His group now formalized, Steve Kerr spoke for the first time this Friday on this selection of 12 players who will defend the American colors at the 2023 World Cup.
A selection with which Grant Hill and the American federation are satisfied, less talented than that of the 2014 World Cup, but better built than that of the 2019 edition, a huge fiasco for Team USA…
The “Villanova Connection” in power?
And for Steve Kerr, if it is a homogeneous group within which ” he will need everyone two players nevertheless stand out at first sight: Jalen Brunson And Mikal Bridgesthe two former teammates at Villanova, both authors of an excellent 2022/23 campaign as individuals.
” I clearly project myself with a first vision of the project in which Jalen Brunson plays a central role in this team, given his level of play this season in the NBA and also his success at the FIBA level in the past. “Notes the Warriors coach, who alludes to the U19 World Cup won by the United States in 2015, and which saw Jalen Brunson, then the best high school student in the country, win the MVP title.
Then the Team USA coach to explain the importance of Mikal Bridges through an obvious prism. ” There is obviously no doubt that Mikal Bridges is going to play a major role in defense », logically justifies Steve Kerr. ” As a coach, we have to ask ourselves ‘How are we going to defend Luka? [Doncic] ? How we will defend Giannis [Antetokounmpo] ?’ We built the squad like this with these questions in mind. »
So that seems clear: Jalen Brunson, with his FIBA cutthroat experience, and Mikal Bridges, with the confidence he represents defensively in all settings, should occupy the backcourt in Steve Kerr’s major five and embody the spearheads of Team USA at the World Cup.
Anthony Edwards, Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. in the five?
It therefore remains for Steve Kerr to define the other three positions of the five major. And there too, he already has his own idea, even if he specifies that his rotations will be concretely defined after the preparation.
For the wings, an obvious choice presents itself: the two scorers Anthony Edwards And Brandon Ingram“ incredibly dynamic attackers who will obviously have a big role to play adds Steve Kerr. Unless the versatility ofAustin Reaveswhose 57-year-old technician appreciates “ the size in defense, the capacity to change on the screens and to defend several positions, and the ‘playmaking’ », is the ideal complement on the wing.
Finally, concerning the interior sector, Steve Kerr of course mainly mentions the track Jaren Jackson Jr., the best defender in the league this season in the NBA (3 blocks per game). ” In the FIBA game, the rule of three seconds in the key does not exist. So the presence of a hoop protector of Jaren’s caliber is a necessity to win gold. “, he concludes. ” He will be our backbone, to defend the weak side, and as a second curtain. »
Overall, Steve Kerr therefore presents a coherent vision, on paper. Now remains the hardest part, making the formula work in the field, and repairing the failure of 2019. All that remains is, as they say…
