Dennis Schroder etched his name in FIBA lore with one of the best closing performances you’ll ever see.

The 31-year-old point guard scored six points in the final minute to lead Germany to its first EuroBasket title since 1993. Germany defeated Turkey 88-83 in the gold medal game held at Riga, Latvia.

The win comes two years after Deutschland — largely with the same core group of players — won the FIBA World Cup title in 2023 in Manila. The rare double of winning the World Cup and European championships boosts Germany into the top tier in FIBA, and it could now lay claim to the title of second-best team in the world behind only the United States.

“We never shy away from the big moments. It’s not just Franz, it’s not just me, it’s the whole team,” said Schroder, who finished the final with 16 points, a game-high 12 assists, and he was named MVP of EuroBasket 2025. Schroder became only the seventh player to win MVP at both EuroBasket and the FIBA World Cup. The other six were Sergei Belov, Drazen Dalipagic, Drazen Petrovic, Toni Kukoc, Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol. All six are in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The German captain was also named to the all-tournament team, joining teammate Franz Wagner, Turkey’s Alperen Sengun, Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic.

“To be a World Cup winner and European champ, it’s big time,” said Schroder, who averaged 20.3 points and 7.2 assists for the entire tournament.

Winning EuroBasket elevates Schroder’s profile. His NBA credentials may not be up to par with other established stars like LeBron James or Kevin Durant — he’s now on his ninth NBA team in 12 seasons — but he’s building an impressive FIBA resume.

And his performance down the stretch in the gold medal match against Turkey was one for the ages.

After Shane Larkin put Turkey ahead by one point with 1:34 left in the fourth quarter, Schroder answered seconds later with a lefty layup high off glass over Sengun to give Germany an 84-83 lead. Then with under 24 seconds remaining and the shot clock winding down, Schroder calmly pulled up from free throw line and swished a rainbow jumper over Ercan Osmani to put the Germans up by three with 18.4 seconds left.

Turkey had an opportunity to tie but Sengun’s desperation 3-point heave barely drew iron. Schroder grabbed the rebound and iced the game with two free throws.

Germany joins the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Spain as the only nations to hold both FIBA World Cup and FIBA EuroBasket trophies at the same time.

Turkey reached the final for only the second time in 25 years after dismantling Greece 94-68 in the semifinals. Osmani starred with 18 of his 28 points in the first half alone, and Sengun added 15 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists.

Meanwhile, Germany booked their spot in the final after beating Finland 98-86. Schroder led the way with 26 points and 12 assists, with Franz Wagner adding 23 points in the win. Schroder’s 12 assists set a new EuroBasket record in the semifinals. Lauri Markkanen was held to 16 points (2-for-9 from 3-point and 6-for-17 from the field), eight points below his scoring average in the tournament. In two games against Germany, Markkannen was held to 13.5 points and 2-for-14 from behind the arc.

ONE-MAN SHOWS
EuroBasket 2025 produced many outstanding individual performances. From Luka Doncic’s historic scoring games to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s individual brilliance, the best basketball players in the world showed up and showed out in Riga.

Giannis put Greece on his back with a 30-point, 17-rebound performance in the bronze medal match against Finland. Giannis also added six assists, giving him a 20-10-5 stat line for the fourth time in the tournament. No other player has more than three over the last 30 years of EuroBasket.

It was Greece’s first EuroBasket medal since winning bronze in 2009. Head coach Vassilis Spanoulis was on the last Greek team that made the podium in EuroBasket.

Giannis called winning a bronze medal for his country “one of his biggest accomplishments.”

“I know I’ve won an NBA championship, but there’s no feeling like representing your national team and representing 12 million people that breathe and live this national team. This is probably the greatest accomplishment so far in my life,” the Milwaukee Bucks star said.

The Greek Freak scored 37 points, going 18-for-23 from the field, and grabbed 10 rebounds in leading Greece to an 84-79 win over Israel in the Round of 16. Only one other player on Greece scored in double figures (Kostas Sloukas had 11 points).

Luka Doncic’s one-man show continued in the knockout stage as the L.A. Lakers superstar dropped 42 points on 11-for-19 from the field, including 5-for-11 from 3-point, and had 10 rebounds in carrying Slovenia past Italy 84-77. The 42 points are five points off Doncic’s EuroBasket high mark of 47 against France in 2022.

Slovenia was eliminated by eventual EuroBasket champ Germany in the quarterfinals. In a loss, Doncic dropped 39 points on 11-for-25 shooting from the field and hit five 3-pointers. He also added 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Doncic finished with a tournament-best 34.7 points per game, becoming only the third player to average north of 30 points. Doncic’s 34.7 average is the third-best mark in tournament history. Only Greek legend Nikos Galis had a better tournament scoring average. Galis averaged 37.0 in 1987 and 35.6 in 1989.

SHOCKING UPSETS
In the most stunning result of the tournament, gold medal favorite Serbia was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Finland despite 33 points from Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. The Joker is still searching for that elusive FIBA gold medal, and this is the second straight EuroBasket tournament that Serbia went out in the Round of 16. Serbia lost to Italy in the Round of 16 in 2022, and now they bow out in the same stage in 2025, this time to Finland.

Finland got a team-high 29 points from Lauri Markkanen and timely 3-pointers from Elias Valtonen. The Fins pounded Serbia on the boards to the tune of 45-36 advantage, including 20 offensive rebounds.

Finland started on fire and went up 11-1 and extended the lead to 16-5 midway through the first quarter.

“They played a great game. From the start we didn’t come ready. I just wasn’t ready from the jump,” said Serbia forward Nikola Jovic, who plays for the Miami Heat. “Their 20 offensive rebounds were just unacceptable. We knew what they were doing, we prepared well, we watched film, still they managed to just better and more physical than us.”

The other major upset in the Round of 16 was Georgia beating France 80-70. The Paris Olympics silver medalists led for just four minutes as Georgia, behind the outside shooting of Bayern Munich guard Kamar Baldwin. Baldwin, who played college ball at Butler but went undrafted, picked a perfect timing for his EuroBasket career-high, scoring 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field.

The most talked about “revenge body” in the NBA since Shaquille O’Neal dropped a boatload of weight after he was traded from the L.A. Lakers to the Miami Heat in 2004 will be on full display at EuroBasket 2025.

Armed with a brand new body and brand new three-year, $165 million contract extension with the L.A. Lakers, Luka Doncic will be one of the biggest storylines to watch at the FIBA European championships, co-hosted by Cyprus, Finland, Poland, and Latvia. The finals will be held at Riga, Latvia.
Doncic’s body transformation isn’t the only thing different about him. The Lakers superstar is also more assertive, and his Slovenia teammates are taking notice.

“He’s embracing the challenge of being the face of a francise in the NBA and here. His words carry weight,” Slovenia guard Klemen Prepelic told SportKlub about his longtime national team teammate.

“You can already see signs of the new Luka,” Prepelic added. “It’s probably something expected of him by the Lakers as well. He’s the leader now. His voice counts the most.”

Doncic was basically fat-shamed by his former general manager, Dallas Mavericks executive Nico Harrison, when Harrison went on his why-did-you-trade-Luka explanation tour. Harrison said the main reason why the Mavs shipped Luka to L.A. was because of Doncic’s questionable work habits and conditioning.

Doncic used it as motivation as he worked himself into the best shape of his basketball career. The 26-year-old global star shed some serious pounds by committing to an offseason training program and a stricter diet. The end result was a body transformation that nearly broke the internet.
Images with the hashtag “Slim Luka” surfaced all over social media after Men’s Health published photos of an almost unrecognizable Doncic and his newly ripped body. Practically everyone with a TV show and a podcast couldn’t stop talking about it.

Doncic will put his slender body to the test as he leads Slovenia against a stacked tournament field that includes FIBA powerhouses Serbia, France and reigning World Cup champions Germany.

Here are the teams to watch at EuroBasket:

Teams with Star Power but Lack Firepower
SLOVENIA – Luka Doncic was only a teenager when Slovenia stunned the hoops world and won EuroBasket in 2017. But that was eight years ago and Goran Dragic is no longer around to help Luka. Slovenia enters the EuroBasket 2025 with a top-10 rating in the EuroBasket power rankings but the road to the title got tougher after forward Vlatko Cancar, formerly of the Denver Nuggets, withdrew from the competition, leaving the squad extremely thin in the frontcourt. Slovenia will be outmanned and outgunned.

Despite not having the necessary firepower, they have one nuke in the form of Luka Doncic. Any team with Doncic can’t be counted out because the L.A. Lakers superstar is capable of carrying an entire nation on his back.

GREECE – If Luka Doncic is the center of the Slovenian universe, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the solar energy that powers the Greek national squad. The two-time NBA MVP from the Milwaukee Bucks by himself is capable of backpacking Hellas and carry it out of the group stage and into the knockout round. But he won’t be alone in this fight. Giannis will be joined by two of his brothers, Kostas and Thanasis. Giannis plays better when he has family around him.

