This past summer USA Basketball experienced some snubs from their elite athletes who failed to show up for the FIBA World Cup. Not being able to put their top talent on the hardwood resulted in the Americans not just losing the tournament but barely making the required cut to ensure their Olympic berth.
Team USA managed to finish seventh and by virtue of that won’t have to play in the wild card tournaments that will occur this summer to determine the final berths to the Toyko Olympic Games.
It’s long been rumored North Americans (Canada went through the same problem this past summer) don’t place as much weight on the World Championships viewing the Olympics as the more impressive event to participate in.