And I know there has been a lot of drop outs in the last two months leading up to September.

So what do you make of this?

You know, I think there's several reasons with the United States team, while why you haven't seen, you know, the kind of star power that I think people have become accustomed to with U.

S A team in recent years.

International number one.

Because we're one year away from the Olympics and for a lot of other countries.

The World Cup, formerly the world championships, carried as much, if not even Maura, times prestige than even the Olympics did.

But in the United States, the Olympics hold are held in much higher regard.

So I think you have a group of players who elite players like, say that LeBron James, the Anthony Davis is the James Harden's who may very well play in the Olympics next year who didn't want to play this year and do it in back to back years and then the other factor is that because the tournament is late in the summer, and it's right before the beginning of NBA training camp.

No players were looking at a very long time.

Commitment over 30 days would very little break time between the end of the fever tournament and the beginning of training camp and 1/3 factor.

And I talked to C.

J.

McCollum about this.

You know, players who are that second tier star who are not going to make the Olympic team next year thought by playing this year, what's it gonna help their chances of getting on the Olympic team next year?

And they thought, no matter what I do, you know of Kyrie, Irving and LeBron and that elite group wants to play next year.

They're going to be on the team.

I won't have a chance.

So I'm not gonna commit this summer.

And now you've have a team that still has very good talent on it better than the rest of the world, because the talent pool so deep in the United States, but not the star studded cast there used to an American team, you know that is going to have to fight toe win this tournament.

They're still going to be the favorites.

It's very rare that there's any n b a team in international competition that people still aren't going Expecto win.

But you have a lot of players who haven't played much, if any, feeble basketball.

It is a very different style of basketball.

40 minute games, you know, hot shooter.

Ah, hot shooting team can knock you out.

Uh, and you know, I think you know, it's a team that doesn't have the cohesion, the time spent together, that many of the teams they're competing against do and and that's where you know you're going to see teams like Serbia, Spain, others be able to kind of close the gap on the American team because they've been playing together.

They have continuity, They have a system, and those are all things that the U.

S.

Will be up against in a tournament where anything can happen.

It's all about international contenders.

There's teams like spaying Serbia, Australia, Brazil, they're still major competitors in this tournament.

What are some things or some players you will be watching from from them?

These teams?

Well, I think especially Serbia, they have all the ingredients for a team that could win a gold medal.

They have a a star, n b a star player and Nicola Yokich on Dave got shooting all over the court.

They've got cohesion, They bent together, and they've got great coaching.

Spain's another team.

Still having a Marc Gasol playing for you know, who has been a veteran of a lot of great international basketball winning.

You know, this Spanish national team, Um, over a very long period has been, you know, one of the rivals to the U.

S.

Team in Australia, very tough minded, you know, They've got some n b A players.

They won't have Ben Simmons who pulled out.

You know, Joe Ingles of the Jazz is certainly, ah, player with a lot of fever experience who will be an impact player for them on both ends of the court in that tournament.

And I just think that teams, especially in this format, who can who can shoot the ball who share the ball on and have been together, you know they have there are those of the teams are gonna be medal contenders and have, you know, and have enough talent to be able to match up with the athleticism, the basketball I Q.

Of the American team.

And all of these years you have been following international basketball.

What are some phone memories you have from the events or tournaments You have been too?

Well, starting with with one with Yao Ming.

Um, you know, opening night of the basketball tournament in Beijing, watching Yao Ming, who was very injured at that time, literally dragging what had been a broken leg up and down the court to be on the court with his teammates.

You know, against LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul watching him make the first shot from about 18 19 feet and listening to the noise.

The emotion of that, Uh, that was a special moment to be a part of watching.

You know, one of my favorite basketball teams I've ever covered watched the Argent Argentina teams that were lead by Manu Ginobili.

You know, several other MBA players people Luis Scola, Nocioni.

Ah, those that team in 2000 for that won a gold medal, really remarkable for that.

The history of basketball in that country and and watching Ginobli on that global stage dominate in that tournament, it was the perfect year to knock the Americans off.

They and I think that Argentina team that knocked the US off in that tournament on went on to win the gold medal.

Really?

You know, I think that was the beginning of changes in the USA Basketball program that led to the USA becoming dominant again on the world stage.

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