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Posts tagged as “Team USA”

Breanna Stewart Leads Team USA to Victory Over France in FIBA World Cup Final (97-79)

September 14, 2026
Breanna Stewart Leads Team USA to Victory Over France in FIBA World Cup Final (97-79)

Team USA asserted their international basketball dominance once again, overcoming an early 14-point deficit to defeat France 97–79 in Berlin and capture their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Gold.

The French national team came out firing in the gold medal game, capitalizing on a hot shooting start to take a commanding 31–17 lead early in the second quarter. However, the Americans quickly found their rhythm. Behind a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Caitlin Clark before halftime, Team USA cut the deficit to 45–43. The second half belonged entirely to the U.S., as they unleashed a 30–12 surge in the third quarter to pull away permanently.

The game’s top performer was Team USA captain Breanna Stewart. Delivering a stellar double-double performance, Stewart dominated the court with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. Her elite leadership and clutch scoring sparked the U.S. comeback, earning her tournament MVP honors for the second time in her decorated career. Jackie Young provided vital secondary scoring with 18 points, while Dominique Malonga led France with 21 points in their silver-medal effort.

Team USA will have four days to rest before players return to their respective teams to finish the remaining WNBA regular season games on September 18.

Team USA Survives Spain Scare to Reach FIBA Women’s World Cup Finals

September 13, 2026
Team USA Survives Spain Scare to Reach FIBA Women’s World Cup Finals

The United States national team secured a hard-fought 76-66 victory over Spain in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, advancing to its fifth consecutive championship game.

Spain came out aggressive, leaping to a 11-4 lead in the opening quarter and utilizing a physical, high-pressure defense that disrupted the American offense throughout the first half. Led by standout performances from María Conde and Iyana Martín—who each scored 17 points—Spain kept pace with the four-time defending champions, forcing a 58-58 deadlock entering the final quarter.

The U.S. turned the tide in the fourth quarter with an intense defensive push, holding Spain to just eight points while scoring 18. Head coach Kara Lawson’s squad launched a decisive 12-2 run to build a 10-point lead with five minutes remaining, creating enough of a cushion to secure the victory.

Full Game highlights;

Breanna Stewart led the Americans with 16 points, while Kahleah Copper added 13 off the bench. The win extended the U.S. World Cup winning streak to 35 consecutive games and set up a gold-medal matchup against France. Spain will face Germany for the bronze medal.

USA Overpowers Hungary to Secure 11th Consecutive FIBA World Cup Semifinal Spot (108 – 56)

September 11, 2026
USA Overpowers Hungary to Secure 11th Consecutive FIBA World Cup Semifinal Spot (108 – 56)

Team USA continued its march toward a fifth consecutive title at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, delivering a clinical 108–56 quarterfinal victory over Hungary in Berlin.

From the opening tip, head coach Kara Lawson’s squad set an uncompromising pace. Breanna Stewart opened the scoring with a signature fadeaway jumper, sparking an early 13–7 run. The Americans never looked back, putting together a 15–0 run in the first half to establish complete control. Behind an incredible 20-for-26 shooting display early on, Team USA built a 59–30 halftime lead—marking the highest-scoring quarterfinal half in FIBA Women’s World Cup history.

Hungary, competing in the World Cup top eight for the first time in 40 years behind Minnesota Lynx standout Dorka Juhász, struggled to handle the Americans’ overwhelming depth and high-pressure defense. Team USA set two tournament quarterfinal records on the day: most points scored (108) and most total assists (31).

Napheesa Collier anchored the victory with an efficient performance on both ends of the floor, earning Player of the Game honors. She scored a game-high 19 points and set the early tempo by pouring in 10 of those points in the first quarter alone. Collier spearheaded a balanced American attack that featured all 12 roster members on the scoresheet, supported by strong outings from Caitlin Clark (10 points, 9 assists) and Kahleah Copper (10 points).

Full game highlights:

With the quarterfinal win secured, Team USA advances to its 11th straight FIBA Women’s World Cup semifinal. They will take on Spain, who secured their spot after defeating Australia 89–66 in their quarterfinal clash. The marquee semifinal matchup takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at 09:00 PM local time.