Tournament Dark Horses
TURKEY – Turkey drew the short end of the stick when it was placed in the same group as Serbia. Despite being in a tough group, Turkey has enough firepower to finish second in the group and qualify for the knockout stage. The head of the Turkish squad is Houston Rockets All-Star center Alperen Sengun. The 22-year-old big man is coming off a solid NBA season (19 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists) and he’s primed to announce his presence at the FIBA stage. Sengun has plenty of help on the frontcourt. Adem Bona carved out a solid role as a rotational player with the Philadelphia 76ers and he’s coming off a strong showing for the Sixers at the NBA summer league. Cedi Osman, who played six seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and now playing for Panathinaikos in Greece, and Furkan Korkmaz (played seven seasons with the 76ers) provide Turkey with two outstanding shooters. Shane Larkin — son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin — is the team’s starting point and might the most important player. If Larkin has a strong tournament, Turkey could be in the medal round.

ITALY – The Italians are entering the tournament with plenty of momentum, with one of their wins in the friendlies coming against Kristaps Porzingis (Atlanta Hawks) and Latvia. Italy is in Group C with Spain and Greece. Spain isn’t the same basketball power it once was and it’s undergoing a changing of the guard while Greece is beatable if Giannis has a poor outing. Italy’s roster doesn’t have the star power but it has solid NBA-level talent. Simone Fontecchio and Nico Melli lead a balanced Azzurri squad capable of advancing past the group stage and into the knockout round.

Top 3 Teams Competing for the Podium
3. FRANCE – Despite the absence of Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, and Nic Batum, France remains one of the top contenders because of its incredible talent depth. France will definitely miss Wemby’s game-changing skills, Gobert’s defense and Batum’s leadership, but there is no talent shortage on this year’s EuroBasket squad. Les Bleus fields a talented roster full of current NBA players — Bilal Coulibaly (Washington Wizards), Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks), Alex Sarr (Wizards), Guerschon Yabusele (New York Knicks) — and former NBA players like Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Theo Maledon. France has so much depth the team cut former New York Knick guard Frank Ntilikina, Moussa Diabate (Hornets) and Ousmane Dieng (OKC Thunder). With Wemby, Gobert and Batum not on the squad, there is a void that could be filled by younger French studs such as Risacher and Sarr to step out of the shadows of their more famous veterans and get their own shine.

2. GERMANY – Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner headline a battle tested German squad that brings back the core group that won gold at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila. Andreas Obst, one of the best shooters in the German Bundesliga, joins Schroder in the backcourt, giving the Germans a superb 1-2 punch at point guard and shooting guard. Steady 3-and-D wing Isaac Bonga and NBA veteran center Daniel Theis round out the core unit that won the FIBA World Cup. Leading scorer Franz Wagner will be tasked with a bigger role, especially with his brother Mo Wagner sidelined as he’s recovering from a torn ACL. Tristan da Silva, Franz’s teammate with the Orlando Magic, might be an X factor and could be part of the finishing lineup. The pressure is on first-year coach Alex Mumbru to maintain the momentum built up over the last two years.

1. SERBIA – With a stacked roster that includes three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, the Serbians (rated No. 2 in the FIBA world rankings) are the heavy favorites to reach the final in Riga and hoist the EuroBasket trophy.

The Serbians have very little weaknesses and they are simply too good and too big to fail. They have a surplus of size and length, from guards to forwards to centers. Head coach Svetislav Pesic has a plethora of shooters like Bogdan Bogdanovic (L.A. Clippers), Aleksa Avramovic (Dubai), and Marko Guduric (Olimpia Milano).

Serbia has great size up front with 6-10 Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat), 6-11 Tristan Vukcevic (Washington Wizards), 6-11 Filip Petrusev, 7-0 Nikola Milutinov. And they have The Joker, the best center in the world.

Serbia will compete against host nation Latvia, Turkey, Estonia, Portugal and Czechia in Group A. Serbia should advance to the knockout round as Group A winner, and should be one of the finalists in Latvia.

Jokic led Serbia to a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the Denver Nuggets superstar has never won a gold medal for his country in FIBA competition. Winning EuroBasket would be a tremendous accomplishment for The Joker, and this unit might be the best Serbian team Jokic has ever been a part of in his international career. This is the year when Jokic breaks through and finally captures that elusive gold medal for Serbia.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastbreak.net. Follow and subscribe to his YouTube channel at @onemanfastbreak1.

Jayson Tatum came to the 2024 Paris Olympics on an emotional high. He had just won his first NBA championship and the Boston Celtics rewarded their 26-year-old superstar with a supermax contract worth $315 million over five years. But when Tatum left Paris, he was feeling low despite winning his second Olympic gold medal.

Tatum played just 71 total minutes for Team USA, got two DNPs and appeared in just four games. USA Basketball head coach Steve Kerr benched Tatum in the Olympic opener against Serbia, and benched him again in the semifinals of the knockout round against the same Serbian squad.

The first game against Serbia was a blowout, but the same matchup was a nail-biter as Team USA needed ever bit of Steph Curry’s magical 36-point performance to advance to the gold medal game against host nation France.

Tatum did see some action against France, making one of three shots from the field and grabbing three rebounds in 11 minutes. Majority of Tatum’s minutes came in the first half as he rode the bench for much of the second half as Kerr rode Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Anthony Davis down the stretch.

Tatum finished the Olympics with averages he probably hasn’t seen since his AAU days. During the 2023-24 NBA season, Tatum averaged 26.9 points and 8.1 rebounds while earning All-NBA first team honors. During the Paris Olympics, Tatum averaged 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 38.1% from the field. He played fewer minutes than both of his Celtics teammates Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Holiday, who started five of the six games, played 94 minutes while White played 79 minutes.

Despite winning gold, Tatum left Paris feeling empty. He told the Boston Globe that the Olympic experience was “challenging and humbling” at the same time, and he wouldn’t commit to playing for Team USA when the topic of the L.A. Olympics in 2028 came up.

“You feel like you deserve to play and the competitor in you wants to play,” Tatum told The Globe. “And [Steve Kerr] is the coach for a reason. He makes those decisions.”

Tatum tried to diffuse the situation by not making it about him. But his lack of playing time was one of the main storylines for Team USA. It was hard to ignore, and the narrative could spill into the 2024-25 season — especially when the Celtics play Kerr’s Golden State Warriors.

“I sacrificed and put a lot into this game and worked really, really hard,” Tatum said. “In the moment it is tough, so I’m not necessarily worried about fueling me for [for the season].”

Kerr absorbed much of the heat for the Tatum sideshow. His explanation was simple. It was a math problem. “It’s just hard to play 11 people, even in an NBA game,” Kerr told reporters.

To be fair, Kerr is absolute right. It’s uncommon to play 11 or 12 players in a 48-minute NBA game, yet alone a 40-minute FIBA-style competition. In the playoffs, rotations tighten even more to about seven or eight guys.

Kerr was dealt a bad hand by USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill, who was mainly responsible for constructing the 12-man squad. Hill used an old-style approach by loading the roster with a boatload of NBA All-Stars with the hope of overwhelming the competition instead of building on the team that competed in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Hill completely moved away from the highly successful “program” approach implemented by former USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski and former USAB head Jerry Colangelo.

As good as the U.S. roster was for the 2024 Summer Games — and it was pretty darn good with four MVPs wearing the Red, White and Blue — it was terribly flawed. There was too much duplication and not enough defined roles and floor balance. Outside of sharpshooters Curry and Booker, who were the only true floor spaces, the squad Hill created had too many iso-centric players more comfortable in one-on-one settings. LeBron and KD needed the ball in their hands to be effective, which in turn limited the touches for ball-dominant guys like Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Haliburton.

Despite the poorly constructed roster, Team USA escaped with the gold medal thanks to Curry’s heroics. Steph’s nine 3-pointers was the catalyst in the 17-point comeback against Serbia in the semifinals and his flurry of 3-pointers — four in the last three minutes to be exact — during crunch time against France sealed the gold medal.

Kerr won’t be around to coach the U.S. men’s national team for the next FIBA World Cup or the L.A. Olympics in 2028, but Hill will likely be the decision-maker again when it’s time to build a roster. Hopefully, Hill learned from his mistakes and bring back the program approach his former mentor Coach K and Colangelo flawlessly executed to avoid another Jayson Tatum situation.

Dennis Schroder came through in the clutch to lead Germany over Serbia in the gold medal game at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Manila, Philippines.

Schroder, who had a game-high 28 points in the championship game, was spectacular throughout the tournament, averaging 19.1 points and 6.1 assists en route to winning the FIBA World Cup MVP. The Toronto Raptors point guard headlined a star-studded all-World Cup squad, which included Bogdan Bogdanovic of Serbia, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada, Anthony Edwards from the United States, and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic.

Bogdanovic did all he could to push Serbia across the finish line, averaging 19.1 points and shooting 42% from 3-point range. The two-time FIBA World Cup silver medalists could have used reigning NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, who skipped this year’s World Cup after a taxing NBA season.

Behind Schroder’s steady hand at the point, the Germans passed every test in the tournament as they went undefeated en route to their first World Cup gold medal, besting the bronze medal in 2002 with Dirk Nowitzki as their leading man.

Schroder had plenty of support from a well-constructed roster headed by coach Gordon Herbert. Center Daniel Theis, shooting guard Andreas Obst, and the Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz Wagner, all played a major role in helping Deutschland reach the top of the podium. Franz Wagner, who made the all-tournament second team, was huge in the gold medal game against Serbia, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.

Here are four observations from an incredible two weeks in Manila, Jakarta, and Okinawa.

