MANILA, Philippines -- When Victor Wembanyama withdrew from playing for France this summer, citing the demands of the next 12 months, the country's hopes of winning the FIBA World Cup took a big hit. But it was still stunning to see the French lose to Latvia on Sunday night, eliminating them from the tournament before pool play even ended.
This was on Team USA's mind as it prepared for its matchup against Greece on Monday night. The Americans weren't in the same precarious spot as France, but their opener against New Zealand, a 99-72 victory, wasn't impressive by their standards.