Caitlin Clark Named Player of the Game as She Dominates in Historic World Cup Debut

September 4, 2026
Caitlin Clark Named Player of the Game as She Dominates in Historic World Cup Debut

Caitlin Clark proved once again why she is a generational talent, delivering a flawless Player of the Game performance in her FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup debut. Coming off the bench, the superstar guard orchestrated the floor with masterclass precision, showcasing the elite court vision, lethal deep shooting, and poise that have defined her meteoric rise.

Clark posted a remarkable double-double, matching a team-high with 14 points alongside 11 assists and 3 rebounds in just 25 minutes of action. What elevated her performance into the record books, however, was her absolute ball security. Clark recorded zero turnovers throughout the night—setting a USA Basketball record for the most assists without a giveaway in a single World Cup game. Her 11 dimes also marked the highest assist total for any American player in their World Cup debut.

Whether knocking down signature perimeter jumpers or threading microscopic passes through defensive gaps, Clark controlled the tempo whenever she stepped onto the hardwood. Finishing with an astounding game-high +30 plus/minus rating, Clark left no doubt that her dynamic game translates seamlessly to the international stage.

USA Women Cruise to 94–61 Victory Over China at World Cup

September 4, 2026
USA Women Cruise to 94–61 Victory Over China at World Cup

Team USA opened its campaign at the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin with a decisive 94–61 group-stage victory over China at the Max-Schmeling-Halle.

The Americans controlled the game early, establishing a 27–14 advantage in the opening quarter and utilizing quick ball movement and high-intensity defense to keep China at bay.

Caitlin Clark led the charge for Team USA, posting a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists. Operating as the engine of the offense, Clark shared team-high scoring honors alongside Paige Bueckers and Rhyne Howard—who also added 14 points apiece—while setting the pace with her playmaking.

China leaned heavily on its interior presence to stay competitive, featuring 7-foot-3 center Zhang Ziyu. However, veteran WNBA center Han Xu delivered China’s standout performance, posting a team-high double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds to anchor their frontcourt.

Despite China’s frontcourt size, Team USA’s transition play and bench depth proved overwhelming across four quarters. The victory extended the Americans’ long-standing winning streak in senior FIBA World Cup play and got their tournament off to a 1–0 start in Group D.

Full gamehighlights;

Team USA next opponent will be Italy on 6th Sept.

U.S. Women’s National Team routs Italy’s National Team to remain undefeated at the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Puerto Rico

March 15, 2026

The U.S. Women’s National Team continued its dominant run at the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Puerto Rico, defeating Italy 93–59. Despite Italy’s undefeated start to the tournament, they were no match for the Americans’ clinical shooting and suffocating defensive pressure.

The U.S. shot a staggering 52.4% from beyond the arc, Kahleah Copper lead the Americans with 15 points and Chelsea Gray’s masterful playmaking (8 assists). Young stars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers wowed the crowd in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points each to seal the victory.

Defensively, the Americans held Italy to just 37.3% shooting, neutralizing threats like Cecilia Zandalasini. While the U.S. has already secured a World Cup berth as AmeriCup champions, this 3–0 start in San Juan, Puerto Rico, reinforces their status as global dominance in Women’s basketball. Italy (2–1) now looks to rebound against Spain to secure their spot in Berlin, while the Women’s USA Team will face New Zealand.

You can watch the game high lights below;

USA Basketball Women’s National Team Announces Star-Studded Roster for December Training Camp at Duke

November 25, 2025

The USA Basketball Women’s National Team just announce the 18-player roster for its upcoming training camp, scheduled for December 12-14 at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

The camp’s 18-player roster is a mix of championship experience and rising talent. Headlining the group are five 2024 Olympic gold medalists: Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young. Joined by Dearica Hamby, a bronze medalist from the 2024 3×3 Olympic competition. Other accomplished veterans include 2022 FIBA World Cup champion Brionna Jones.

The camp will also mark the senior National Team debut for ten highly anticipated young players: Lauren Betts, Cameron Brink, Paige Bueckers, Veronica Burton, Sonia Citron, Caitlin Clark, Kiki Iriafen, Rickea Jackson, Angel Reese, and JuJu Watkins. Many of these newcomers, including Aliyah Boston, already boast gold medals from various junior and youth international competitions. Kiki Iriafen will make her first appearance with USA Basketball. The roster also features numerous players with 3×3 experience, including Olympic medalists Plum and Young.

