Basketball

Gone are the days when the United States men's national basketball team would win an Olympic basketball game by 30 points or more. The current roster of Team USA was tested. And LeBron James liked it. The outcome of the 2024 Paris Olympics created ripples in international basketball and it should influence the result of the 2025 EuroBasket, 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup, and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Let's get a bit ahead. Shall we?

The NBA players don't really care about international basketball, and many hoop fans know whom we're referring to. Los Angeles will host the next Summer Olympics, which would mean that the US is the first team that qualifies for the next Olympiad. Team USA Basketball doesn't have to try too hard to recruit the best American talents to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Traveling to Doha, Qatar,  where the next FIBA Basketball World Cup will be played, is not an option.

To those who are unaware of which teams would qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, all teams must go to the qualifying rounds of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. This outcome of this prestigious quadrennial tournament will determine the best performing team from Africa, Asia, and Oceania. These teams will play in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The top two teams from the Americas and Europe also advance to the Olympics as well. But the other countries don’t take international basketball for granted. 

Many fans witnessed the closing of the gap between the USA and the rest of the world. In fact, the number of foreign players in the NBA league is increasing. It’s only a matter of time before one of these teams defeats the Dream Team. Or Redeem Team.South Sudan almost upset the US in a friendly game in London and then Serbia led the US during most of the 40-minute play. Until Stephen Curry saved the day for the Americans. 

The gold-medal match will feature France and the US. It would be a sentimental journey for Les Bleus captain Nicolas Batum and former NBA player Nando de Colo. Both veterans were members of the French men’s basketball team that won the 2013 EuroBasket. It’s highly unlikely that the two will represent France in the 2025 EuroBasket.

This game is a rematch of the gold-medal game in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was a heartbreaking loss for Les Bleus after a close win over the Americans in group play. The raucous home fans would factor in this upcoming game. If the older members of the French men’s basketball team learned their lessons from Tokyo 2020, then they might send the game to overtime. And they can pull an upset for the ages. 

On the other hand, the bronze medal game is a rematch of the finals of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup between Germany and Serbia. If Serbia can move on from that bitter loss to the US in the semifinal, then we see this basketball powerhouse winning the bronze. Germany has been consistent after that breakthrough in Manila, though. A bronze medal is as good as gold. And we would bet on the German men’s basketball team to win their second EuroBasket title next summer.

7 Takeaways from the 2024 Summer Olympics

Canada will win the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Many Canadian basketball fans ripped Jamal Murray after Canada’s loss to France in the quarterfinals. And it might be the worst time to happen. Murray will sign a contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, but his salary might be another thing.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow for the talented Canadian team, where all but one play in the NBA league. Winning a medal is a certainty after topping the so-called Group of Death. This painful loss is part of their journey, though. As some (basketball) analysts would put it, the loss would help them grow as a team. And they become better. We still believe that America’s northern neighbor would be the first international team to defeat America’s A-team in the Olympics. And winning the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup is the next step. We don’t doubt it. 

The next generation of Les Bleus is one to watch out for. French men’s basketball team head coach Vincent Collet surprised fans before France played Canada in the quarterfinals, as he didn’t include veterans Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier in the starting five. Both NBA players represented Les Bleus for a decade or more. It might be a sign for the younger generation to join the senior team. We’re excited about Zaccharie Risacher and Tidjane Salaun playing along with Victor Wembanyama and Matthew Strazel. It should keep Les Bleus on the winning streak. 

The Boomers need Matisse Thybulle. Again. Boomers fans were emotional while watching, and listening, to Josh Giddy’s interview after that tough loss to Serbia in the quarterfinals in Accor Arena. As Giddy put it, the Boomers have a 24-point lead. They blew it (or let it go away). Could Boomers head coach Brian Goorjian make a costly mistake by choosing a few veterans over younger players? Could Goorjian bulk up on Australia’s defense? Could Ben Simmons’s presence made any difference at all? There are more questions. A lot of what ifs. If Matisse Thybulle is willing to play for Australia, then … 

It will take another generation before Spain becomes a contender once more. Ricky Rubio’s retirement is a sign of transition in Spain men's national basketball team. Canada defeated Spain in the second round of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, marking the first time that Los Rojos failed to reach the quarterfinals of this prestigious quadrennial event. And then Canada prevailed over Spain in Paris. It also marked the first time that the Spanish men’s basketball team won’t make it to the final eight of the Olympics. Rudy Fernandez made his sixth Olympic appearance in Paris, the most by any basketball player. He retired from international basketball afterwards. It left a huge void in Spanish basketball. It would take years before another standout comes along. 

Can Franz Wagner fill in Dirk Nowitzi’s shoes? Franz Wagner and Orlando Magic agreed to a five year, maximum contract extension worth 224 million dollars. It’s a risky move on the part of Magic, but it also shows that the management has faith in Wagner's capabilities. And he showed it in Paris. It might be too early to compare Franz Wagner to German basketball legend Dirk Nowitzi, but expect the former to lead the German men’s basketball team in the 2025 EuroBasket and 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Older brother Moritz Wagner will help him along the way. 

Nikola Jokic is one of the greatest in international basketball. Patty Mills had a brilliant play during the first half of that quarterfinal game between Australia and Serbia. And Nikola Jokic rose to the occasion. The Boomers saw their 24-point lead vanish during the fourth quarter, as the Serbian men’s basketball team forced an overtime. And then Jokic showed why he was a NBA MVP. Need we say more? 

The USA won’t win its sixth successive Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles. It might be too early to predict the 2028 Summer Olympics, but it could be a deja vu moment; the 2002 FIBA World Championship was held in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The Americans finished a humiliating sixth place. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durrant will be too old for international basketball. Who will step up for them? 

Your thoughts?

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