David Pick | Who Can Stop Team USA?
The Olympics are set to kick off next month in France and the biggest question surrounding the event is: „WHO CAN STOP TEAM USA?”
Foto: FIBA
Does Team USA have any reason to fear the European basketball nations? Can the EuroLeague Champions representatives from Greece piggyback on the „Greek Freak’s” broad shoulders to another medal? Does the reigning NBA MVP, „The Joker”, have enough of a supporting cast to dethrone the Americans? Will Luka Doncic and Slovenia experience continued nightmares from the NBA Finals in a potential rematch against Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum? Or, perhaps, can the current World Champions from Germany rewrite history and become also Olympic gold-winners? I could be wrong but I doubt Italy, Turkey and Spain are good enough. I like Poland as a dark horse to make some noise, though.
REMINDER: Team USA finished fourth at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, behind their neighbors from Canada, and have assembled a star-loaded roster featuring four previous NBA MVP winners, highlighted by the neverending LeBron James. „The King” sports an impressive FIBA career featuring two Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012, a bronze medal in 2004, and the 2006 World Cup.
Team USA’s roster also includes Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics), Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).
Back to the USA’s challengers. You thought I forgot about Canada, right? NOPE. Canada’s performance at the World Cup sky-rocketed their expectations for the Olympics. Contrary to the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia, the last time Canada participated in the Olympic Games, finishing seventh; PG Steve Nash and center Todd MacCulloch were the only NBA players on the Canadian roster. At that time, believe it or not, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was just two years old, and running around the house in diapers. This time, Canada and Gilgeous-Alexander are coming in with guns loaded and a deeeeeeep NBA roster, highlighted by Denver Nuggets star Jamal Murray. Other participants include Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks) Kelly Olynyk (Toronto Raptors) Lu Dort (Oklahoma City Thunder), R.J. Barrett (Toronto Raptors), and Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets).
However, there have been multiple games when Team USA struggled in FIBA competition, and their aspirations of winning a gold medal was threatened. One particular country was the former Yugoslavia, before it split into several different nations in the early 1990s due to the war.
Known for producing some of basketball’s most legendary players, former NBA All-Star Goran Dragic said Yugoslavia, had it continued its one-nation existence, would challenge the USA basketball team and pose a significant threat on its quest for a title.
„We could play against you guys”, said Dragic, on what Yugoslavia’s roster could’ve looked like if the countries didn’t split. Imagine having to contain both Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic all at once.
Yugoslavia, a country torn apart by war due to a political and economical crisis, split into six countries: Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia. Before the split, it was basketball heaven.
Back then, Dragic was a young child. He went on to play with Doncic Senior, Sasha Doncic, and later with Luka. „Back in the day, imagine the national team; Drazen Petrovic, Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Vlade Divac”, Dragic said on „The OGs” podcast, hosted by Matt Barnes and Udonis Haslem.
Petrovic was a Euro-star before Euro-stars were created. A sensational scorer at the NBA level out of Croatia, the 6-foot-5 guard was coming into his prime, averaging 22.3 PPG, shooting 44.9% from 3-point land for the New Jersey Nets in the 1992-1993 season. Tragically, Petrovic was killed in a car accident in 1993. He was 28 years old.
In 2017, Dragic received a Petrovic jersey as a gift, presented to him by the late player’s mother. He treasured it for life. „It is one of the most beautiful gifts I’ve ever received. He was my idol. We all know what he did for Yugoslavia and the basketball world”, Goran shared.
Ever wondered what a current Yugoslavia basketball team could look like? Sit tight, buckle up, and allow „The Dragon” to take you on a ride down „what if” road, creating the „Megalodon” of basketball teams that could maybe conquer not only the US, but the entire world.
„You would have Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Nikola Vucevic, Bojan Bogdanovic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Boban Marjanovic. We can play against you guys!” Dragic concluded.