The training will be led by 2025-28 Women’s National Team head coach Kara Lawson (Duke University). She will be supported by a veteran coaching staff featuring court coaches Natalie Nakase (Golden State Valkyries, 2025 WNBA COY), Nate Tibbetts (Phoenix Mercury), and Stephanie White (Indiana Fever, 2023 WNBA COY).

Managing Director Sue Bird will use the camp to evaluate the athletes as the program begins preparations for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, where the USA aims to secure an unprecedented fifth consecutive gold medal.

Steph Curry lead Team USA in a come-from-behind win over Serbia, advances to the Finals of the Men’s Olympic Basketball (95-91)

August 9, 2024
Steph Curry lead Team USA in a come-from-behind win over Serbia, advances to the Finals of the Men’s Olympic Basketball (95-91)
Image: FIBA

A Steph Curry exploding for 36 points, Lebron James triple-double and a 19-point game from Joel Embiid proved too much for Serbia to overcome, despite leading the game for the first three quarters (76-63). At one point, Serbia was ahead by as much as 17 points and seemed to be hitting every shot, especially from the 3-point line.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Serbian national team with 20 points, while Nikola Jokic added 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists. Aleksa Avramovic scored 15 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. However, as a team, they shot 38.5% from the 3-point line, especially in the final period when their shots started to miss.

As much offensive firepower as Team USA possessed, it was their defense that secured the win. Trailing by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, Team USA clamped down on Serbia, allowing just 15 points in the quarter after surrendering an average of 25.33 points in the first three quarters. Embiid and James made several stops that led to 9 fast-break points, and it was the bench players who helped turn the game around for the Americans.

Steph Curry led the team with 36 points and 8 rebounds, falling just one point short of tying Carmelo Anthony’s 37-point record at the 2012 London Olympics. LeBron James contributed 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, his second triple-double in the Olympics. The “crowd-favorite,” Joel Embiid, scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

Team USA will face Team France in the gold medal game this Saturday, August 10th, while Serbia will play Germany for the bronze medal.

Semi-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament

August 7, 2024
Semi-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament
2024 Paris Olympic Logo

We are now down to 4 teams, this sets up the Semi-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament.

Semi-Finals of the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament

  • USA versus Serbia
  • France versus Germany

How they got here?

Team USA are undefeated (4-0) and have been winning with an average 24.75 points margin. It be a rematch against Serbia, a team they played and defeated in the Group games. Serbia on the other hand, after getting the “L” from Team USA went undefeated including an overtime win against Australia in the quarter-finals. Serbia will try and avenge their loss as they try to win and eliminate Team USA in their coming rematch.

France with only one loss, advances to the semis after defeating/eliminating Canada – the second team that has the most NBA players in their roster. Spurs Rookie Victor Wembanyama was a defensive problem for the Canadians, grabbing 12 rebounds with 3 steals and this monster block on Dillon Brooks.

Germany, just like Team USA, are also undefeated, even after facing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Greeks in the knock-out games.

Every semi-finals games of the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament will be this Thursday, August 8th at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.

Team USA steamrolled Brazil to advance to the semifinals of the Men’s Basketball Paris Olympics (122 – 87)

August 7, 2024
Team USA steamrolled Brazil to advance to the semifinals of the Men’s Basketball Paris Olympics (122 – 87)
Image: FIBA

Team USA advanced to the semifinals of the Men’s Basketball Paris Olympics after they defeated Brazil in the quarter finals.

The game which was decided by the end of first half after the Americans went on a 15-0 run finishing a dominant second quarter. In the second half, Team USA was never threatened as Brazil’s National Team could not cut the deficit to below 20 points.

Score by Quarter

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Total
USA 33 30 31 28 122
BRA 21 15 35 16 87

It was a team effort for the Americans, with six players scoring in double digits. Led by Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker with 18 points, Team USA was followed by Anthony Edwards’ 17 points and 5 rebounds. Kevin Durant scored 11 points off the bench and passed Lisa Leslie (488) for most points all-time in USA Olympic history.

