A Look Back at the USA Basketball World Cup Team 2019 Performance and Results

I still remember sitting in the stands during that 2019 FIBA World Cup, feeling the peculiar mix of anticipation and uncertainty that hung over the American squad. As someone who's followed international basketball for over two decades, I've never seen Team USA enter a major tournament with quite this level of skepticism surrounding them. The star-studded roster we'd grown accustomed to seeing had been replaced by what many called a "B-team," though I've always thought that label was somewhat unfair to the talented players who did commit.

Looking back now, what strikes me most isn't just the final seventh-place finish—the worst in USA Basketball history in major international competition—but the entire journey that led there. When James Harden, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard and others withdrew from consideration, we knew this would be different. What we didn't anticipate was how the team's chemistry would develop, or rather, struggle to develop under the circumstances. I recall talking to one staff member who mentioned how the practice facility often felt disconnected, unlike the vibrant environments we'd seen with previous teams. This brings to mind something I've heard multiple athletes say about the difference between massive arenas and more intimate settings. One player's reflection particularly resonates: "It's more exciting and exhilarating. In the stadium, you are so far away from everyone. You are usually isolated. But in here, you really feel the love and support from everyone. It's a fun experience. A change of scenery, once in a while, which is healthy for us athletes." That sentiment captures what I believe was missing for this team—that genuine connection both on the court and with the environment around them.

The tournament itself unfolded in ways that exposed the team's limitations. I'll never forget watching them scrape past Turkey 93-92 in overtime during group play, needing four missed free throws from Cedi Osman to survive. That game revealed everything—the lack of clutch experience, the defensive lapses at critical moments, and most importantly, the absence of that killer instinct previous US teams possessed. The loss to France in the quarterfinals was particularly painful to watch. With about 4 minutes left, Team USA led by 7 points, and I remember thinking they might just pull through. But then Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert took over, exposing America's interior defense and half-court execution flaws that had been papered over against weaker opponents.

What many people don't realize is that this team actually had decent offensive numbers—they averaged about 85 points per game, which ranked third in the tournament. The problem was their defense, particularly in late-game situations where they allowed opponents to shoot nearly 48% in the fourth quarter of close games. Having studied basketball analytics for years, I can tell you that championship teams, regardless of the level, typically win with defense in international play. This group never quite established that defensive identity, and it cost them dearly against quality opponents.

The aftermath brought plenty of criticism, some justified, some overly harsh. Personally, I believe Gregg Popovich did about as well as anyone could have with the roster he had. The real issue was player commitment, not coaching. The 2019 experience actually taught USA Basketball a valuable lesson about the changing global landscape. Teams like Argentina, who beat us in the classification round, and Spain, who won the tournament, demonstrated that international basketball had caught up, and perhaps even surpassed America's development system in certain aspects. I've always argued that international teams play with more continuity and understanding of FIBA rules, which gives them an advantage against American teams that are thrown together at the last minute.

Reflecting on it now, that seventh-place finish might have been the wake-up call USA Basketball needed. The response in the following years—securing commitments from top players for the Tokyo Olympics and rebuilding the program with more strategic planning—suggests they learned from the 2019 disappointment. Sometimes you need to hit bottom before making necessary changes, and for American basketball, that bottom came in China during September 2019. The experience, while painful, ultimately strengthened the program's resolve and approach to international competition. I'm convinced we'll look back at that tournament as a turning point rather than just a failure—the moment USA Basketball rediscovered its humility and commitment to the global game.