Steve Kerr makes tactical mistake against Canada

Steve Kerr is a four-time NBA champion as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. It would be hard to question anything he does. But during the bronze medal game against Canada, Kerr decided to use a small-ball unit in the final five minutes and overtime. Kerr took out 6-10 Bobby Portis in favor of guard Josh Hart, who is generously listed at 6-5. Kerr rolled out a finishing lineup of Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Austin Reaves, Mikal Bridges, and Hart playing center. Bridges was the tallest man on the court for Team USA at 6-6. After Hart fouled in overtime, Kerr went with an ever smaller lineup by inserting 6-0 guard Jalen Brunson.

Playing small ball is a tactic Kerr often uses with the Warriors, with Hart playing the role of Draymond Green as the small-ball 5. However, Josh Hart is no Draymond Green.

The decision proved to be costly as the Americans got punished on the boards by the more physical Canadians. Dwight Powell (6-10, 240), Dillon Brooks (6-6, 225), Lugentz Dort (6-3, 215), RJ Barrett (6-6, 215), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (6-6, 180) were too much to handle as the Canadians dominated the offensive boards and got to several crucial loose balls down the stretch. Behind the superb playmaking of Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points) and improbable 3-point shooting from Brooks (39 points), Canada outlasted the U.S. in overtime, 127-118, to secure its first ever FIBA World Cup medal.

In Kerr’s defense, he didn’t have a lot of options at center. Starting center Jaren Jackson Jr. and his backup Paolo Banchero were both out with an illness. Walker Kessler (7-1, 245) was the last remaining big man on the roster, and he could only muster six points and seven rebounds in 16 minutes of action.

It’s back to the drawing board for Kerr and USA Basketball director Grant Hill after another disappointing World Cup. Team USA has failed to bring home a medal in the last two World Cups, finishing seventh in 2019 and fourth in 2023. Kerr and Hill have a year to retool the roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

USA Basketball definitely needs reinforcements

Team USA came into the World Cup with a roster short on senior international experience and short on big men. Those glaring weaknesses showed up in the meaningful rounds as the Americans lost three of their last four games. The U.S. defense, which had been solid in the showcase games and the first group stage, was shredded for 350 points (116.67 points per game) in losses to Lithuania, Germany, and Canada.

Steve Kerr and his coaching staff, which included Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and L.A. Clippers coach Ty Lue and Gonzaga coach Mark Few, had about a month to fully prepare and get the players familiar with the system. And it showed. The game plan was simple: wear down teams with depth and push the pace to create scoring opportunities. The plan worked against the lesser teams but against experienced squads with NBA-caliber talent, the all-too-simple formula got exposed.

Because the U.S. couldn’t create enough ball pressure against Germany and Canada, it left the team exposed on the back end. Starting U.S. center Jaren Jackson Jr. struggled staying on the court, averaging almost just as many fouls per game (2.7) as rebounds (2.9). The lack of rebounding from Jackson Jr. summed up Team USA’s troubles on defense. During the weighty moments in the semifinals and bronze medal game, the U.S. couldn’t get enough stops.

The quick fix would be to bring in the A Team. Kerr and Hill could convince Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant to rejoin Team USA. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have also expressed interest in rejoining the program in time for the Paris Olympics. Draymond and AD will certainly help fix the problems on defense.

NBA teams should look at Aleksa Avramovic, Andreas Obst, Arturs Zagars

After making the all-tournament second team, Latvia’s Arturs Zagars is reportedly generating interest from NBA teams. The 23-year-old point guard led Latvia to a fifth-place finish in the nation’s first World Cup appearance and set a tournament record 17 assists in Latvia’s game against Lithuania. Zagars, who averaged 12.4 points and 7.4 assists in 25 minutes a game, has played professionally in Europe since 2017, but injuries have derailed his career. After showing he can compete against the best in FIBA, he should be given a shot in the NBA.

Germany’s Andreas Obst is an absolute sniper. He delivered the dagger 3-point shot that sunk the U.S. in the semifinals and propelled Germany to the finals. The 27-year-old Obst, who currently competes in the Bundesliga and EuroLeague for Bayern Munich, is regarded as one of the best shooters in Europe. He certainly didn’t disappoint at the World Cup, making 44.7% of his 3-point shots. Any NBA team would love to have a shooting guard who makes nearly 45% of his 3-balls.

Serbia leaned on Atlanta Hawks standout Bogdan Bogdanovic for much of the tournament, but the team would have not have reached the finals without Aleksa Avramovic. Avramovic’s physical defense played a role in holding Okahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to just 15 points and 4-of-8 shooting from the field in Serbia’s win over Canada in the semifinals. In the finals against Germany, it was Avramovic’s offense that kept the Serbians in the game as he finished with a team-high 21 points, including 3-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Avramovic, who plays professionally in Europe for Partizan Mozzart Bet, may not be viewed as an NBA starting guard, but he could potentially be a solid rotational player.

Basketball-crazed Filipinos embrace NBA stars

The FIBA World Cup games were held at three venues: Okinawa, Jakarta, and Manila.

With all due respect to the fans who attended games in Jakarta and Okinawa, the vibe from the games held at Philippine Arena, Araneta Coliseum, and Mall of Asia Arena was different. You could feel the passion and the love that Filipinos have for the game of basketball.

A record crowd of 38,115 filled Philippine Arena for the Aug. 25 opener between host nation Philippines and the Dominican Republic – easily the biggest crowd to see a World Cup game. The previous attendance record was 32,616, set in 1994 at SkyDome in Toronto.

Team USA played all their games at Mall of Asia Arena. The coaches and players were given the rock star treatment. The Americans were showered with adoration, especially fan favorite Austin Reaves. The L.A. Lakers guard generated the loudest cheers each time he made a play. “It’s special to me,” Reaves told BasketNews. “I knew coming out here, there’s a lot of Lakers fans which is lovely, and I love that, and I appreciate that.”

Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson represented his mother’s native country at the World Cup. After four tough losses in group stage, Clarkson gifted Filipino fans with an unforgettable performance for Gilas Pilipinas in a 96-75 win over China. The Utah Jazz guard exploded for 34 points, including a 24-point outburst in the third quarter where he splashed four straight 3-pointers that had the whole arena shaking. Clarkson credited the energy from the raucous crowd at the famed Araneta Coliseum — site of “The Thrilla in Manila” in 1975 — for boosting him and his Gilas teammates.

“When you start hearing that, as loud as it was, it’s kind of hard to calm me down at that time,” Clarkson told reporters. “I stayed hot. The crowd was just amazing. There was so much energy in there and we just really wanted to gift them with a win.”

It’s disappointing that some of the world’s best players such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry won’t be participating in basketball’s biggest international tournament. But their absence shouldn’t take away from the excitement and immense anticipation of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Jokic, the face of Serbia’s national team, decided to skip this year’s event as he recovers from a grueling season that culminated in his first NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets. Antetokounmpo had surgery on his left knee earlier this summer and is simply not ready to compete for Greece.

“Since the conclusion of my NBA season I have been pushing my body to the limits to be the player I need to be to help our team achieve the goals we set,” Antetokounmpo wrote on social media.

“But after months of work and multiple meetings with medical staff, it is clear that I am not ready to compete in the level that I need to be to participate in the World Cup,” he added. “This was not a choice, but my only option in ensuring I get back to the level of basketball I have worked so hard to achieve so far in my career. I am extremely disappointed in this outcome but this was a decision made with the medical staff.”

LeBron, Durant and Curry no longer have the appetite to play against international competition having already served their country at previous World Cups. This opens the door for fresh faces to proudly wear the USA colors.

Defending champion Spain enters the FIBA World Cup as the No. 1 ranked team in the world, with the United States at No. 2. Australia, Argentina, and France round out the top five.

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the eight winners of each group and the eight wild-card entries qualifying for the second round.

GROUP A: Angola, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Italy
Prediction – Italy and Philippines advancing

The inclusion of Utah Jazz guard and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson gave host nation Philippines a much-needed shot in the arm. Filipino fans are hungry for the country’s first real opportunity to compete for a medal since local legend Caloy Loyzaga powered the basketball-crazed Southeast Asian nation to a bronze medal finish in 1954. It remains the best World Cup finish for the Philippines in six appearances.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl Anthony-Towns will be donning the colors for the Dominican Republican for the first time in a decade, setting up a very intriguing matchup with Gilas Pilipinas on opening night on Aug. 25.

The 31-year-old Clarkson — who is Filipino-American — proudly represents his mother and grandmother’s native country. The Philippines’ game against Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan could draw close to 50,000 fans. The winner will most likely earn a ticket to the knockout round. The Dominicans have the speed and athleticism advantage, but homecourt advantage and Clarkson’s 3-point shooting may be enough for the Filipinos to pull off the major upset.

“A lot of our efforts are really poured into preparing for the Dominican Republic and Angola. Those are the two games we really have to get,” Philippines national coach Chot Reyes told Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The game between the Philippines and Angola on Aug. 27 will be held at the famed Araneta Coliseum, which has hosted some of the biggest events in the world including Muhammad Ali’s “Thrilla in Manila.”

Kai Sotto may be the second-most important player for coach Reyes. We all know what Clarkson brings to the table. There’s a bit of a mystery surrounding 21-year-old Sotto. The 7-2 center was recently medically cleared to play at the World Cup after he suffered back spasms while playing for the Orlando Magic’s summer league squad in Las Vegas. Sotto is a skilled big man who can be an effective pick-and-roll partner with Clarkson.