Game Stats via FIBA

Brazil led by Bruno Caboclo scored 30 points with 6 rebounds, Georginho De Paula added 15 points and 8 rebounds. No other Brazil players scored more than 9 points. Team USA will face Serbia in the semis this Thursday, August 7th.

Here’s the Quarter-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament

August 4, 2024
Here’s the Quarter-Finals Bracket for the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament

Now that the group stage is done, the Quarter-Finals for the 2024 Paris Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament are now set.

As the top seed, Team USA has drawn the most favorable matchup, playing against Brazil, which only has one NBA player on its roster.

The first game will be between Serbia and Australia, followed by USA versus Brazil. On the other side of the bracket, Germany will face Greece, and the host country, France, will take on Canada.

Aside from Team USA, Team Canada has the second-most NBA players with 10.

The Quarter-finals will be on August 6th at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.

Team USA Sweeps Group Games after a convincing victory over Puerto Rico (104 – 83)

August 4, 2024
Team USA Sweeps Group Games after a convincing victory over Puerto Rico (104 – 83)
Image: FIBA

Team USA advances to quarter finals of the men’s 5 x 5 basketball tournament after defeating Puerto Rico in their last group game. The win also earn the USA men’s basketball team the top seed giving them the best possible matchup in the Olympic knockout games.

Six Team USA players scored in double figures lead by Anthony Edwards’ 26 points, Joel Embiid added 15 points and Kevin Durant chipped in 11 points and 4 rebounds. The game was highlighted by Edwards’ windmill jam early in the 4th qtr.

No other Puerto Rico player scored more than 10 points aside from Pelican’s Jose Alvarado with 18 points, Ismael Romero with his 12 points and 10 rebounds. Then Aleem Ford with his 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Team USA will face Brazil in the Quarter finals this 6th of Aug at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.

Team USA cruises past South Sudan, Qualifies for Quarterfinals (103 – 86)

August 1, 2024
Team USA cruises past South Sudan, Qualifies for Quarterfinals (103 – 86)
Image: FIBA

Just like in their first game, Team USA demolishes their opponent showing no signs that they almost lost their exhibition game against the South Sudan Men’s National Basketball Team.

Led by Bam Adebayo’s 25 points and 7 rebounds, with both Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis adding 17 points apiece, the game was decided in the first half. Team USA went on a 25-4 run that started at the 5:30 mark of the 1st quarter, where the Americans trailed by 2 points, and ended at 8:07 of the 2nd quarter (33-14), building a 19-point lead en route to victory.

But the Sudanese stayed on course and was able to cut the 19-point lead to just 10 points in the 3rd period, thanks to the hot shooting of Nuni Omot (24 points) and Bul Kuol (16), both players made a combined 7 three-point shot out of the 10 that they shot. Aside from Omot and Kuol, South Sudan also got a lot of help from Carlik Jones, scoring 18 points and dishing out 7 assists.

Team USA will play against Puerto Rico, their last opponent for the group games, while South Sudan will face Serbia.

Team USA Routs Serbia Behind Durant’s Near-Perfect Game (110-84)

July 29, 2024
Team USA Routs Serbia Behind Durant’s Near-Perfect Game (110-84)
Image: @usabasketball

Team USA routed Serbia in their first group game at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kevin Durant delivered a near-flawless performance with 23 points, shooting 8-of-9 from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. LeBron James added 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists.

It was a basketball clinic by the Americans, firing on all cylinders. Offensively, they shot 62% from the field, made more than half of their 3-point attempts, and tallied 24 assists. On the defensive end, Team USA recorded 3 blocks, 9 steals, and 39 rebounds. The team also forced Serbia into 13 turnovers, converting 25 points from those turnovers.

Nikola Jokic led Serbia with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 14 points and 6 rebounds. Serbia kept the game close in the first half, but the Americans pulled away when Serbia’s outside shooting cooled down. They made only 9 of their 37 attempts from beyond the arc.

Team USA will have a rematch with South Sudan, while Serbia will face Puerto Rico on July 31st.

Team USA defeats Germany, sweeping the USA Basketball Showcase (92 – 88)

July 23, 2024
Team USA defeats Germany, sweeping the USA Basketball Showcase (92 – 88)
Image: @USABasketball

Team USA defeats Germany to remain undefeated in all of their 5 exhibition games. It was a close game down the stretch where the Germans were able to cut the 7-point USA lead to just a 3-point deficit (87-84) via Daniel Theis’ alley-oop.

