According to a recent report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, USA Basketball is “aggressively pursuing” Holiday for the Paris Olympics. The 33-year-old player still hasn’t made up his mind, but the overall sentiment is that he is leaning towards saying “yes”.

Holiday last played on the international stage in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. He helped Team USA win a gold medal, being lauded for his defense and leadership. He also averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

USA Basketball is determined to put together a strong roster for the 2024 Olympic Games after a disappointing out at the FIBA 2023 World Cup. Team USA failed to win a medal at the tournament, losing to champions Germany in the semi-finals and then to Canada in the third-place match.

Besides Embiid, and potentially Holiday, Team USA’s roster in Paris is expected to feature a number of other big names. The likes of LeBron James, Antony Davis, and Stephen Curry are reportedly ready to commit, while the list could also include Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Kevin Durant.

The post USA Basketball “Aggressively Pursuing” Jrue Holiday for 2024 Paris Olympics appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup, hosted by Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines, will take place between August 25 and September 10. Team USA, coached by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, is scheduled to play its first game on the second day when it will face New Zealand.

Team USA is expected to have no trouble dealing with New Zealand and Jordan, with Greece posing the biggest challenge due to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, USA Basketball executive director Grant Hill believes familiarity with the two-time NBA MVP will prove beneficial and make the job easier.

“There’s a peace of mind knowing who we’re going to play,” Hill said via ESPN. “We know Greece, and we know Giannis.”

Team USA will also have the advantage of not having to travel during the tournament. They will play all their group games in Manila, Philippines, and the later stages of the tournaments are also scheduled to take place in the same city.

The post Team USA Finds Out Its Opponents in Group Stage of 2023 FIBA World Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Eagerly anticipating the return of the NBA after the All-Star break, most basketball fans didn’t even realize that the national team was playing an important World Cup qualifiers game against Uruguay earlier this week. Despite the lack of attention and proven names, Team USA managed to get the job done and secure an 88-77 win.

The win improved Team USA qualifying record to 9-2, which granted them an automatic qualification for the World Cup tournament. They became the second Americas team to get in after Canada.

During the qualifiers, Team USA was led by former Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen. With no NBA stars at his disposal, Boylen put together a roster of former NBA veterans and G League players. Ex-Detroit Pistons guard Langston Galloway emerged as the leader for the team during this stretch, averaging 15.6 points and 2.9 assists per game.

At the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Boylen will be replaced by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr in pursuit of a record sixth title. There are no indications about which players may commit to playing for Kerr in the summer, although it will certainly be a lot stronger roster than the one that took the court against Uruguay.

The post Team USA Qualifies for 2023 FIBA World Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“It’s not exactly a new title and it probably can’t be maintained for too long, but it’s something so unique, prestigious, and historic that I feel tremendously proud of everyone who … contributed to it,” Spain coach Sergio Scariolo announced on Twitter on Friday.

Team USA first took the top spot in 2010 as the team won its fourth FIBA World Championship. Subsequent gold medals at the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics as well as another world title in 2014 helped to secure Team USA’s status as the top-ranked nation.

In 2017, FIBA changed its ranking system to only look at results over the past eight years. With the USA no longer benefitting from its 2010 World Championship, Spain bettered its own position by lifting the 2019 world title. Spain’s gold medal victory at this year’s EuroBasket boosted the Southern European nation to the summit of the FIBA rankings.

The post Spain Overtakes USA at Summit of FIBA Rankings appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

A two-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat, Cole proved to be USA’s standout performer on the night with a game-high score of 20 points. “Moments like that, everybody dreams about,” Cole said of his buzzer-beating basket. “I work hard at my individual game along with the team game, I was able to show my individual talent within the team concept and it worked out.”

Following Cole on Team USA’s points leaderboard for the game was Jeremy Pargo with 15 points, Zylan Cheatham with 11 points, and Stephen Zimmerman with 10 points. Tremont Waters and Ethan Thompson were Puerto Rico’s top performers, scoring 16 points each.

Team USA will face Argentina in the semifinal on Saturday, with both the gold medal and bronze medal games happening on Sunday. The other semifinal will see Canada face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Brazil and the Dominican Republic.

The post Team USA Reaches AmeriCup Semifinals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Americans were leading 48-21 at halftime when officials stepped in to assess the deteriorating situation caused by the leakage. After assessing the extent of the water damage, officials determined that the game could not be resumed safely.