Flying under the radar are the Italians, led by Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio and New Orleans Pelicans forward Nico Melli. Italy is one of the hottest teams entering the World Cup as it swept the exhibition games in Athens, with impressive wins over Serbia and Greece. Expect the Italians to finish first in the group, and the Filipinos to take second.

GROUP B: China, Puerto Rico, Serbia, South Sudan
Prediction – Serbia and South Sudan advancing

Serbia’s gold medal chances took a massive hit when 2023 NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic decided to skip this year’s tournament. Despite no Joker in the lineup, the Serbians still have enough firepower to win arguably the easiest of the eight groups. The silver medalists from the 2014 World Cup have one of the best offenses in the tournament, beginning with Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic, who averaged 22 points at the previous World Cup, will wear the captain’s arm band for Serbia and head coach Svetislav Pesic will call his number a lot.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson obtained his Chinese citizenship through naturalization in July and will represent China at the World Cup. The FIBA Basketball World Cup Twitter accounted posted this message on its feed: “Li Kai’er is coming.” Li Kai’er is Anderson’s Chinese name. Anderson’s versatility and veteran leadership should help China, but not enough to advance.

Keep an eye on South Sudan to pull off a stunner and finish second behind group winner Serbia. South Sudan is making its World Cup debut, and the young African nation is hungry to prove to the world that it is an emerging basketball nation. South Sudan is coached by former NBA player and current Houston Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey. Ivey’s squad is led by former Baylor Bears forward Nuni Omot and recently added NBA veteran forward Wenyen Gabriel — who played with the L.A. Lakers during the 2022-23 season — to the roster.

GROUP C: Greece, Jordan, New Zealand, United States
Prediction – U.S. and Greece advancing

The road to the knockout stage got much easier for the Americans after Milwaukee Bucks star and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (aka the Greek Freak) opted out as he continues to rehab his knee. Team USA roster reloaded with an all-new lineup. It enters the tournament on a hot streak, having won all its exhibition games including wins over Spain and Slovenia. Under new head coach Steve Kerr, the young American squad has bought into Kerr’s philosophies and looked very much in sync despite only coming together in early August.

Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) have been Kerr’s preferred starters in the showcase games and nothing indicates that’ll change. Per usual, the U.S. has an embarrassment of riches on its 12-man roster. Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) backs up Brunson — who has emerged as the team leader — at point while Austin Reaves (L.A. Lakers), Josh Hart (Knicks), Cam Johnson (Nets) are part of a solid rotation on the wings. Reaves has been a revelation at camp. Kerr calls him the team’s “connector” with his ability to seamless play any perimeter position. Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), and Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz) are the backup bigs.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup will be extra special for U.S. assistant coach Erik Spoelstra. The 52-year-old Miami Heat head coach has deep ties to the Philippines being a Filipino-American. Spoelstra was born in the U.S. and raised in the Portland area, but his mother is a native of Laguna and he has family members living in the Philippines.

Spoelstra told FIBA.com that it has been a “dream” to be part of USA Basketball, and being able to experience the World Cup in Manila is “very surreal.”

“I have great pride in being an American, and I have great pride in my heritage, being Filipino as well,” Spoelstra said. “I’m just really excited that the entire program will be able to see the enthusiasm, the spirit and fan base for the game in Manila.”

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is the only Antetokounmpo playing at the World Cup after his brothers, Giannis and Kostas, bowed out. The absence of Giannis will severely hamper Greece on the offensive end. You can’t easily replace a player who averages 30 points per game. Coach Dimitris Itoudis will employ a heavy dose of high pick-and-rolls and staggered screens to get some open looks. Olympiacos point guard Thomas Walkup, who played his college ball at Stephen F. Austin, will be tasked with running the offense. One of Walkup’s primary targets is 7-3 center Georgios Papagiannis (Fenerbahce).

After posting a disappointing seventh-place finish at the 2019 World Cup, don’t expect the Americans to take anyone lightly. The U.S. has a favorable schedule playing before a friendly crowd at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. The Americans will be given the rock star treatment and should win every game in Group C by double digits.

GROUP D: Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, Lithuania
Prediction – Lithuania and Montenegro advancing

Lithuania had dreams of rolling out a monster frontcourt, pairing 6-11 power forward Domantas Sabonis with 7-0 center Jonas Valanciunas.

Sabonis and Valanciunas are double-double machines in the NBA, and arguably two of the best rebounders in the world. However, those plans were derailed. According to Lithuania national team coach Kazys Maksvytis, Sabonis had surgery on his right thumb. The Sacramento Kings, however, disputed that claim and told the Sacramento Bee that the 27-year-old Sabonis — who is the son of Lithuanian legend Arvydas Sabonis — did not have surgery. Regardless if he had surgery or not, Sabonis won’t be playing for Lithuania at the World Cup. That leaves the 30-year-old Valanciunas, who averaged 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, to shoulder much of the offensive load for Maksvytis.

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic will be leading his home country of Montenegro, which is competing in its second World Cup appearance after qualifying for the event for the first time in 2019. The 6-11 Vucevic anchors a big Montenegro frontcourt that fields seven players 6-8 or taller. The size advantage for Lithuania and Montenegro will be too much to overcome for smaller Mexico and Egypt. Expect Lithuania to win the group, with Montenegro finishing second.

GROUP E: Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan
Prediction – Australia and Germany advancing

Most basketball observers felt Group C and Group H were the toughest after the initial draws were announced. But OMFB thinks Group E deserves the “group of death” title. The games will be held at Okinawa, giving host nation Japan homecourt edge. Japan has lost its last eight games in major international competition (five at the World Cup, three at the Olympics). Just how important this year’s event to Japanese flag bearer Yuta Watanabe? “No one, neither the players nor the spectators, wants to see us lose. If we end up with a string of defeats this time as well, I’m ready to take off the national team’s uniform. That’s how much I am committed to this World Cup,” the 28-year-old Phoenix Suns forward said.

Finland is ranked outside the top 20, but it has Lauri Markkannen (Utah Jazz). The reigning NBA’s Most Improved Player can single-handedly take over a game.

Australia (ranked No. 3) and Germany (No. 11) are on the short list of teams expected to give the U.S. and Spain a run for their money. Coached by veteran Brian Goorjian, whose father Ed was a legendary high school in California, Australia has a roster loaded with NBA players.

The Boomers have a mixture of young NBA studs in Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks) and Matisse Thybulle (Portland Trail Blazers), Dyson Daniels (New Orleans Pelicans) to go with proven NBA veterans such as Joe Ingles (Orlando Magic), Patty Mills (Atlanta Hawks) and Jock Landale (Houston Rockets). Ingles, Mills, and Landale were part of the Aussie squad that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics. The Aussies have too much talent not to win this group.

Germany, led by team captain Dennis Schroder, returns 75% of the squad that captured bronze at the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket. Schroder, who recently signed with the Toronto Raptors, is the engine that powers the Germans’ offensive attack. He has plenty of help from brothers Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic) and Mo Wagner (Magic). Former Boston Celtics center Daniel Theis provides the Germans with some much needed muscle in the paint, doing all the dirty work and holding down the fort defensively. Germany gave Team USA its toughest game during the showcase series, leading by as much as 16 points before Anthony Edwards got hot and exploded for 34 points to help the U.S. escape with a 99-91 win.

Each game in Group E will be hotly contested, but two teams will leave Okinawa disappointed. It won’t be Australia or Germany. Both countries should advance out of the group phase and compete for a medal.

GROUP F: Cape Verde, Georgia, Slovenia, Venezuela
Prediction – Slovenia and Georgia advancing

Slovenia arrives in Japan with several question marks. Do they have enough rebounders? Can they defend the perimeter to keep teams out of the paint? These are major issues enough to sink any team. But Slovenian coach Aleksander Sekulic has an answer to all the team’s problems: Luka Doncic.

The brilliance of the Dallas Mavericks superstar covers up all of Slovenia’s warts. He is the sole reason why a nation of only 2.1 million people is a medal contender at the World Cup. Doncic leads Slovenia in points per game (25.0), assists (7.3), 3-point field goals (3.2), and second in rebounds (8.8). Doncic is feeling extra motivated these days. He’s motivated by the Mavericks’ failure to make the playoffs this past NBA season, and he’s motivated to avoid of a repeat of what happened at the Olympics in Tokyo when Slovenia finished fourth and missed the medal podium.

“When we are focused and doing what we need to do, we can be a very dangerous team,” Doncic told Sports Illustrated.

The Slovenians caught a break by landing in a group with two World Cup first-timers in Cape Verde and Georgia, and Venezuela is more of a baseball power. Virtus Bologna forward Tornike Shengelia — a second-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft — has an opportunity to reintroduce himself to basketball fans if he can lead his native country Georgia past the group stage.

Doncic shouldn’t have to extend himself during pool play. His B-plus game should be good enough to push the Slovenians into the next round where they will need his A-plus game.

GROUP G: Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Spain
Prediction – Spain and Brazil advancing

Defending World Cup champion and EuroBasket world champion Spain was dealt a significant blow when veteran point guard Ricky Rubio announced that he was taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health.