But that’s when LeBron James went to work and scored the next 5 points for Team USA, giving them an 8-point cushion heading into the final 45 seconds of the game.

Like in the previous games, 39-year-old LeBron James carried Team USA with 20 points playing just 18 minutes. He also added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Joel Embiid added 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, but more than his offensive contribution, he was a monster on the defensive end. His block on Issac Bonga led to a monster slam by Anthony Edwards.

Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner led Germany with 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Andreas Obst added 17, including five 3-pointers.

“I think we can get a lot better,” U.S. Coach Steve Kerr said. “We’re getting to a place now where we are comfortable with rotations and I think guys are getting familiar with each other. But we can do a lot of things better. I thought our passing was not great tonight. They put a lot of defensive pressure on us and we turned it over a few times. I think we can tighten up our game and get better.”

Game Highlights

Olympics Men’s Basketball Schedule

Team USA is part of Group C of the 2024 Paris Olympics Men’s Basketball Tournament Groupings and they will open the tournament against Serbia on Sunday (28th July), then have a rematch with South Sudan on July 31st, and their last game to wrap up group play will be against Puerto Rico on August 3rd.

Team USA Defeats South Sudan on Last-Second Layup by LeBron James (101 – 100)

July 21, 2024
Team USA Defeats South Sudan on Last-Second Layup by LeBron James (101 – 100)
Image: @usabasketball

In a game that will go down as a major upset alert, Team USA escaped with a narrow victory over a determined South Sudan team by a final score of 101 – 100. The win, secured on a buzzer-beating layup by LeBron James, exposed some vulnerabilities for the American squad and served as a wake-up call heading into the upcoming Olympic tournament.

South Sudan came out firing on all cylinders, surprising Team USA with their aggressive defense and hot shooting from beyond the arc. The young African nation connected on 14 of their 33 three-point attempts, keeping pace with a Team USA offense that struggled to find rhythm early on.

Despite boasting a star-studded roster, Team USA looked uncharacteristically sluggish throughout the contest. Their usually potent offense sputtered, connecting on only 7 of their 28 three-point attempts. LeBron James, however, remained a constant threat, finishing the game with a team-high 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Followed by Anthony Davis’ double-double, scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds.

With the clock winding down and South Sudan leading by a point 100 – 99, the ball found its way into the hands of the veteran leader. James, showcasing his experience and clutch ability, drove to the basket and converted a contested layup just as the buzzer sounded, sending the American bench into a frenzy.

The win, will keep USA’s undefeated record in exhibition play but raises concerns about their overall performance. Coach Steve Kerr and the rest of the coaching staff will use this game as a teaching moment, emphasizing the importance of staying focus and keeping their defensive intensity as they gear up for the Olympic Group stage this 28th of July.

Team USA’s next and last exhibition game will be this Monday, 22nd of July, against the Germany, who is the current 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Champions. Serbia and South Sudan are grouped together with the United States and Puerto Rico in the 2024 Paris Olympics Men’s Basketball Tournament Groupings.

Checkout some of the game highlights:

Full Game Highlights via @NBA;

Team USA narrowly escape Australia in an exhibition game in Abu Dhabi (98-82)

July 16, 2024
Team USA narrowly escape Australia in an exhibition game in Abu Dhabi (98-82)
Image: @usabasketball

Team USA, composed of some of the greatest basketball players on the planet today, narrowly defeated the Australian National Team. Team USA led by as many as 24 points in the middle of the 3rd quarter (65-41), but the Australians went on a 20-11 run to cut the deficit to just 15 points (76-61) by the end of the period.

Then in the final quarter, Team USA struggled with their shots while the Australians made another run, closing the gap to just 6 points. It appeared the US National Team might lose, but Tyrese Haliburton hit two consecutive three-point shots to secure a 12-point lead, despite Team USA not scoring in almost 4 minutes.

The Australians weren’t finished, managing to cut the lead to just 4 points (90-94) with only 9 seconds remaining in the game.