Instead, the game will resume on Tuesday, meaning that Team USA now faces a packed schedule whereby they are set to play on three consecutive days as they look to grab a quarterfinal spot.

Having lost to Mexico in their opening AmeriCup game, Team USA will be desperate to bounce back with a win over Venezuela in an effort to avoid early elimination from the tournament. Currently, the USA is sitting at the foot of the Group C table and is yet to play Panama. If the USA maintains its lead over Venezuela, a win against Panama would seal a semifinal berth.

Group leaders Mexico defeated Panama 65-60 in their clash on Sunday, thereby securing Mexico’s spot in the knockout rounds.

The post Gymnasium Leaks See USA Basketball Game Postponed appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

John Jenkins emerged as the standout player in the match, scoring 26 points, while Langston Galloway and DaQuan Jeffries contributed 14 points a piece. While team USA initially trailed after Columbia opened the scoring, they replied with 12 points, going on to hold the advantage until the end of the match.

USA Coach Jim Boylen directed praise at Jenkins, hailing his leadership. “He loves playing on the road. He loves playing in hostile places. And he’s in great shape. He came in in great condition. He believes in USA Basketball. He believes in what we’re doing. He’s elite at following a game plan and he’s a veteran player who relishes wearing that USA uniform,” Boyen commented.

Jenkins also proved influential in the build-up to the Columbia game, also scoring 24 points in the 105-71 win against Uruguay last Thursday. Currently, Team USA is top of Group F in the second round of World Cup qualifying with seven wins and one loss.

The post USA Basketball Nears World Cup Qualification Following Win Over Columbia appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Team USA already secured a spot in AmericaCup but have two mandatory qualifications games left to play. Their first game will be against the Bahamas on February 19th, followed by a matchup against Mexico one day later.

While the roster will be officially confirmed by USA Basketball early next month, Thomas already confirmed his commitment on social media.

This will be a return to basketball for Thomas, who hasn’t played for almost a year. He used the time off to deal with a nagging hip injury and has recently confirmed that he is finally healthy and ready to play.

Thomas, who has two All-Star appearances to his name, previously played with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, among other teams. His NBA averages are 18.1 points and 5 assists per game.

Joe Johnson, on the other hand, has been out of the NBA since 2018. He last played in the BIG3 League, where he won an MVP award and a Championship.

Johnson, who is a seven-time All-Star, averaged 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists during his time in the NBA.

The post Isaiah Thomas and Joe Johnson Commit to Team USA for AmericaCup Qualifiers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“That is the plan, for sure,” – Curry told ESPN. “You know, obviously knock on wood, you don’t want any injuries or things like that to interfere.”

Curry made his international debut at 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, where he helped Team USA win a silver medal. Later, he was part of the teams at FIBA World Cups in 2010 and 2014, winning gold medal both times.

However, if he ends up playing in Tokyo next year, that would be the first time for Curry to compete at the Olympics. The two times NBA MVP was close to playing for Team USA at 2016 Olympics in Brazil, but withdrew himself from consideration due to injury concerns.

“Definitely wanna go,” – he added. “I’ve never been on the Olympic team. I’ve been on two World Cup Championship gold medal teams. But the Olympics is the experience that I want. And next year will hopefully be it.”

Several other high-profile players hinted that they could be part of Team USA at the 2020 Olympics including Curry’s teammate Draymond Green and Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar LeBron James.

The post Stephen Curry Wants to Play For Team USA on 2020 Olympics appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This defeat did not only snap the 58-games winning streak by Team USA on the international scene, but will also mean that the U.S. will end up without a medal at World Cups for the first time since 2002. The best that Team USA can get to in China is fifth place, while they already secured their spot in the Olympics.

While the momentum of the game shifted back and forth in the first three quarters, it was France that managed to seize the control in the final quarter. They outscored the United States 26-13 and had some amazing stops that eventually helped them close out the game.

France was led by Orlando Magic’s Evan Fournier who scored 22 points and Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, who finished the game with 21 points and 16 rebounds. On the other side, Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points for the United States, but all of his baskets came in the third quarter.

Check out the highlights from the game below.

FIBA World Cup 2019 continues on Thursday when Team USA will face Serbia and Poland will play against the Czech Republic to determine the ranking from fifth to the eighth spot.

The semi-finals are scheduled to take place on Friday and will see Spain going against Australia on the one side of the bracket, while Argentina and France meeting on the other side.