The 32-year-old Rubio was the MVP of the 2019 World Cup in China, leading the Spaniards to an 8-0 record. He’s been one of the main cogs of Spanish basketball for nearly two decades. After leading Spain to a gold medal four years ago, Rubio has had a rough last few years. He has been traded three times and missed the majority of the past two seasons while recovering from a torn left ACL. He served as backup for 33 games last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Without Rubio, Spanish head coach Sergio Scariolo has had to make several adjustments. He has shifted point guard duties to 29-year-old Alberto Diaz and 19-year-old Juan Nunez. Both guards saw action in a 98-88 loss to the U.S. in a showcase game in Malaga, Spain on Aug. 13. Scariolo, widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the world, treated the much-anticipated game against the U.S. as a feel-out game. He’ll likely have a different game plan if the two basketball powerhouses meet in Manila.

Spain’s superb sibling lineage continues with Willy Hernangomez (FC Barcelona) and Juancho Hernangomez (Panathinaikos) taking the baton from Pau and Marc Gasol. The Hernangomez brothers, along with Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Usman Garuba, arm Scariolo with four highly skilled big men capable of playing any style.

Aldama, 22, and Garuba, 21, represent the new wave of talent on the Spanish national team, while Rudy Fernandez represents the old guard. Fernandez, now 38, is past his prime but still regarded as one of the best 3-point shooters in FIBA.

Scariolo won’t be coaching his best squad in terms of NBA talent, but the Spaniards remain dangerous and can beat any team, including the U.S.

Brazil, which enters the tournament ranked 13th in FIBA, will rely on power forward Bruno Caboclo and the three-guard rotation of Raul Neto, Marcelinho Huertas, and Yago Santos. Caboclo was a former first-round draft pick by the Toronto Raptors in 2014. Neto and Huertas have played on several NBA teams, while Santos has experience playing in the Adriatic League and EuroLeague.

Brazil is the only real threat to Spain in a weak group. Spain should win every game in Jakarta. And don’t be surprised if Spain is one of the last four teams standing.

GROUP H: Canada, Latvia, Lebanon, France
Prediction – France and Canada advancing

The path to the knockout round got a little easier for France and Canada after Latvia’s Kristaps Porzingis (Boston Celtics) opted out of the tournament.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert anchors a deep and talented French squad that boasts several current and former NBA players, including the core group that brought home silver at the Olympics in Tokyo two years ago and lost to Spain at the EuroBasket final last year. French coach Vincent Collet thought he’d have the services of 2023 NBA No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama, but Wemby decided to skip the World Cup to focus on preparing for his first season with the San Antonio Spurs.

Collet will once again rely on 7-1 Gobert to be the catalyst on defense. The three-time NBA defensive player of the year provides a towering presence in the paint, which allows perimeter defenders such as Nic Batum (L.A. Clippers) to play more aggressively. This is likely Batum’s last World Cup appearance as he is planning to retire after the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

France’s backcourt is about as steady as they come. Former San Antonio Spurs point guard Nando De Colo, 36, and current New York Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier, 30, have a boatload of international experience.

The Canadians are sending their best team to the World Cup, despite news that Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is skipping the competition. Spearheaded by rising NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and New York Knicks starting wing RJ Barrett, Team Canada has a legitimate shot to reach the podium.

Gilgeous-Alexander continues his accent into elite status in the basketball world after impressive performances in tune-up games. The Hamilton (Ontario) native had 26 points and six steals against New Zealand. He put on a show with 25 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in a 113-112 overtime win over Germany. SGA shined again in Canada’s 85-80 overtime win over Spain, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

“He’s showing leadership and you can lead in so many different ways and him in his own way. He’s bringing this group together,” Canada head coach Jordi Hernandez said about Shai.

The Canadians are also armed with two outstanding wing defenders in Luguentz Dort (OKC Thunder) and Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets). If there’s a weakness it may be up front as Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz) and Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks) have trouble against physical big men.

We shall find out fast which nation will win Group H as France and Canada face off in the opener on Aug. 25 in Jakarta. Les Bleus has too much international experience for the talented but untested Canadians. France wins the group, with Canada close behind at second.

The United States senior men’s national team enters the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup with the weight of the world on its shoulder.

Being the hunted is a familiar position for Team USA after being so dominant for nearly 20 years. But the rest of the world is catching up, and winning a gold medal is no longer a sure bet.

The 58-game winning streak for the Americans in FIBA and Olympic competition came to a crashing halt in 2019 when the Gregg Popovich-coached squad — headlined by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — finished seventh at the World Cup held in China. It was the worst finish by an American squad in an Olympic or World Cup tournament, and it was the first time the U.S. failed to medal in basketball’s biggest international stage since the 2002 debacle in Indianapolis. We still haven’t forgiven George Karl for that mess.

Popovich did find some redemption in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo as he coached the U.S. — led by Kevin Durant and Draymond Green — to a gold medal.

Durant and Green are sitting out this year’s World Cup. The 12-man unit USA Basketball is sending to the Philippines — which co-hosts this year’s tournament with Japan and Singapore — is untested and doesn’t have a single All-NBA performer.

“For us, we have a lot of young guys this year, so we all feel like we have something to prove,” point guard Tyrese Haliburton told ESPN’s Kendra Andrews during the NBA summer league in Vegas.

Haliburton is one of the many new faces on Team USA that may be short on name recognition and international experience but loaded with promise. Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) is one of three players on the national team who earned NBA All-Star nods this past year. The other two were shooting guard Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves) and forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies).

The rest of the squad includes Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Josh Hart (New York Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (L.A. Lakers).

“I don’t think the expectations are what they usually are for USA Basketball, but that’s not changing for us guys who are playing,” Haliburton said. “We are really excited to get to it.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun,” he added. “A lot of guys are around the same age as me.”

Even though expectations are a bit muted this time around, Haliburton said it doesn’t change the primary objective: bring home the gold and reestablish American dominance.

“All the young guys feel like we have something to prove on the national level and obviously on the world level as well,” Haliburton said.

Following the Tokyo Games, USA Basketball underwent a period of transition.

Grant Hill, the former Duke standout and No. 3 overall pick in the 1994 draft by the Detroit Pistons, took over for Jerry Colangelo as managing director of the U.S. senior men’s national team. Steve Kerr, the four-time NBA championship coach of the Golden State Warriors, took the baton from Popovich as the head coach. Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat), Ty Lue (L.A. Clippers) and Mark Few (Gonzaga) round out Kerr’s coaching staff.

Kerr is tasked with leading a group that is about as raw as they come in terms of international competition. Portis, 28, is the oldest player on the roster while Banchero, 20, is the youngest American to compete at a FIBA World Cup event since Dwight Howard in 2006. The average age on Team USA is 24, and the team is desperately searching for an alpha dog to take charge.

Kerr started with the combination of Brunson, Edwards, Bridges, Ingram, and Jackson Jr. in the exhibition game against Puerto Rico on Aug. 7 in Las Vegas. Barring injuries or a major surprise in camp, this will likely be the starting lineup for Team USA when it arrives in Manila to take on New Zealand in its World Cup opener on Aug. 26.

After what assistant coach Spoelstra described as a “sloppy” first half that kept the game close, the U.S. overwhelmed Puerto Rico in the second half en route to a dominant 117-74 victory in the first of five USA Basketball showcase games in preparation for the World Cup.

Brunson is the steady hand Kerr needs to run point, and he’s also emerged in training camp as the vocal leader. Haliburton came off the bench in the win over Puerto Rico and looked comfortable in that role. He may be better suited to be the secondary playmaker, with his ability to push the pace on the second unit.

Jackson Jr. is the clear starting center and there’s a huge gap between him and his backups Portis, Banchero, and Kessler. Jackson Jr.’s ability to impact the game on both ends is what makes him an invaluable piece.

The surprise of training camp has been Reaves.

His inclusion on the squad raised a few eyebrows. But after a solid debut wearing the USA colors, those doubts were put to rest. Kerr called Reaves “a connector” and “enhances any lineup that he plays with.”

“He fits in wherever we put him. That’s the beauty of Austin,” Kerr told reporters about the L.A. Lakers guard, whose efficiency from 3-point range (40%) and effective play-making are two vital skills he can bring to the table. Reaves is a solid compliment to Edwards, who is more of a volume shooter and slasher.

Throughout the showcase games, it is becoming clear that Reaves is one of the five indispensable players on the squad. It’s a list that includes Brunson, Edwards, Jackson Jr., and Bridges. This is Reaves’ freshman season on the FIBA stage and he’s soaking in every moment.

“I didn’t play much AAU growing up, so I don’t really know many of [my USA Basketball teammates],” Reaves told Fox Sports. “But this is a cool opportunity for me to play with a bunch of guys that are really talented. A bunch of good guys, honestly.”

One position this squad has plenty of depth is at the wing. Bridges is the ideal 3-and-D forward while Ingram, who is more for a natural small forward, is the ideal 4-man in the world of FIBA. Johnson can play either forward position and Hart — the third member of the Villanova Boys on the squad — will bring plenty of hustle off the bench.

The exhibition game against Puerto Rico wasn’t much of a game, but it did give us a sense of what style of play Kerr wants this group will run. It’s the same pace-and-space philosophy Kerr employs as headmaster of the Warriors. He wants his point guards to push the pace and he wants ball movement and man movement off the ball.

Kerr is one of the brightest minds in basketball. He and his outstanding coaching staff will figure out how to make this untested group play the right way and compete for gold.

