Source: [https://www.instagram.com/p/CxDfgR7LiAA/?utm\_source=ig\_embed&utm\_campaign=embed\_video\_watch\_again](https://www.instagram.com/p/CxDfgR7LiAA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=embed_video_watch_again)
A pretty hilarious video. Gilbert seems confident that the gap between the world and the USA in basketball has not closed as much as our Euro-redditors have been claiming. Only time will tell.
by procrastining_grad
38 Comments
All thanks to Dillon Brooks
Okay that’s actually pretty funny lmao. But I doubt Bron is actually going to play
I think it all depends on how the Lakers (or whoever he is with then, I guess) is positioned to run in 2025. I don’t think he’ll hinder a real chance at another chip. But if that chance is small enough, he’ll go for another gold.
Jordan only got the 2!
US teams always had two advantages, size and talent. US players 1-12 could be starters on any other team, but also, typically they had big forwards that would lock down the paint and force teams into contested outside shots. FIBA playing space is smaller, 3-point line is closer, so length is more important than in the NBA.
US tends to forget the size lesson, if you look at their losing teams they tend to be smaller, for example both 2019 and this year’s team had only 3 players above 6-8, with most key guys at 6-2 to 6-6. This year’s team was particularly egregious, their 2 biggest guys (Portis and Kessler) saw limited minutes in key games, Ant played small ball 5 at one point. You also need a true point guard, we saw how different the offense ran with Haliburton vs. Brunson, even with defensive struggles.
I think international basketball has improved enough that US can’t just send 12 NBA guys and expects them to wipe the floor with everyone. So US needs proper roster construction, not just going down the list of star players and seeing who will pick up the phone.
His bidy will prevent it. It’s already fighting him since a couple years. He needs his breaks, what’s just natural.
Edit: Imagine it’s an “o” instead.
I don’t think most Euro- or other non-US redditors are claiming the gap has been closed to the point where a team full of American superstars won’t dominate.
They’re just saying it has closed enough that the USA can’t just take winning for granted any more. Which has been proven by the last two world cups.
This is going to be a lot tougher than it was in 2008 or 2012. I imagine there are going to be a lot of stacked teams in Paris and this squad looks quite a bit weaker than the redeem team.
Everyone dying on the Lebron is old hill like he wasn’t JUST in the WCF?
2020’s team got gold with a pretty weak lineup. If 2024 adds even JUST Steph (let alone all the other guys that will likely be there) it’s curtains.
Classic Lebron move to make the newscycle all about him after the USA loss yesterday
I’ve noticed that American people act like they aren’t really bothered about Germany winning the World Cup, because “haha FIBA”, but they really are so the insecurity just shines through.
The narrative before the WC was “our B team is gonna wipe the floor with the rest of the world”. That B team suddenly became a D and E team by the time they lost in OT to Canada. Then guys started bragging about finishing in highly 4th (above countries which don’t have anywhere near the time and MONEY invested in the sport). Y’all can’t have your cake and eat it. The US just can’t half-ass its way through an international tournament and win it… It just don’t work like that.
I have no National interest in the basketball tournament, so Bron and all these other stars declaring availability is a big W for a basketball fan like me. Even the guys playing them in the Olympics are gonna relish the opportunity.
Well…. If the US actually take the competition seriously, they‘d not only take top players, they would also prepare EARLIER than 2 weeks before the competition starts. Whether Bron is there or not, and KD and whoever else you want to add, if they don‘t play together, they ain‘t going to win against teams that worked for years on gameplans and execution. Before the modern era Bball, it was team cohesion vs talent, but you have pretty good talent outside the US as well so on one side you might have a team full of talent matched against a team with talent and cohesion.
Miami Heat showed the NBA what you can do with a pretty good gameplan, and team cohesion and just some talent on the team.
It’s not just Bron. His gravity gets Steph, Tatum, Jimmy, etc on the plane to Paris.
Please get Kerr out of there. Need a new coach. New roster will clearly help but was not liking his strategy nor his public comments
Yea, a 38 year old Bron got Germany shaking in their boots come on now.
One last real Lebron season, an Olympic run, then a retirement tour with Bronny. That’s how the career ends.
I also really hope Steph actually does it. I need to see some half court heat checks in international play.
They will delete the competition, but I will pray I get to see the strongest Serbian team with everyone healthy against that US “dream team”.
