Stein, Marc (November 22, 2017). "Basketball Mimics Soccer's World Cup Qualifying (Minus the Stars)". The New York Times.
  18. ^ Loung, Steven (August 22, 2017). "FIBA World Cup & Olympic qualifying FAQ: Understanding the new format". Sportsnet.ca.
  19. ^ Barkas, Aris (July 7, 2018). "The young wolf who was the face of the third FIBA window in Europe". Eurohoops.net.
  20. ^ a b Anderson, Mark (April 6, 2018). "USA Basketball announces roster for Las Vegas minicamp". Las Vegas Review-Jornal.
  21. ^ Windhorst, Brian (March 16, 2019). "What the FIBA World Cup draw means for Team USA". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  22. ^ Peck, Jared (February 22, 2018). "Former Cats make USA Basketball roster for two televised World Cup qualifiers". Lexington Herald Leader.
  23. ^ Seimas, Jim (February 23, 2018). "Team USA crushes Cuba in FIBA Americas World Cup qualifier in Santa Cruz". Santa Cruz Sentinel.
  24. ^ "US picks G League roster for Basketball World Cup qualifiers". Union Bulletin. Associated Press. June 26, 2018.
  25. ^ "USA Men's World Cup Qualifying Team Roster Announced". USA Basketball. June 25, 2018. Archived from the original on June 26, 2018.
  26. ^ Simelton, Joshua (June 29, 2018). "Mexico upsets USA Basketball in FIBA World Cup qualifying". Sporting News. Archived from the original on July 30, 2018.
  27. ^ "U.S. tops Cuba to conclude FIBA World Cup first-round qualifying". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 2, 2018.
  28. ^ Reynolds, Tim (July 27, 2018). "All over but the qualifying for USA Basketball". The Spokesman-Review.
  29. ^ "Team USA brings NBA players to camp before next World Cup qualifiers". NBA.com. Associated Press. September 3, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  30. ^ "U.S. rolls past Uruguay, in strong position to make FIBA World Cup". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 15, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  31. ^ "USA Basketball picks roster for World Cup qualifiers". NBA.com. Associated Press. November 20, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  32. ^ a b c d e "USA Basketball Announces 35 Player Roster For 2018-20 Men's National Team". USA Basketball. April 6, 2018. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018.
  33. ^ "James, Durant in 35-player US Olympic basketball team pool". USA Today. Associated Press. April 6, 2018.
  34. ^ Smith, Sekou (July 30, 2018). "World Cup in 2019 – not 2020 Olympics or NBA – is the main focus of USA Basketball". NBA.com.
  35. ^ a b c d e Windhorst, Brian (June 10, 2019). "Harden, Davis headline USA's World Cup roster". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
  36. ^ a b "Fifteen Players to Participate in USA National Team World Cup Training Camp". USA Basketball. August 3, 2019. Archived from the original on August 3, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  37. ^ "Team USA updates Cup roster after withdrawals". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  38. ^ Sherman, Rodger (July 24, 2019). "The Life Cycle of Team USA Basketball". The Ringer. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  39. ^ a b c d e Feldman, Dan (July 26, 2019). "Team USA perilously low on star power". Pro Basketball Talk. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  40. ^ "Raptors' Kyle Lowry won't play for U.S. at FIBA World Cup". CBC.ca. Associated Press. August 12, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  41. ^ Busch, Sven (August 24, 2019). "ONLY ONE OLYMPIAN ON USA ROSTER FOR FIBA WORLD CUP". Olympic Channel. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  42. ^ "U.S. men's basketball roster named for FIBA World Cup, includes one Olympian". Olympic Talk. August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  43. ^ Samman, Shaker (August 5, 2019). "So … Who the Hell Is Left on Team USA?". The Ringer. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  44. ^ Devine, Dan (September 16, 2019). "The Winners and Losers of the 2019 FIBA World Cup". The Ringer. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  45. ^ a b Lee, Michael (August 8, 2019). "'What are we supposed to do? Lay down for somebody?': Jerry Colangelo believes Team USA still has enough". The Athletic. Retrieved August 28, 2019. 'The format played a role. FIBA going back to this back-to-back, (20)19 and '20, with two NBA seasons in between, is a killer,' he continued.
  46. ^ a b c d e Kram, Zach (August 19, 2019). "Is This the Worst Team USA in Modern History?". The Ringer. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  47. ^ Bontemps, Tim (August 3, 2023). "How Team USA can draw inspiration from the 2010 World Cup squad's success". ESPN. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  48. ^ Feldman, Dan (August 17, 2019). "Team USA Celtics give World Cup roster unprecedented identity". NBC Sports. Retrieved August 30, 2019 – via Yahoo.com.