The post Team USA Eliminated by France at 2019 FIBA World Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to a recent report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, USA Basketball is “aggressively pursuing” Holiday for the Paris Olympics. The 33-year-old player still hasn’t made up his mind, but the overall sentiment is that he is leaning towards saying “yes”.

Holiday last played on the international stage in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. He helped Team USA win a gold medal, being lauded for his defense and leadership. He also averaged 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.

USA Basketball is determined to put together a strong roster for the 2024 Olympic Games after a disappointing out at the FIBA 2023 World Cup. Team USA failed to win a medal at the tournament, losing to champions Germany in the semi-finals and then to Canada in the third-place match.

Besides Embiid, and potentially Holiday, Team USA’s roster in Paris is expected to feature a number of other big names. The likes of LeBron James, Antony Davis, and Stephen Curry are reportedly ready to commit, while the list could also include Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Kevin Durant.

The post USA Basketball “Aggressively Pursuing” Jrue Holiday for 2024 Paris Olympics appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup, hosted by Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines, will take place between August 25 and September 10. Team USA, coached by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, is scheduled to play its first game on the second day when it will face New Zealand.

Team USA is expected to have no trouble dealing with New Zealand and Jordan, with Greece posing the biggest challenge due to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, USA Basketball executive director Grant Hill believes familiarity with the two-time NBA MVP will prove beneficial and make the job easier.

“There’s a peace of mind knowing who we’re going to play,” Hill said via ESPN. “We know Greece, and we know Giannis.”

Team USA will also have the advantage of not having to travel during the tournament. They will play all their group games in Manila, Philippines, and the later stages of the tournaments are also scheduled to take place in the same city.

The post Team USA Finds Out Its Opponents in Group Stage of 2023 FIBA World Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Eagerly anticipating the return of the NBA after the All-Star break, most basketball fans didn’t even realize that the national team was playing an important World Cup qualifiers game against Uruguay earlier this week. Despite the lack of attention and proven names, Team USA managed to get the job done and secure an 88-77 win.

The win improved Team USA qualifying record to 9-2, which granted them an automatic qualification for the World Cup tournament. They became the second Americas team to get in after Canada.

During the qualifiers, Team USA was led by former Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen. With no NBA stars at his disposal, Boylen put together a roster of former NBA veterans and G League players. Ex-Detroit Pistons guard Langston Galloway emerged as the leader for the team during this stretch, averaging 15.6 points and 2.9 assists per game.

At the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Boylen will be replaced by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr in pursuit of a record sixth title. There are no indications about which players may commit to playing for Kerr in the summer, although it will certainly be a lot stronger roster than the one that took the court against Uruguay.

The post Team USA Qualifies for 2023 FIBA World Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“It’s not exactly a new title and it probably can’t be maintained for too long, but it’s something so unique, prestigious, and historic that I feel tremendously proud of everyone who … contributed to it,” Spain coach Sergio Scariolo announced on Twitter on Friday.

Team USA first took the top spot in 2010 as the team won its fourth FIBA World Championship. Subsequent gold medals at the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics as well as another world title in 2014 helped to secure Team USA’s status as the top-ranked nation.

In 2017, FIBA changed its ranking system to only look at results over the past eight years. With the USA no longer benefitting from its 2010 World Championship, Spain bettered its own position by lifting the 2019 world title. Spain’s gold medal victory at this year’s EuroBasket boosted the Southern European nation to the summit of the FIBA rankings.

The post Spain Overtakes USA at Summit of FIBA Rankings appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

A two-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat, Cole proved to be USA’s standout performer on the night with a game-high score of 20 points. “Moments like that, everybody dreams about,” Cole said of his buzzer-beating basket. “I work hard at my individual game along with the team game, I was able to show my individual talent within the team concept and it worked out.”

Following Cole on Team USA’s points leaderboard for the game was Jeremy Pargo with 15 points, Zylan Cheatham with 11 points, and Stephen Zimmerman with 10 points. Tremont Waters and Ethan Thompson were Puerto Rico’s top performers, scoring 16 points each.

Team USA will face Argentina in the semifinal on Saturday, with both the gold medal and bronze medal games happening on Sunday. The other semifinal will see Canada face the winner of the quarterfinal clash between Brazil and the Dominican Republic.

The post Team USA Reaches AmeriCup Semifinals appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Americans were leading 48-21 at halftime when officials stepped in to assess the deteriorating situation caused by the leakage. After assessing the extent of the water damage, officials determined that the game could not be resumed safely.

