No longer ‘Dream Team,’ Team USA carries chip on its shoulder

Workforce USA’s Austin Reaves (R) hugs Anthony Edwards (L) after their victory through the FIBA Basketball World Cup group J match between USA and Montenegro at Mall of Asia Area in Pasay, Metro Manila on September 1, 2023. (Photograph by JAM STA ROSA / AFP)

Tyrese Haliburton appears to at all times discover himself being placed on the spot within the Fiba (Worldwide Basketball Federation) World Cup.

After coping with questions on a controversial take by a fellow American athlete questioning the legitimacy of Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (NBA) titleholders being known as world champions, Haliburton was requested about the concept that this present Workforce USA pales compared to American nationwide squads earlier than.

“Individuals say Workforce USA isn’t the ‘Dream Workforce’ anymore. There’s no famous person like LeBron [James] and [Steph] Curry,” a reporter mentioned, asking Haliburton if this notion was lighting a fireplace beneath the NBA-flavored crew that hopes to enter the knockout spherical unbeaten with a win Sunday towards Lithuania.

“I believe we’re all guys that really feel like we wish one thing to show on this league,” Haliburton mentioned. “On the similar time, we’re all up and coming guys and we don’t have a ton of veterans.”

The Workforce USA roster has a median age of 24, barely youthful than the 2019 squad which was at nearly 26. Bobby Portis and Josh Hart are the oldest within the present crew, each being 28. Anthony Edwards, billed as the highest man of the US aspect, is the youngest participant at 22 years and one month whereas Haliburton is 23.

The 2 have been NBA All-Stars together with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Ingram, and a few on the present roster—possibly the favored Austin Reaves, for instance—might be given the nod in future editions of the midseason basic.

If the reporter’s query was meant to fish for headline-worthy quotes that may generate a flood of reactions on social media, Haliburton definitely didn’t thoughts taking the bait. “I believe we’re extra about guys [with] one thing to show within the league. We see that stuff, we use that as exterior motivation, after all. However we have now one thing to show, not simply [to] folks externally. That doesn’t actually matter, simply inside ourselves understanding that we’re greater than able to successful basketball video games.”

Haliburton and the Individuals are eager on as soon as once more proving that they are often world champions regardless of the shortage of star energy towards a Lithuanian crew that additionally owns a 4-0 file and a roster that might problem for the title.

However Lithuania can be decided to point out that it’s not only a stepping stone for any crew within the match.

“We didn’t show something but,” mentioned Jonas Valanciunas after Lithuania fought laborious for a lot of the contest earlier than taking down Greece, 92-67, in Friday’s different sport. “We’re nonetheless on a mission. We obtained to go additional and additional.”

Valanciunas, who will face one among his New Orleans Pelicans teammates in Ingram, sees the 8:30 p.m. sport at Mall of Asia Area as no totally different from the video games Lithuania has already performed within the competitors.

“Each sport is particular,” he mentioned. “We combat and we go away every thing on the courtroom. It doesn’t matter what sport it’s. We gonna exit and combat.”

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