Victor Wembanyama doesn’t like being called “The Unicorn.” It’s the nickname mostly associated with Latvian standout Kristaps Porzingis. About the only thing Wembanyama and Porzingis have in common is their height. Both are extremely tall men raised on European soil. But the comparisons end there. Wembanyama is a far, far better prospect at this stage of his career than Porzingis was. The 19-year-old from Le Chesnay, France, is the most talked about pro prospect in a long time, and some even compare the hype to 2003 when LeBron James was the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in the draft.

Wembanyama is currently playing for Metropolitans 92 in the French pro league. Prior to that, he played for LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in the EuroLeague. Former San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker is the majority stake hold of the European club and the team is coached by Parker’s brother T.J. Wembanyama is listed at 7-foot-4 with an 8-foot wingspan. He plays forward and center, but he’s got guard skills with an NBA-ready 3-point shot. His defense is ahead of his offensive skills at this point, so he’ll make an immediate impact on that end of the court. However, he’s made huge strides offensively and it won’t take long before he becomes a beast on both ends.

Wemby is so uniquely gifted that there’s no real NBA comparison. The closest we can come up with is he’s Kevin Durant on offense and Rudy Gobert on defense. That’s a scary combination.

Steph Curry calls Wembanyama a “cheat code.” He’s an ethereal talent that only exists in create-a-player mode on NBA2K.

“Right now, it’s Wembanyama and everyone else for the 2023 draft,” one NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “There’s always concern about someone so good so young, but it hasn’t gotten in the way of Wembanyama from getting better over the years. He’s the closest thing to a transcendent talent the draft has seen since probably Zion [Williamson], and even then the feelings throughout the league were much more mixed compared to where things stand right now with Wembanyama.”

Zion Williamson might not be an accurate comparison in terms of generational talent. Wembanyama is a much freakier athlete than Zion. He’s in the LeBron James category as far as hype and talent. And LeBron agrees.

“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien,” James said of Wembanyama after seeing him play for the first time. “No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and as graceful as he is out on the floor. His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers out of the post, catch-and-shoot threes, block shots.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Durant are also impressed — and worried.

“The league is really in trouble when he comes in,” Durant said.

Antetokounmpo warned his friend Serge Ibaka that the league better be ready because we’ve never seen anyone like Wembanyama.

“He’s taller than Rudy Gobert. He can block shots like Rudy, but he shoots like Kevin Durant. Bro, it’s crazy. And he has a good attitude,” Giannis added. “If he stays healthy, he’s going to be really good.”

The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA draft lottery and have the first selection. Head coach Gregg Popovich can’t turn in the draft card fast enough with Wembanyama’s name on it.

Here are OMFB’s top prospects in the 2023 NBA draft.

1-Victor Wembanyama, forward/center, Metropolitans 92
NBA comparison: Kevin Durant (but much taller)
Scouting report: Tons of NBA scouts witnessed Wembanyama go head-to-head against Chet Holmgren (the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft) at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Latvia. Holmgren was named tournament MVP for leading Team USA to a gold medal, but it was Wembanyama who put up eye-popping statistics. In the 83-81 loss to Team USA in the gold medal game, Wenbanyama scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked eight shots. He established a FIBA tournament record for blocked shots (40), averaging 5.7 per game. The next best player, Holmgren, recorded 19 blocks in the same tournament. “Never have I ever seen Chet Holmgren overshadowed physically like he was last year whenever the two met,” an NBA scout told Yahoo Sports. “He practically can and does do all that Chet can, but is three inches taller, probably shoots it better from three, may have a better feel as a passer and has a much better frame to develop than Chet.” Wembanyama put the entire basketball world on notice during two exhibition games in Henderson, Nevada, in October 2022. He averaged 36.5 points and 4.5 blocks in a pair of games against a G League Ignite team led by Scoot Henderson.

2-Scoot Henderson, guard, G League Ignite
NBA comparison: Russell Westbrook
Scouting report: Sterling “Scoot” Henderson was the top point guard and No. 7 overall prospect in the ESPN high school rankings prior to reclassifying. He averaged 32 points, seven rebounds, and sis assists per game as a high school junior and was named to the MaxPreps Junior All-America team. He turned down college basketball offers from Auburn and Georgia and decided to join the G League Ignite. The 6-2 guard averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and shot 50% from the field in 10 games for the Ignite in 2021. Henderson, who turned 19 in February, inked a seven-figure, multi-year endorsement contract with Puma in 2022. Scoot combines speed, agility, and explosive vertical. He’s cut from the same cloth as the 2011 version of Derrick Rose when he was the NBA MVP and prime Russell Westbrook

3-Brandon Miller, forward, Alabama
NBA comparison: Paul George
Scouting report: Brandon Miller strolled into Tuscaloosa, Ala., with a ton of hype as a freshman. Miller not only lived up to the hype, he surpassed all expectations. Miller opened eyes when he dropped 36 points against Gonzaga, including six 3-pointers. The 6-9, 200-pound forward rolled that performance into the SEC as he became one of the best scorers in a deep and competitive conference full of pro prospects. He averaged 19 points per game while shooting 46% from the 3-point line. His ability to get hot from the 3-point line makes him a very intriguing pro prospect. His game and build is comparable to NBA star Paul George. If he’s anything close to PG13, Miller will be a valuable building block for any lottery team.

4-Amen Thompson, guard, Overtime Elite
NBA comparison: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Scouting report: Amen is one half of the talented Thompson Twins. Amen is pegged more of a playmaker than his twin brother, Ausar, but has the ability to play both point and shooting guard. Amen still needs some work on his shooting, but his athleticism for a 6-7 guard is already NBA level. Amen attended Pine Crest School in Florida with his brother. Instead of opting to play college basketball, the Thompsons signed with the Overtime Elite where they’ve been honing their craft for the past year. “Both Ausar and I know we’re not going to be able to get to the rim easily in the league, so we’ve been very intentional this last year working on our floater, working on our pull-up jumper off the dribble, getting more comfortable in those areas,” Amen told Yahoo Sports. “I try to implement it in game situations too just to develop that habit.”

5-Ausar Thompson, guard, Overtime Elite
NBA comparison: Jaylen Brown
Scouting report: Speaking of Amen’s twin brother, Ausar Thompson has a skillset coveted by most NBA teams: An explosive athlete who can defend his position. Ausar plays more of a 2 than a 1, and could develop into an outstanding two-way player. He has the length and athleticism (listed at 6-7) to be a terrific perimeter defender. Offensively, Ausar still needs to develop a consistent outside shot. He tends to shoot his jump shot on the way up, but with proper training and coaching he can easily fix it. He averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game in the Overtime Elite league. While his twin Amen is more comfortable as a primary ball handler, Ausar feels more at home as an off-the-ball scorer. “Amen is more on-ball, ball-dominant, like a point and I’m more comfortable coming off the wing,” Ausar told Yahoo Sports. “I can run the point, but I feel like I can create more for myself and teammates off the wing.”

6-Cam Whitmore, forward, Villanova
NBA comparison: Jimmy Butler
Scouting report: Cam Whitmore is your typical Villanova player. He’s physical and tough, and fundamentally sound in all areas. Whitmore already possesses an NBA-type frame (6-7, 235) and has the potential to be a prolific three-level scorer with his shooting range and ability to get to the rim off the dribble. A thumb injury slowed down his progress at Villanova, but once he recovered from his injury he hit the ground running in the Big East. Even though Whitmore didn’t an opportunity to play for Jay Wright at Villanova, he is cut from the same cloth as past ‘Nova standouts who played for Wright. Former Wildcats Kyle Lowry, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson all found great success at the pro level, and Whitmore should follow in their footsteps.

7-Dereck Lively, center, Duke
NBA comparison: Tyson Chandler
Scouting report: Lively had huge expectations when he arrived at Duke as the No. 1 high school prospect in the country. But those expectations fell short for various reasons. Lively came off the bench during the early part of the season for first-year Duke coach Jon Scheyer and struggled to find consistent playing time. But something clicked somewhere in the middle the season for 7-foot-1 center, and once he figured out what Scheyer wanted him to be — which was a rim protector and rebounder on defense and lob threat on offense — he took off and became a force for the Blue Devils. Duke’s late-season run in the ACC and NCAA tournament was due in part to Lively’s improved play. His defense is what will earn him NBA minutes. He plays similarly to Jarrett Allen. Both are excellent shot blockers and lob threats at the rim. Lively is projected to go somewhere in the middle or late in the first round. But if a team needs a shot-blocking big who can switch pick-and-rolls, Lively is a helluva prospect worth taking a hard look.

8-Gradey Dick, guard-forward, Kansas
NBA comparison: Kevin Huerter
Scouting report: The 19-year-old wing enters the NBA armed with professional 3-point shooting touch. This skill set alone is enough to get him drafted in the top 10. He finished second on the team with 14.1 points per game while hitting 40.3% of his 3-pointers on 5.7 attempts per game. He made at least one 3-ball in 33 of 36 games. But during his one season with the Kansas Jayhawks, Dick showed he’s not a one-dimensional player and is more than capable of holding his own on the defensive end. At 6-8 with good mobility, Dick can defend multiple positions and won’t be exposed on pick-and-roll switches. He was rated as the Jayhawks’ second-best defender and most efficient player. If he’s anything close to Kevin Huerter, you got yourself a superb wing player who can space the court with his 3-point accuracy.