Prime LeBron almost lost to Spain 2x
I hope Jokic schools all these dudes again.
it all depends on health and commitment. If somehow even after the 2024 season, lebron/steph/kd decide that they’re still committed to the olympics and are healthy throughout then its gg
This is legacy defining opportunity for Embiid.
Join the French team with Wemby. Somehow beat that Team USA??
He can retire without a ring and still have a legacy.
no one is afraid of your NBA players anymore since the best NBA players are european
But yea send a hospice to play that will work
As long as we have KD we will be fine
Blame Canada!
People are saying LeBron but he’s not even the main threat on that potencial 2024 roster LOL
LeThanos
Its a hot take ig, but add Bron to this team and they’re still not winning this worlds.
Honestly bro, im not even european, but even though USA main roster is the best, its not unbeatable.
Nick Kerrs dad needs to not be the coach either. We don’t need the silver spoon coach.
Lebron literally played in the playoffs with one leg and people are doubting if he will play in his last Olympics even if hes injured?
Andi Obst isn’t afraid of this LeBron guy
The gap has closed… between the rest of the world and our D team.
If anyone knows the consequences of pissing off Lebron, it’s the leader of the mid 2000s Wizards
Idiotic narrative by Arenas, the closing of the gap is precisely being reflected at the “A” team feeling prompted to annouce they will play at the next FIBA major tournament just within days of difference with the recent elimination of US National Team being the one and only roster 100% made by NBA players.
Some of you might not remember but long decades ago, the US competed at the highest level in FIBA tournaments just using college players, then to keep winning it became necessary to start sending NBA players. The first team assembled was 1992 with the best roster available but as soon as NBA superstars lost interest the team started to be filled with “just” All Stars / Good Starter level players which led to 2002, 2004 and 2006 eliminations (in all cases with the best roster of each tournament on the papers, by far)
That led to the 2008 Redeem Team episode we all know, but since that the lesson that the US should try to get their best players for EVERY major FIBA tournament (not just Olympics) seems yet to be learned we are in the same spot again after 20 years with the significant difference that now we are entering the 5th consecutive year with +100 players born overseas in the NBA (something that has never happened 6 years ago), the last 5 MVPs have been awarded to international players and arguably 4 of the best 5 players of the World are not born in the US.
If all that evidence on the table does not make you think the overall talent of the rest of the world has increased you definitely want to live in denial. The USA **still** has the best talent pool in the world and should have won this World Cup had they sent their best team **AND** the gap **is** still closing, both things are correct and most important **not mutually exclusive**. I don´t know which part of that is so hard to get.
He’s kinda dumb though. In his previous video he’s talking about the Dream Team and saying how 9 out of 12 Team USA members were 1st and 2nd Team All-NBA.
Okay…
Let’s look at the 2022 All-NBA Team:
1st| 2nd
—|—
Giannis (Greece) | Jokic (Serbia)
Tatum (USA) | Donavan Mitchell (USA)
Embiid (Cameroon) | Curry (USA)
Shai (Canada) | Butler (USA)
Luka (Slovenia) | Jaylen (USA)
From the 3rd Team you have Sabonis (Lithuanian) then Bron, Fox, Lillard, Randle, all USA.
After that, [All-NBA Vote recipients](https://pr.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2023/05/2022-23-Kia-All-NBA-Team-Voting-Results.pdf) it’s all USA with Porzingis the one exception.
But realistically to be the most dominant again, we will have to do it without actually having the best NBA Players.
Guards:
* Donavan
* Curry
* Butler
* Booker
* Edwards
* Bridges
Forwards:
* Durant
* Tatum
* Brown
* Bron
* Paul George / Kawhi
Centers:
* Anthony Davis
* Bam
* Draymond
You gotta drop 2, but likely at least 2 will have either just have been to the Finals and too tired OR injured.
This shit sounds so forced, acting like the narrative is Lebron building out the avengers. This always happens where we shit the bed at FIBA, then bring out the A-listers in the following olympics.
If Bron going ends up meaning Embiid goes, Jokic goes, etc, then this could be the best basketball Olympics in history
I just dont want them just play Olympics but play like the 2023 all-star games where Steph casually smiling and drop 16+ 3pts half-court shot. Show them who is the boss in the world. This is gonna be epic.
This is like when you whip a kid in pick up and he calls his big brother to come play.