Anthony Davis led the team with 17 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Devin Booker with 16 points and Anthony Edwards with 14. On the Australia national team, Jock Landale lead the team with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Josh Giddey chipped-in with his 17 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists.

Team USA had six players score in double digits, dominated the boards with 45 rebounds against Australia’s 40, and made 12 three-pointers compared to Australia’s 4. Since this is an exhibition game with no bearing on the Olympic standings, it’s the pride of the US basketball team that’s at stake in these matchups.

Team USA will face the Serbia National Team, led by Nikola Jokic, on July 17th at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Joel Embiid to play for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics

October 8, 2023
Joel Embiid to play for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics
Image: NBA

Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA’s reigning MVP, Joel Embiid announced that he will play for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The announcement comes after talking to both Team USA executive director Grant Hill and the representatives from the French national team.

Joel Embiid who was born in Cameroon and holds both French and American citizenship, to which team he will be playing have been the talk/debate, since Team USA failed to bring home a medal in the last FIBA World Cup and the coming 2024 Paris Olympics. Embiid joins other NBA superstars like LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant who have expressed interest in playing for Team USA at the next year’s Olympics.

Final Standings of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

September 11, 2023
Final Standings of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

After 16 days and 92 games, below are the final standings of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023;

  1. Germany (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Europe, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Champions)
  2. Serbia (qualified for Paris 2024 as one of the top two ranked teams from Europe)
  3. Canada (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Americas)
  4. USA (qualified for Paris 2024 as one of the top two ranked teams from Americas)
  5. Latvia (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  6. Lithuania (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  7. Slovenia(qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  8. Italy (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  9. Spain (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  10. Australia (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Oceania)
  11. Montenegro (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  12. Puerto Rico (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  13. Brazil (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  14. Dominican Republic (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  15. Greece (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  16. Georgia (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  17. South Sudan (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Africa)
  18. France (qualified for Paris 2024 as hosts)
  19. Japan (qualified for Paris 2024 as the best-ranked team from Asia)
  20. Egypt (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  21. Finland (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  22. New Zealand (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  23. Lebanon (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  24. Philippines (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  25. Mexico (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  26. Angola (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  27. Cote d’Ivoire (qualified for Olympic Qualifying Tournaments)
  28. Cape Verde
  29. China
  30. Venezuela
  31. Iran
  32. Jordan

Gilas will still have a chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics but it will a much harder path than winning in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. Germany defeated Serbia 83-77 in the final to win their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title. Canada defeated the United States 127-118 in overtime to win the bronze medal.

With democratization of Basketball, it appears that United States is no longer the basketball powerhouse it used to be, the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 tournament proved that and Noah Lyles’s statement regarding being the “World Champion” may have been justified.

The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 was a thrilling tournament, with many memorable moments. Germany’s victory was a major upset, but they played a near-perfect game and deserved to win. Congratulations to Germany on their first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup title!

Team USA falls to Canada for the 3rd Place of the FIBA World Cup 2023

September 10, 2023
Team USA falls to Canada for the 3rd Place of the FIBA World Cup 2023
Image: @FIBAWC

Canada made history at the FIBA World Cup 2023 by winning its first-ever medal at the tournament, defeating USA 127-118 in overtime in the third-place game on Sunday in Manila, Philippines.

As expected between two NBA laden team, it was a roller coaster game that had 14 lead changes, 12-0 scoring run by the Americans and 8-0 by the Canadians, and it was punctuated by Mikal Bridges at the end of the 4th qtr; he missed 2nd free-throw on purpose, got the rebound, then hits corner 3 with 0.6 seconds left to extend the game to over time. In the OT, the Canadians had other plans, since they outscored Team USA, 16 to 7 to secure the bronze medal.

The Canadians, who had never finished higher than sixth in the World Cup, protected a 2-point lead at the start of OT and outscored the Americans 7-16.

Dillon Brooks was the hero for Canada, scoring a game-high 39 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including 7-of-8 from the 3-point line. He also added four rebounds, five assists, a steals and a couple of blocks in a stellar performance.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was equally impressive, adding 31 points, twelve assists and six rebounds. He scored nine of Canada’s 16 points in overtime, including an assist to RJ Barrett for a a clutch 3-pointer that gave them a 115 – 124 lead with 0:23 secs left.