9-Keyonte George, guard, Baylor
NBA comparison: Darius Garland
Scouting report: Keyonte was the Big 12 freshman of the year, averaging 15.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Bears, who finished 23-11 and lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament. He was part of a three-guard attack for Baylor that also featured Adam Flagler and LJ Cryer. George is talented three-level scorer with a special ability to get draw fouls and get to the free-throw line (averaged 5.5 FTA). He has good size for a shooting guard (6-4) and can create his own shot, especially late in the clock which is a must-have skill for an NBA guard. Even though George posted decent numbers in his lone season at Baylor, he had some glaring flaws. He had a tendency to be loose with the ball (2.9 turnovers) and his 3-point shot still needs improvement (33%). If the NBA comparison is Darius Garland, then George could be one of the best combo guards in the Association.

10-Jaime Jaquez Jr., forward, UCLA
NBA comparison: Alex Caruso
Scouting report: Jaquez, 22, is one of the older players in the draft, having played four years at UCLA. But Jaquez’s age and time spent in college shouldn’t be seen as a negative. There’s a lot of positives with the 6-7 versatile swingman. He plays at a controlled pace on offense and is a very rugged defender, who can match up with guards and forwards. He may not have the shooting range of some of the top prospects in the draft, but he’s getting better. He’s crafty enough to get his own shot with an array of pump fakes and nifty footwork. Jaquez was a decorated player at UCLA. He was the Pac-12 player of the year in 2023 and made second-team All-American. He was an integral part of Mick Cronin’s UCLA Final Four squad in 2021. In short, Jaquez is a winner. He is a plug-and-play type of player who can immediately be a part of a rotation. He has above-average ball handling skills as a forward and has good positional size and agility to be a solid defender. Alex Caruso is a close comparison, but Jaquez has a much higher ceiling.

Italy, Poland, and Germany pulled off three massive shockers in the FIBA EuroBasket 2022, ending the phenomenal tournament runs of arguably the three best players in the world.

All-NBA first-teamers Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo put up impressive games throughout EuroBasket 2022, but their individual greatness were not enough to carry their nations to the finish line.

Poland, which doesn’t have a single current NBA player on its roster, upset defending EuroBasket champion Slovenia, 90-87, in the quarterfinals. Slovenia tried to make a late push but the comeback attempt fell short when Doncic fouled out with 3:02 left in the fourth quarter. The Dallas Mavericks All-Star point guard finished with 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting from the field, 11 rebounds, and seven assists.

Doncic needed an injection to get through the game and has been dealing with injuries throughout the tournament. But he told the Associated Press that injuries wasn’t the reason for his subpar game. “I played terrible,” Doncic said. “I let my team down. I let the whole country who was supporting us down. I’ve got to look at this game and be better.”

Poland built a 23-point lead in the second quarter and led 58-39 at halftime. Slovenia made a big push in the third quarter to get to within one point. But Poland regained control and outscored Slovenia 21-7 during a crucial stretch in the fourth quarter and held on for the win.

Italy’s big stunner came at the start of the knockout stage when it eliminated top-seeded Serbia — led by two-time NBA MVP Jokic — in the round of 16. Italy defeated Serbia 94-86 despite a 32-point, 13-rebound game from Jokic. The Italians also pulled off the upset without their head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco, who was ejected in the third quarter and went out in style with one of the more spirited exits you will ever see.

Serbia took an 11-point lead in the first quarter and pushed it to 14 points in the second quarter. But Italy came storming back and trimmed it to 61-57 with under 5 minutes left in the third quarter when Pozzecco left the court in tears after being ejected from the game with a second technical foul. The ejection ignited the Italians as they opened the fourth quarter with a 16-2 run to take an 82-70 lead and Serbia were unable to regain the momentum.

Italy’s miracle tournament run ended in the quarterfinals, losing to France 93-85. Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert led the way for France as he put up 19 points and 14 rebounds.

The Greek Freak’s time in EuroBasket ended in the quarterfinals. Greece fell to Germany 107-96 in Berlin. Antetokounmpo was ejected in the fourth quarter after being assessed with two unsportsmanlike fouls. The second unsportsmanlike foul occurred with just under five minutes remaining and Greece trailing by 14 points. The two-time NBA MVP and 2021 NBA champion hit Germany’s Daniel Theis (Boston Celtics) in the face as he wildly attempted to swipe a rebound. Giannis finished with 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals in 30 minutes. Former L.A. Lakers guard Dennis Schroder led Germany with 26 points and eight assists.

There were some interesting matchups throughout pool competition.

New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas and Sacramento Kings power forward Domantas Sabonis led Lithuania to an 87-70 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was anchored by Jusuf Nurkic (Portland Trail Blazers). But the best pool-play matchup was between France and Slovenia. Doncic put on a show as he lifted Slovenia to an 88-82 over a stacked French national team, which featured three-time NBA defensive player of the year Gobert and New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier. Doncic dropped in 47 points, had seven rebounds and five assists. It was the most points scored in a single EuroBasket game in the last 65 years and the second-highest scoring game in the event’s history.

Serbia dominated its competition in Group D, which included some lightweights in the form of the Czech Republic, Finland, Israel, Netherlands, and Poland. Serbia went 5-0 and was barely tested in each pool play game winning by an average margin of 21 points. Jokic was his usual dominant self, averaging 19.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists in just 24 minutes per game.

Spain was the lone pool-play winner that advanced to the semifinals. The Spaniards defeated Finland 100-90 in the quarterfinals. Spain, ranked No. 2 in the FIBA world rankings, is loaded with international veterans, including Juancho Hernangomez (Toronto Raptors), Willy Hernangomez (New Orleans Pelicans), Rudy Fernandez (Real Madrid).

Newly acquired Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen paced Finland with a game-high 28 points. The 7-foot forward also grabbed 11 rebounds and had two steals. Willy Hernangomez led the way for Spain with 27 points shooting 10-of-13 from the field and 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

Juancho Hernangomez saved his best performance in the gold medal game as his 27 points powered Spain past France 88-76. Juancho’s brother, Willy, was named EuroBasket MVP.

If there were any doubts that Kevin Durant was back near the top of list of best basketball players in the world, they were all extinguished during the 2021 NBA playoffs and the 2021 Summer Games in Tokyo.

Durant was nothing short of spectacular during the men’s basketball tournament at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The baller known as the Slim Reaper put USA Basketball on his back, leading Team USA to an 87-82 victory over France in the gold-medal game.

It was Team USA’s fourth straight Olympic gold medal and its 16th gold medal in 19 Olympics. Durant joined Carmelo Anthony as the only three-time gold medalists in Olympic basketball history. Durant also became USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer, passing Anthony. It could be argued that Durant is the best player to ever wear the Red, White, and Blue.

Throughout the Olympic tournament, Durant was the one constant positive force on a squad that was put together in a month. Head coach Gregg Popovich didn’t have his full complement of players up until the first game against France on July 25. Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Devin Booker flew into Tokyo just a couple of days after finishing a brutal six-game series in the NBA Finals. They barely had time to get to know their Olympic teammates, yet alone figure out Popovich’s game plan.

The Olympics started off on a bad note for the Americans, losing to France in the opener 83-76. It was the first loss by an American squad in the Olympics since 2004. The team went unbeaten under coach Mike Krzyzewski in 2008, 2012, and 2016 on their way to three straight golds.

“There are more great players all over the world. That’s pretty obvious,” Popovich said prior to the start of the Tokyo Games. “There are more and more foreign players in the NBA. Every year they go back and play for their home countries as they should. It makes the competition even greater. Makes it more challenging for everybody, including us. But that’s a wonderful thing. Obviously the international has grown, and people love it.”

Popovich added, “When you have an opportunity like this, you respect the people you’re playing and you play as hard and as well as you can. But there’s no doubting that are more and more great players every single year around the globe.”

Despite Team USA’s lack of size and lack of cohesion, Popovich had one ace card he could always pull out whenever he needed. The ace card wore No. 7 in red, white, and blue colors.

Durant was absolutely brilliant. He cruised through pool play, allowing the other guys like Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Zach LaVine to get their shine. But once the knockout round began, KD put on the Captain America suit and saved the day — saved the entire USA Basketball program, actually. Anything less than a gold medal would have been considered a monumental disappointment and major setback for the USA Basketball program, which enjoyed a remarkable 12-year run under Coach K but endured a few stumbles under Popovich.

The U.S. failed to medal in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, and dropped two exhibition games heading into Tokyo.

“We went through some real adversity. We lost a game in the tournament. We lost two exhibition games. We had some unusual circumstances with COVID, guys playing in The Finals and coming in late. We just fought through everything,” Durant told NBC’s Maria Taylor after the U.S. completed the tournament with a 7-1 record.

“Two and half weeks again from our families. We’re basically in a bubble,” Durant said. “It was definitely different. I’m glad we finished the job.”

Whenever the U.S. fell behind in the knockout round, it was Durant who bailed them out. KD scored 29 points in the quarterfinals against Spain, the No. 2 ranked team in the workd and reigning world champs. KD scored 23 in the semifinals against Australia, the same squad that embarrassed the U.S. in Las Vegas. In the gold-medal game against France, Durant finished with a game-high 29 points. He made nine of 18 shots from the field and iced the game with two clutch free throws with 8.8 seconds left.

