The American men’s basketball team has made great changes in the selection of players in this World Cup. The players’ lineup is no longer starry, but is based on defense first, practicality and winning.
The 2023 Men’s Basketball World Cup will be held in Okinawa, Japan, Manila, Philippines and Jakarta, Indonesia at the end of the month. The United States, which played the worst seventh place in team history last time, will make a comeback in this tournament. Even though the lineup is dim, the thinking of selecting materials for the national team has changed. Perhaps the American men’s basketball team, which is aiming at the gold medal, may also affect the training process and membership composition of the American team in the future.
This time, the United States did not have Kevin Durant, the eldest brother who led the team to win the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, nor did Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum, who were able to score points by force. When the team encountered a deadlock, it was inevitable that it lacked a breakthrough.
In the past, the biggest difficulty for many stars to compete in international competitions came from the differences in amateur rules, the balance of foul scale, the length of the game, the size of the stadium, the distance of the three-point line, the overall sense of space and even the international style, which were different from those of NBA. When each star can’t adapt to the role change quickly in a short period of time, and the above-mentioned differences in soft and hard conditions, it will be difficult for the team to cooperate harmoniously, especially if there are not enough stars who can overwhelm their opponents by themselves.
The American men’s basketball team didn’t pay much attention to the World Cup in the past. However, many NBA stars were sent last time but only got the seventh place, so they were determined to get past their mistakes.
When the United States team was still in the era of Dream X team, there was no need for much tactical design on the field, and the whole game could be dominated by the on-the-spot cooperation and personal ability display of the stars. However, in recent years, there have been a large number of talents in international basketball, and the American team’s personal ability advantage is not there. In the past, the saying that the American expedition was the embodiment of the dream team has long since disappeared.
On the star rating of the team, the Canadian national team is in full swing, with Jamal Murray, the new NBA champion, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a member of the first team of the year, as the backcourt leader, and a number of members with active service or NBA experience in the array, the strength and popularity are no less than that of the American team. In addition, Spain, France and Slovenia led by Dancsics all have the strength to compete with the United States.
In recent years, the selection tendency of American team is called by swingers, focusing on the speed war of defensive counterattack, but also sacrificing the inside height and the functionality of protecting the restricted area. When the international arena meets the tall inside players of European teams with many physical collisions, the weakness of the restricted area in the United States is often exposed. Once the American team can’t master the air superiority, it can’t push the defensive counterattack, which often makes the American team fall into a stalemate.
Define a clearer division of labor, and the United States team will carry out tactical execution.
However, this year’s employment in the restricted area in the United States is a major change, abandoning the small ball tactics and correcting the thinking of using the front line to help carry the inside line, focusing on the role of protection in the restricted area and team defense.
From the inside defense, I think Jaren Jackson Jr, the best defensive player of the year, and walker Kessler, a sophomore jazz player who is good at blocking, are considered as talented temporary choices for the new generation in defense. At least an orthodox insider comes from and is close to 7 feet high, so that the restricted area in the United States will not be dwarfed. Bobby Portis of Bucks is relatively experienced. He can also support No.4 and No.5 and has the ability of outside projection as an inside game.
The above three men will be the main rotation of American insiders, and Banchero, who gave up playing for Italy and chose to play for the United States, may also wander around the third and fourth positions with opponents and formations to make the combination scheduling.
In this World Cup, the United States will give up the small ball tactics and choose the players in the orthodox position.
The flank defense will be dominated by Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, who are like the defensive versions of the last Green Shirt Army. The tacit understanding between them has always had a balanced offensive and defensive performance and good evaluation from the Sun to the Nets. I think the choice is very reasonable, tall enough, defensive and outside, and not greedy. Not only as a 3D player, Briggs showed the potential of the attacker in the Nets.
Backcourt rotation is also a functional priority this time. Josh Hart, who is good at rebounding in the league, may be a glue guy on the bench on the defensive end and driven by momentum. While Austin Reaves and Tyrese Haliburton, who play steadily, not only have a good defense, but also have a greater role in organizing and controlling the court. The backcourt with an average height of 6′ 5 "has boosted the advantage of the American team in counterpoint and made up for the doubt that brunson, the first brother of Knicks, is short of height.
In short, the United States team has given consideration to the defensive quality in all positions, and the players have excellent athletic ability, which has added points to the mobility of changing defense and the scope of joint defense in the international arena. As for this American team, who can’t say who is the first brother, the primary offensive options are Brandon Ingram and Anthony Edwards with strong scoring power. The 21-year-old Edwards is more likely to be the team’s most aggressive attacker. He has a flying physical breakthrough or an outside jumper. Edwards, who has always been confident to meet challenges, is also a little passion element that this unpretentious American team needs.
Although this American team is young, inexperienced and dim, it may be practical to build a lineup based on defense in various positions. If the United States defines a clearer division of labor and the execution of tactics, with two or three main scoring points, this team will be more like a cohesive team. Perhaps the American team that came to avenge the World Cup in Asia will still encounter severe challenges from foreign powers, but its different thinking of employing people is commendable. If it can be used as a reference for future recruitment, it is not necessary to wait for the approval of big coffee stars before it can become an army.
With all these fresh ingredients, it depends on what good dishes this coach Cole can cook for the American men’s basketball team this time!
