Team USA smashed by Select Team, FIBA World Cup guide

They’re supposed to be the biggest powerhouse in all of world basketball, but they’ve been well and truly exposed in humiliating fashion.

Team USA assistant coach Steve Kerr sums up the mood in the camp.

Team USA have been losing players left right and centre over the past few weeks and it appears those pulling out of the upcoming FIBA World Cup has taken its toll.

As the star power opts to remain home and focus on the 2019-20 NBA season, those still in the squad were dealt a brutal reality check.

The squad, which doesn’t contain any of the superstars Team USA normally roll out with, took on a Select Team featuring “G-League and players from overseas”.

Here's the LA Select Team roster USA Basketball assembled, mostly from the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, currently scrimmaging in LA tonight versus the 15 NBA players vying to make the World Cup Team. Cool to see USA Basketball reward some of the guys that helped get them to China. pic.twitter.com/5kni54gRd0

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) August 14, 2019

What unfolded wasn’t what anybody expected.

Team USA were comprehensively swept off the floor by the Select Team 36-17 in a 10 minute session that was unfortunately open to the media. It wasn’t a fluke either with Team USA going down twice to their lesser opponents.

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It’s not as if Team USA were holding back, they finished the game with a line-up featuring All-Star Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell, Harrison Barnes, P.J Tucker and Brook Lopez.

Team USA coaches Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr will be left with plenty of question marks over their squad which will be trimmed from 15 down to 12 in the coming days.

A scrappy squad of players featuring some who played in @FIBAWC qualifying for @usabasketball and are being coached again this week by Jeff Van Gundy just took it to the USAB senior national team in a scrimmage open at the end to the media. Final score: 36-17

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 14, 2019

As if the Team USA drubbing vs. the Select Team wasn’t bad enough, sources tell @TheAthletic that it was their second loss to the Select Team on the day (the first one was by three, with the game going just 10 minutes). Not a great way to go into Friday’s exhibition v. Spain.

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) August 14, 2019

A collection of G-League/overseas players beat Team USA (closing line up of K. Walker, D. Mitchell, H. Barnes, PJ Tucker and B. Lopez handily in a scrimmage just now to close USA practice. Great effort from the unheralded group.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) August 14, 2019

The only consolation is the knowledge the Dream Team — America’s 1992 outfit which included basketball legends Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird — suffered a similar defeat ahead of the Barcelona Olympics.

A team made up of top college players including Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber and Bobbu Hurley knocked off the pros 62-54.

FIBA WORLD CUP GUIDE

Team USA kick start their campaign to the FIBA World Cup in China with an exhibition game against Spain on Saturday.

They’ve continually been struck down by big name players pulling out with the list seemingly growing every day. NBA stars including perennial Anthony Davis, James Harden, Damien Lillard and DeMar DeRozan have all opted out.

READ: Boomers World Cup sqaud announced

The humiliating display against the Select Team doesn’t bode well for the perennial powerhouse before they head Down Under to take on the Australian Boomers.

Along with Team USA, Canada and New Zealand will also land in Australia for seven games to take place across the country.

The seven game series kicks off on Friday, August 16 when the Boomers take on Canada in two games in Perth.

Gregg Popovich wouldn’t have liked what he saw on Thursday.

PRE-WORLD CUP GAMES IN AUSTRALIA (AEST)

August 16: Australia vs Canada in Perth — 7:30pm on SBS Viceland and SBS on Demand

August 17: Australia vs Canada in Perth — 7:30pm on SBS Viceland and SBS on Demand

August 20: Canada vs New Zealand in Sydney — 7:30pm on SBS on Demand

August 21: Canada vs New Zealand in Sydney — 7:30pm on SBS on Demand

August 22: USA v Australia in Melbourne — 7:30pm on SBS Viceland and SBS on Demand

August 24: USA v Australia in Melbourne — 2pm on SBS Viceland and SBS on Demand

August 26: USA v Canada in Sydney — 7:30pm on SBS Viceland and SBS on Demand

BOOMERS’ WORLD CUP GROUP GAMES

September 1: Australia vs Canada @ 7:30pm

September 3: Australia vs Senegal @ 7:30pm

September 5: Australia vs Lithuania @ 7:30pm

WHEN DOES THE WORLD CUP BEGIN

The 2019 FIBA World Cup will kick off in China on August 31 and will run until September 15 when the winner will be decided.

Eight groups consisting of four nations per group will fight for the ultimate glory with each nation playing three group stage games with the top two in each group advancing to the second stage.

From there the top two from each second stage group will advance into the quarterfinals where the games will become knockout style games.

BIG NAMES PLAYING AT THE WORLD CUP

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)

The reigning NBA MVP said last week he’d trade that accolade for a World Cup title in a sign the Milwaukee Bucks superstar meant business.

Brothers Thanasis and Kostas will join him in the squad, with a likely second-round battle against the United States an early treat for fans.

Giannis will be looking to lead Greece to the promised land.

Nikola Jokic (Serbia)

The Joker heads a strong Serbian side, rated the best bet of toppling two-time defending champions the United States. The Denver big has tremendous hands and vision to go with his physicality. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nemanja Bjelica, Milos Teodosic and NBA giant Boban Marjanovic will ensure the Rio Olympic silver medallists run deep again.

Kemba Walker (USA)

One of only two remaining All-Stars on the United States’ roster will get his chance to be the man after a slew of withdrawals. The new Boston guard should relish that, though, alongside Utah tyro Donovan Mitchell in a backcourt sure to excite and provide.

Joe Ingles (Australia)

In Ben Simmons’ absence, Ingles is the Boomers’ only regular NBA starter in China after the sharp-shooting, quick-witted small forward’s consistency for Utah.

The all-round contributions of Ingles set him apart and should only improve the effectiveness of his NBA teammates Aron Baynes, Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova and Jonah Bolden.

Domantus Sabonis (Lithuania)

One of international basketball’s most-consistent teams will be headed by NBA big Sabonis and counterpart Jonas Valanciunas.

Sabonis averaged 14.1 points and 9.3 rebounds off the bench last year for Indiana, while the more-experienced Valanciunas averages close to a double-double across his seven NBA seasons.

Ingles will be key to Australia’s hopes.

Rudy Gobert (France)

The back-to-back NBA defensive player of the year will be central to the French charge since the retirement of Tony Parker and Boris Diaw.

But Ingles’ Jazz teammate will still have the help of Charlotte’s Nicolas Batum, Orlando’s Evan Fournier and veteran guard Nando de Colo as they eye a potential second-round encounter with Australia.

Marc Gasol (Spain)

The experienced NBA big’s arrival in Toronto from Memphis helped the Raptors to a NBA title and Gasol will take that winning touch to China alongside dangerous guard Ricky Rubio.

In good news for Australian fans who will remember their gutting one-point win in Rio’s bronze-medal game, Marc’s big brother Pau won’t be there and neither will Serge Ibaka or Nikola Mirotic.

Rui Hachimura (Japan)

Made history this year as the country’s maiden first-round NBA draft pick and heads a team that, unlike almost all others in China, can boast being at full strength.

Fresh out of American college, the forward is yet to debut for the Washington Wizards but there will arguably be more eyes on him than any other players thanks to the massive interest in Japan.

Hachimura is a third of Japan’s own ‘Big Three’, alongside Memphis swingman Yuta Watanabe and American-born veteran Nick Fazekas.

— with AAP

Originally published as Team USA smashed by Select Team, FIBA World Cup guide