“France is a good team. They don’t quit. They play hard. They’re a big team,” Durant said of the silver medalists, which were led by Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, the NBA’s defensive player of the year.

“They presented a nice challenge for us,” Durant said. “But we wanted them again. We wanted to play them again, just like we wanted to play Australia again.”

Gobert and a defensive-minded French national team didn’t make it easy for the U.S. The game was up for grabs until late in the fourth quarter when the Americans were able to cobble enough winning plays, with timely baskets from Durant and Lillard and hustle plays from Holiday and Draymond Green.

“It’s winning time. It’s one game. It’s win or go home. I gotta give it my all every second I’m out there,” Durant said. “I’ve prepared the right way. I just gotta go out there and trust that work.”

Popovich called this version of Team USA a “high-character” and “high-spirited” group that worked very hard and understood the challenge. Those are nice compliments, but high character and high spirit might earn yourself a bronze. Czech Republic guard Tomas Satoransky, who played against the U.S. in pool play, said the Americans’ biggest strength was “anyone can light it up.”

“They are the best team in the world,” Satoransky said. “I think the gap is getting smaller between USA Basketball and the rest of the world, but obviously they have the most skilled players.”

The gap may be closing between the U.S. and the rest of the world, but there is only one Kevin Durant and USA Basketball was sure glad he made the trip to Tokyo.

To say that USA Basketball had a rocky training camp heading into the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo would be an understatement. The senior men’s national team lost its first two exhibition games in Las Vegas, had three players enter the health and safety COVID protocols, and two players dropped out.

Even head coach Gregg Popovich got off on the wrong foot with the media as he was involved in a testy exchange with a reporter after Team USA fell to Australia 91-83.

Popovich and his staff, which includes Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and former Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, have a gigantic task ahead of them. The 2021 squad has only been together for two weeks and have played just four exhibition games, going 2-2. It has already undergone multiple roster changes after Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love both left camp.

Beal’s exit was COVID-related, while Love was due to an injury. San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson and Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee were added to the 12-man roster. In addition to those moves, the team will need to absorb Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Milwaukee Bucks teammates Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton as all three just finished playing in the NBA Finals. So, we won’t be able to see all 12 players together on the court until the team’s opening game on July 25 against France.

Then there’s the large shadow of Mike Krzyzewski. The legendary college basketball coach had a remarkable 10-year run as head coach of USA Basketball, winning three Olympic gold medals and two FIBA World Cup titles and finishing with an astounding 60-1 record. That’s quite a tough act to follow for Popovich, who has already lost five games since taking over USAB’s senior men’s squad in 2017.

Under Popovich, Team USA hasn’t won a significant international tournament and had a disappointing outing in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, failing to medal and finishing seventh.

Coach Pop has two holdovers from Krzyzewski’s 2016 gold medal team in Rio: Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets) and Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors).

He’ll lean on the former Warriors teammates to be the leaders of an inexperienced unit that has yet to forge an identity. Durant led Team USA in scoring (19.4) in Rio 2016, so he’ll be asked again to carry the load offensively and be the No. 1 option. Green is the ideal big man at the FIBA level. His versatility will be a huge asset, as well as his defensive acumen. Green and Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) will rotate at the center position, and could even see time together at certain points.

“We do have all the best players in the league, but these national teams have NBA players, too, who are now No. 1 options and they’re used to playing that role internationally,” Durant told Yahoo Sports.

Despite all its issues, the U.S. remains the favorite in Tokyo. But winning gold is no longer a foregone conclusion. The rest of the world has closed the gap and many international teams are not intimidated by the Stars and Stripes.

“There are more great players all over the world. That’s pretty obvious,” Popovich said. “There are more and more foreign players in the NBA. Every year they go back and play for their home countries as they should. It makes the competition even greater. Makes it more challenging for everybody, including us. But that’s a wonderful thing. Obviously the international has grown, and people love it.”

Team USA point guard Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) is well aware of the talent outside the U.S. He recently faced one of them in the 2021 NBA playoffs in Facundo Campazzo. The Argentine guard played a huge role in helping the Nuggets eliminate the Blazers in the NBA playoffs.

“These teams are experienced. They’ve spent a lot of time together,” Lillard said. “We are working at becoming a team, still getting our legs under us, getting in shape. We’re not just gonna come out, roll the ball out, and beat these teams. We gotta play the right way … compete. We gotta play to win and give ourselves our best chance. If we don’t, we can get beat.”

Here are six teams that could beat Team USA in Tokyo.

Australia
NBA veteran Joe Ingles wasn’t surprised when his Aussies defeated the U.S. in an exhibition game in Las Vegas. In fact, Ingles said Australia expected to win the game. The Aussies have every right to be confident because they have one of the most talented rosters in the Summer Games. Head coach Brian Goorjian has seven players with NBA experience, including Ingles (Utah Jazz), Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Matisse Thybulle (Philadelphia 76ers), and Aron Baynes (Toronto Raptors). NBA fans know Mills as a role player with the Spurs, but whenever he puts on the Australian national colors he turns into Allen Iverson. Thybulle is a lockdown defender who can “shut off water” in a hurry. Most basketball fans are not familiar with Jock Landale, but they’ll know who he is after Tokyo. Landale, 25, is a well-rounded center armed with a 3-point shot. Landale, who currently plays for Melbourne United in the NBL, would like nothing more than prove to the basketball world that he deserves a shot at the NBA. After finishing fourth in the last two major international competitions, this might be the year the Aussies (ranked No. 3 in FIBA) finally take home a medal.

Spain
Reigning FIBA World Cup champions and No. 2 ranked team Spain possesses the best group of centers and pure point guards in the Olympics. Brothers Marc and Pau Gasol anchor a big Spanish frontcourt that could present plenty of problems for teams in Tokyo. Pau, 41, is playing in his fifth Olympics and would love to finish his decorated career on the national team with a gold medal around his neck. Marc, 36, will be participating in his third Olympics. He won silver in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Pau and Marc are not the only pair of brothers playing for Spain. Juancho Hernangomez (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Willy Hernangomez (New Orleans Pelicans) give Spain four quality big men who could wear teams down. Spain also has good depth at point guard with Ricky Rubio (Minnesota Timberwolves), Sergio Rodriguez, and Sergio Llull. All three are capable of running the show. It seems like Rubio has been around the international stage for decades, but he’s only 30 and still in the prime of his basketball life. Llull is one of the top players in the Euroleague and could easily run an NBA offense. At 36 years old, Rudy Fernandez no longer has the legs to attack the rim but he is still an excellent 3-point shooter.

Slovenia
Charles Barkley often refers to ordinary players as JAGs, which stands for Just A Guy. Luka Doncic might the only active player in the world, other than LeBron James, who could take a bunch of JAGs and win a major tournament. Doncic pulled off a stunner during the Olympic qualifying round when he put an entire nation on his back and carried it to its first trip to the Olympic Games. The 22-year-old Dallas Mavericks superstar dropped a triple-double (31 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists) in the win over Lithuania, sending his home country of Slovenia to Tokyo. “I don’t care about the MVP,” Doncic said. “We won here. We’re going to the Olympics, the first time in our country. It’s amazing. I think every kid dreams about being in the Olympics. I did too. So, here we are. We fought really, really hard, and I think we deserve to be here.” Slovenia may not be a medal favorite, but anything is possible as long as Luka is on the court.

France
Les Bleus returns seven players from its bronze-medal team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. One of those returning players is three-time NBA defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert. The 7-1 center powered the Utah Jazz to the best record in the NBA and a second-round appearance in the playoffs. Gobert anchors a French squad sprinkled with NBA talent: Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers), Evan Fournier (Boston Celtics), Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (Brooklyn Nets), Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks). With Gobert protecting the paint and Batum and Ntilikina smothering perimeter players, France will have one of the best defenses in the Olympics. The problem will come on the offensive end. Scoring could be an issue, especially if Fournier struggles from the field.

Argentina
Luis Scola is the last remaining member of the golden age of Argentina basketball. Scola won a gold medal with Argentina — a squad spearheaded by San Antonio Spurs superstar Manu Ginobili — in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Those glory days a long gone for both Argentina and Scola, but the 41-year-old power forward remains one of the craftiest low-post scorers in FIBA despite having logged thousands of minutes in his basketball career. Scola is surrounded by a talented group of Argentines, including feisty point guard Facundo Campazzo (Denver Nuggets) and 20-year-old sensation Leandro Bolmaro. Bolmaro starred on FC Barcelona in the Euroleague and his draft rights are owned by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Nigeria
Nigeria stunned the basketball world when it defeated the U.S. 90-87 in an exhibition game in Las Vegas. Then, the Nigerians dominated Argentina in the same Vegas tuneup event. The blowout against Argentina proved that the win over Team USA wasn’t a fluke. The Nigerians are for real and poised to make noise in Tokyo. Head coach Mike Brown — currently an assistant with the Golden State Warriors — is building a formidable program, utilizing the same principles that made the Warriors successful. They share the ball and have some 3-point snipers to space the floor. Three Miami Heat players are on the Nigerian roster: Precious Achiuwa, Chikezie “KZ” Okpala, Nnamdi Vincent. Guard Caleb Agada, who plays in the Israeli league, made a name for himself in Vegas as he lit up Team USA for 17 points. Agada will be on the Denver Nuggets summer league squad.