Instead, the game will resume on Tuesday, meaning that Team USA now faces a packed schedule whereby they are set to play on three consecutive days as they look to grab a quarterfinal spot.

Having lost to Mexico in their opening AmeriCup game, Team USA will be desperate to bounce back with a win over Venezuela in an effort to avoid early elimination from the tournament. Currently, the USA is sitting at the foot of the Group C table and is yet to play Panama. If the USA maintains its lead over Venezuela, a win against Panama would seal a semifinal berth.

Group leaders Mexico defeated Panama 65-60 in their clash on Sunday, thereby securing Mexico’s spot in the knockout rounds.

The post Gymnasium Leaks See USA Basketball Game Postponed appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

John Jenkins emerged as the standout player in the match, scoring 26 points, while Langston Galloway and DaQuan Jeffries contributed 14 points a piece. While team USA initially trailed after Columbia opened the scoring, they replied with 12 points, going on to hold the advantage until the end of the match.

USA Coach Jim Boylen directed praise at Jenkins, hailing his leadership. “He loves playing on the road. He loves playing in hostile places. And he’s in great shape. He came in in great condition. He believes in USA Basketball. He believes in what we’re doing. He’s elite at following a game plan and he’s a veteran player who relishes wearing that USA uniform,” Boyen commented.

Jenkins also proved influential in the build-up to the Columbia game, also scoring 24 points in the 105-71 win against Uruguay last Thursday. Currently, Team USA is top of Group F in the second round of World Cup qualifying with seven wins and one loss.

The post USA Basketball Nears World Cup Qualification Following Win Over Columbia appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Team USA already secured a spot in AmericaCup but have two mandatory qualifications games left to play. Their first game will be against the Bahamas on February 19th, followed by a matchup against Mexico one day later.

While the roster will be officially confirmed by USA Basketball early next month, Thomas already confirmed his commitment on social media.

This will be a return to basketball for Thomas, who hasn’t played for almost a year. He used the time off to deal with a nagging hip injury and has recently confirmed that he is finally healthy and ready to play.

Thomas, who has two All-Star appearances to his name, previously played with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, among other teams. His NBA averages are 18.1 points and 5 assists per game.

Joe Johnson, on the other hand, has been out of the NBA since 2018. He last played in the BIG3 League, where he won an MVP award and a Championship.

Johnson, who is a seven-time All-Star, averaged 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists during his time in the NBA.

The post Isaiah Thomas and Joe Johnson Commit to Team USA for AmericaCup Qualifiers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“That is the plan, for sure,” – Curry told ESPN. “You know, obviously knock on wood, you don’t want any injuries or things like that to interfere.”

Curry made his international debut at 2007 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, where he helped Team USA win a silver medal. Later, he was part of the teams at FIBA World Cups in 2010 and 2014, winning gold medal both times.

However, if he ends up playing in Tokyo next year, that would be the first time for Curry to compete at the Olympics. The two times NBA MVP was close to playing for Team USA at 2016 Olympics in Brazil, but withdrew himself from consideration due to injury concerns.

“Definitely wanna go,” – he added. “I’ve never been on the Olympic team. I’ve been on two World Cup Championship gold medal teams. But the Olympics is the experience that I want. And next year will hopefully be it.”

Several other high-profile players hinted that they could be part of Team USA at the 2020 Olympics including Curry’s teammate Draymond Green and Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar LeBron James.

The post Stephen Curry Wants to Play For Team USA on 2020 Olympics appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This defeat did not only snap the 58-games winning streak by Team USA on the international scene, but will also mean that the U.S. will end up without a medal at World Cups for the first time since 2002. The best that Team USA can get to in China is fifth place, while they already secured their spot in the Olympics.

While the momentum of the game shifted back and forth in the first three quarters, it was France that managed to seize the control in the final quarter. They outscored the United States 26-13 and had some amazing stops that eventually helped them close out the game.

France was led by Orlando Magic’s Evan Fournier who scored 22 points and Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, who finished the game with 21 points and 16 rebounds. On the other side, Jazz’s Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points for the United States, but all of his baskets came in the third quarter.

Check out the highlights from the game below.

FIBA World Cup 2019 continues on Thursday when Team USA will face Serbia and Poland will play against the Czech Republic to determine the ranking from fifth to the eighth spot.

The semi-finals are scheduled to take place on Friday and will see Spain going against Australia on the one side of the bracket, while Argentina and France meeting on the other side.

The post Team USA Eliminated by France at 2019 FIBA World Cup appeared first on yoursportspot.com.