Canada also got contributions from Kelly Olynyk (11 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists), Luguentz Dort (11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists) and Dwight Powell (4 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists).

Team Highlights

USA, meanwhile, will go home without a medal for the FIBA World Cup 2023. Team USA has not won a medal in the World Cup since 2014, that featured a roster lead by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Derrick Rose, Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Anthony Davis.

Six players of Team USA had double digits points; Mikal Bridges with 19 pts, 9 rebs, 2 steals and 4 assists, Anthony Edwards led the team with 24 pts and 5 rebs, then there’s Austin Reaves who contributed 23 pts, 5 rebs, an assists and a steal, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Bobby Portis Jr. also made big contributions scoring 13 pts, 10 pts and 14 pts respectively.

Despite the loss, Team USA, already qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in France and we can expect that the team will have totally different roster.

Germany upsets Team USA in FIBA World Cup 2023 Semifinal (113 – 111)

September 9, 2023
Germany upsets Team USA in FIBA World Cup 2023 Semifinal (113 – 111)
Image: FIBA

The United States men’s basketball team was stunned by Germany in the semifinals of the FIBA World Cup on Friday night, losing 113-111. The loss is a major upset, as the US was the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament.

The US got off to a slow start, trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half. However, they rallied to take a 60-59 lead into halftime. Germany came out strong in the third quarter, outscoring the US 35-24 to take a 94-84 lead. The US made a late comeback attempt, but they could not get any closer than 106 -108.

Anthony Edwards led the way for the US with 23 points and 8 rebounds, followed by Austin Reaves with 21 pts. For the Germans, Franz Wagner added 22 points for Germany, and Andreas Obst led all scorers with 24 points. Dennis Schroder, who have been best player in the roster, chipped-in 17 pts and 9 assists.

The loss is a major disappointment for the US, who have won the World Cup four times in the past five tournaments. It is also a setback for the development of the US men’s basketball program, which has been struggling in recent years.

The US will now play Canada in the bronze medal game on Sunday. Germany will play Serbia in the championship game.

Here’s the latest bracket for the Semis of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

September 7, 2023
Here’s the latest bracket for the Semis of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

Now that Quarter-Finals (QF) is done and we have now have a clear picture on who will compete for the semifinals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and which is worth watching.

Team USA versus the Germans
The game will be this Friday, 8th of Sept at the MOA arena. Team USA advanced to the Semis after defeating ITALY in the most convincing manner (100 – 63). The Americans needed a strong win against the Italians after being handed by their only loss in the tournament by Lithuania. On the other side, Germany barely escape Latvia in the QF but remain to the one of the few undefeated team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner, who are both NBA veterans, are the top performers of the team on points, rebounds and assists.

For Team USA, their top performers are Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges and Tyrese Haliburton and we cannot disregard the fact anyone in the team can explode and carry team to the finals, just like what Mikal Bridges did against Italy in the QF, where in scored a team high of 24 points and 6 rebounds.

Serbia versus Canada
The game will this Friday, 8th of Sept 16:45 local time at the MOA Arena. Serbia took care of the business by eliminating Lithuania and bringing them back down from cloud 9, after defeating USA in the last game of the second round.

Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Milutinov are the top performer of Serbia. Bogdanovic is the top scorer in their game against Lithuania, chipping-in 21 pts with 4 rebs, while Nikola Milutinov is the towering presence in the middle and top rounder of the team.

For team Canada, we may very well call this Team B of NBA in FIBA, since 7 of the 12 players in the roster are playing in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player, leading in all stats; 25 pts/game, 7.2 rebs/game and 5 assists per game.

The winners for each game will face in the finals, while the two losing team will play for the 3rd place. Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 is scheduled on Saturday, Sept 10th at the MOA Arena.

Team USA Suffers First Loss of FIBA World Cup 2023 to Lithuania

September 4, 2023
Team USA Suffers First Loss of FIBA World Cup 2023 to Lithuania
Image: @FIBA

Team USA’s unbeaten run at the FIBA World Cup 2023, winning their first five games of the tournament, came to an end on Sunday 3rd of September, when they lost to Lithuania in a thrilling encounter. The final score was 110-104 in favor of Lithuania and in front of 11,349 fans.