  49. ^ Haynes (July 15, 2019). "Sources: Anthony Davis won't play in FIBA Basketball World Cup, but still committed to Olympics". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  50. ^ Feigen, Jonathan (July 19, 2019). "James Harden won't play for Team USA, opting to focus on Rockets". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  51. ^ a b Windhorst, Brian (July 22, 2019). "Beal, Harris latest to withdraw from Team USA". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  52. ^ Windhorst, Brian (July 23, 2019). "Sources: Lillard, DeRozan back out of Team USA". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  53. ^ "Love becomes ninth to opt out of Team USA". ESPN.com. July 24, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  54. ^ a b "Six Players Added to USA Basketball Men's National Team World Cup Training Camp Roster". usab.com. July 25, 2019. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  55. ^ a b "Bam Adebayo Added for USA Men's National Team World Cup Training Camp". USA Basketball. August 1, 2019. Archived from the original on August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  56. ^ a b c "Seventeen Finalists Announced for USA Men's World Cup Team". USA Basketball. August 9, 2019. Archived from the original on August 10, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  57. ^ Golliver, Ben (August 10, 2019). "Gregg Popovich and the United Spurs of America". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  58. ^ Anderson, Jason (August 12, 2019). "One of Kings' most promising young players leaves Team USA, but two others remain". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  59. ^ Loung, Steven (August 12, 2019). "Raptors star Kyle Lowry withdraws from FIBA World Cup participation". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  60. ^ "Rockets' Tucker withdraws from Team USA camp". ESPN.com. August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  61. ^ "USA Basketball Men's World Cup Team Departs for Australia with 13 Finalists Vying for Roster Spot". USA Basketball. August 17, 2019. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  62. ^ "Kuzma out of World Cup with ankle injury; US roster set". Yahoo.com. The Associated Press. August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  63. ^ "Team USA rebounds from loss to beat Canada". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 26, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  64. ^ Stein, Marc (August 30, 2019). "At FIBA World Cup, U.S.A. Basketball Flirts With Vulnerability". The New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  65. ^ a b c d Chau, Danny (September 1, 2019). "Team USA Finds Its Star (and Its Style) in Its First FIBA World Cup Game". The Ringer. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  66. ^ Nadkarni, Rohan (September 2, 2019). "USA Basketball's First Win at the FIBA World Cup Was Boring, And That's a Good Thing". Sporting News. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  67. ^ a b Windhorst, Brian (September 1, 2019). "Walker, Tatum pace Team USA in FIBA victory". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  68. ^ a b c "Tatum injured as USA escape Turkey at World Cup in closest game since 2006". The Guardian. September 3, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  69. ^ a b c Devine, Dan (September 3, 2019). "Turkey Wasn't Afraid of Team USA. Nobody Else Will Be Either". The Ringer. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  70. ^ Windhorst, Brian (September 3, 2019). "Team USA beats Turkey in OT, Tatum injured". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  71. ^ Windhorst, Brian (September 4, 2019). "Tatum out at least next two Team USA games". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  72. ^ Vardon, Joe (August 1, 2021). "Team USA to face Spain in Olympic quarterfinal, Jayson Tatum could be key". The Athletic. Retrieved August 2, 2021. Tatum was injured early during the World Cup and appeared in just two games. He was not on the floor for losses to France or Serbia, and Team USA officials have oft said a healthy Tatum would have made a difference.
  73. ^ Windhorst, Brian (September 5, 2019). "Team USA wins by 53, next faces Giannis, Greece". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  74. ^ "Fiba World Cup: USA stroll past Japan with Antetokounmpo lying in wait". The Guardian. Associated Press. September 5, 2019. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  75. ^ Buckner, Candace (September 5, 2019). "Rui Hachimura posterized an NBA player but has a ways to go in competing against the best". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  76. ^ Windhorst, Brian (September 5, 2019). "Team USA's Smart day-to-day with quad strain". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  77. ^ a b c Bogage, Jacob (September 7, 2019). "Team USA shuts down Giannis Antetokounmpo, wallops Greece in FIBA World Cup". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  78. ^ a b Windhorst, Brian (September 7, 2019). "Popovich's plan stops Giannis and Greece". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  79. ^ a b "U.S. beats Brazil to reach World Cup quarters". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  80. ^ a b Devine, Dan (September 11, 2019). "Team USA's Nightmare Scenario Happened. Now It's Time to Figure Out What's Next". The Ringer. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  81. ^ a b "Evan Fournier scored 22 points, Rudy Gobert added 21 points and 16 rebounds". ESPN.com. Associated Press. September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  82. ^ a b c Reynolds, Tim (September 12, 2019). "US loses to Serbia 94-89, assuring worst big-tourney finish". Associated Press. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  83. ^ Stein, Marc (September 15, 2019). "Spain Wins FIBA World Cup, Giving Marc Gasol a Rare Double". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  84. ^ Stein, Marc (September 14, 2019). "U.S. Defeats Poland at Basketball World Cup. But for 7th Place". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  85. ^ Reynolds, Tim (September 14, 2019). "USA Basketball beats Poland, finishes in 7th place at World Cup". Boston.com. Associated Press. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  86. ^ Vardon, Joe (September 14, 2019). "'Better teams got to the finals': World Cup is over for Team USA, and now it's time to face some hard truths". The Athletic. Retrieved September 1, 2023. Marcus Smart missed the last two games and Walker didn't play Saturday.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2019_United_States_FIBA_Basketball_World_Cup_team&oldid=1213425552"