The basketball world championship should be a tournament of the top stars. Gradually, however, a number of exceptional talents withdrew.
Giannis Antetokounmpo takes a run-up, jumps off and is then celebrated like Cristiano Ronaldo with a loud “Siu” – the football fans in Nashville are enthusiastic about the show. In basketball, on the other hand, the pictures shortly before the start of the World Cup are once again disillusioning. Many stars are currently touring around the world, but, like Antetokounmpo, are avoiding the tournament in Asia.
Serbia’s superstar Nikola Jokic? Too exhausted after the successful title hunt in the NBA. The exceptional French talent Viktor Wembanyama? Grooves for a successful start in the USA. And Japan’s top player Rui Hachimura was also playing tennis with Naomi Osaka these days instead of preparing for the home tournament. Nobody expected industry giants like US stars LeBron James or Stephen Curry anyway.
Antetokounmpo, who owns shares in Nashville SC football club, said it was difficult for him to cancel the tournament in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines starting Friday. “Everyone knows my passion and love for my national team hasn’t changed and never will,” said the two-time NBA MVP. After a knee operation, he does not feel ready for the strain again, he wants to be back at the Olympic Games in 2024. The Canadian exceptional talent Jamal Murray and the Latvian giant Kristaps Porzingis recently made similar statements.
Too much
It’s now obvious that the World Cup in Asia and the world event in the French capital next summer are too much for the absolute elite as a package. Serbian national coach Svetislav Pesic stated soberly in BIG Basketball that for many players their own contract has “more priority” than the national team: “That’s how it is now. Not just in Serbia.” Slovenia’s Luka Doncic remains an exception at the World Cup as a player on the very top shelf.
Pesic understands Jokic. The center played 89 games this past NBA season en route to winning the title with the Denver Nuggets. Both the head and the bones need a break before the billion-dollar business in the USA starts again at the beginning of October. A grueling World Cup would have meant an additional burden.
The highlight of the basketball world association FIBA gets into an ambivalent situation due to the many cancellations. The superstars of the scene would have attracted even more attention and, in good shape, would have lifted teams like Greece or Serbia to a higher level. On the other hand, it’s no good if they drag themselves through the tournament out of shape. The roles should also have a lot to offer in the current line-up.
have guts
Record world champion USA has one of the future top stars in Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), who delivered a spectacle in the narrow friendly win against Germany. “What I like is that now we know they have guts. But we can still get a lot better,” said US national coach Steve Kerr about his team, who confirmed their role as favorites with strong preparation.
Hungry stars like Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) or Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) also sense their chance and could still give the World Cup the hoped-for shine without numerous top stars.
2023-08-23 19:44:04
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