The game was played at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, and saw Lithuania, who played a physical and aggressive game, take control early on. The Lithuanias built a 19 pts lead (12 – 31) in the first qtr and ended the first half with a comfortable 17 pts lead (37 – 54). The Americans led by Anthony Edwards tried to staged a come back but could not get closer than 4 pts (85 -89) with 4:45 mins remaining in the game. Anthony Edwards scored 34 pts and 2 assists, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges both scored 14 pts but where in effective in the closing period of the game. The trio are the only American player to score in double figures.

Compared to the Team USA, Lithuania played a more balanced game with 7 players in double figures. The team is lead by Vaidas Kariniauskas with 15 pts, followed by Mindaugas Kuzminskas and Jonas Valanciunas, who scored 14 pts and 12 pts, respectively. Valanciunas also grabbed 7 rebs with his 2 blocks.

Lithuania killed the Americans in the second chance points category, making 17 pts against 2 pts from Team USA, 61 – 38 point off the bench. They also shot 52.8% from the field and 56% from three-point range, compare to 37.9% in the 3-pts by the Americans.

The loss is a wake-up call for Team USA, which is still considered the favorite to win the tournament. However, they will need to play better if they want to avoid further upsets.
Despite the loss, Team USA still advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIBA World Cup and are qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. They will face Italy on Tuesday, while the Lithuania will face Serbia, who are 4 – 1 in the tournament.

Game Highlights

Team USA roster for the coming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

August 9, 2023
Team USA roster for the coming FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023
Image: @USA Basketball

Team USA is included in GROUP C that will play in Manila for the first round of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 in the Philippines.

Below are the Team USA Roster and their schedules of their exhibition games, and their three first-round games in the Philippines.

Team USA roster

  • Paolo Banchero, Forward, Orlando Magic
  • Mikal Bridges, Forward, Brooklyn Nets
  • Jalen Brunson, Guard, New York Knicks
  • Anthony Edwards, Guard, Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Tyrese Haliburton, Guard, Indiana Pacers
  • Josh Hart, Guard, New York Knicks
  • Brandon Ingram, Forward, New Orleans Pelicans
  • Jaren Jackson Jr., Center, Memphis Grizzlies
  • Cam Johnson, Forward, Brooklyn Nets
  • Walker Kessler, Center, Utah Jazz
  • Bobby Portis, Forward, Milwaukee Bucks
  • Austin Reaves, Guard, Los Angeles Lakers

Coaches: Steve Kerr (Golden State), Erik Spoelstra (Miami Heat), Tyronn Lue (LA Clippers), Mark Few (Gonzaga University)

Team USA schedule


Exhibition Games

  • Team USA 117, Puerto Rico 74 – done
  • Aug. 12 vs. Slovenia in Malaga, Spain
  • Aug. 13 vs. Spain in Malaga, Spain
  • Aug. 18 vs. Greece in Abu Dhabi, UAE
  • Aug. 20 vs. Germany in Abu Dhabi, UAE

FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2023 First Round

  • Aug. 26 vs. New Zealand, 8:40 a.m. ET
  • Aug. 28 vs. Greece, 8:40 a.m. ET
  • Aug. 30 vs. Jordan, 4:40 a.m. ET

Cignal and Smart own the broadcast rights for FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2023, games for Group C will be held at the MOA Arena.

Kevin Durant leads Team USA to take home the Gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics over France (87-82)

August 8, 2021
Kevin Durant leads Team USA to take home the Gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics over France (87-82)

Kevin Durant and the rest of the US Basketball team secured the gold medal for men’s basketball at the 2022 Tokyo Olympics. The Team USA defeated France 87-82, in a hard fought game, which the United States team are a favorite to win but an upset by the French team was also expected, since they are the only team that gave the US basketball team their only loss in the tournament.

This is KD’s third Olympic gold medal, scoring 29 point to cap off this year’s tournament. His previous record for the past 2 gold-medal was 30-points a piece.

Team USA needed all 40 minutes to secure the win, since France’s basketball team still saw a chance steal the gold, when the U.S. team missed 3 of their last 4 free throw before KD sink both of his free-throw to put the game away.

Image: @Tokyo2020