Long at the top of the FIBA rankings, Team USA has just been released from its pedestal. And obviously, she did not appreciate it at all… Her reaction on her official account was indeed unequivocal, and did not fail to cause controversy.
Globally, the US are still the team to beat. It must be said that with their almost unlimited reservoir of stars, the Americans are rather well off… That being said, the competition is gradually catching up with the gap between them. France, for example, has beaten them twice in official competition in three years, and it is Spain who are currently the reigning world champion, Team USA having only finished 7th at the 2019 World Cup in China.
La Roja having also won the Eurobasket this year, FIBA decided to reward her giving it first place in its ranking, owned by Steve Kerr’s men for years. And the least we can say is that the pill has a lot of trouble passing through the American basketball federation. Proof of this is this particularly wild tweet, shortly after the announcement of the rankings:
Team USA unhappy to be only 2nd in the standings
LOL. That’s cute.
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) November 18, 2022
Lol. How cute.
We know some who didn’t appreciate it at all… If international players have more and more weight in the NBA (the last four MVPs have all gone to Europeans), it is Team USA that is still reigning Olympic champion and the latter therefore expected to be respected as such. What is certain is that the viral post did not fail to divide the minds among Internet users:
We would woop Spain by 50. Who gonna guard Steph?
— ????????????????????????’???? ???????????????? (@Landon7n) November 18, 2022
We will sweep Spain by 50 points. Who could defend Steph Curry?
???????? That’s classy coming from the official account of USA bball federation. ????
— a n d r e a (@thecaustic) November 18, 2022
It’s really very classy, from the official account of the American basketball federation.
Obviously, Team USA takes a dim view of its second place in the FIBA rankings, behind Spain. The 2023 World Cup will be the perfect opportunity for Kevin Durant & co. to set the record straight… or to come back to reality, depending on your point of view.
