There is no denying the fact that Team USA is barely managing to live up to the expectations! While they’ve won all 4 exhibition games, 2 of them were won with very narrow margins. Tensions were high, as many thought LeBron James and Co. would not make it past South Sudan. Well, they did, but by just one point. With just a week to go before the Paris Olympics, questions are being raised on whether King James, Steph Curry, and the Hoopers will succeed in securing the 5th consecutive gold medal for their country.

After the South Sudan matchup, Steve Hartman and Monse Bolanos of Fox Sports Radio did not hold back in their criticism. Hartman outrightly stated, “That was embarrassing. Honestly, if it were me, I would fire Steve Kerr right now. His mismanagement of this team is already evident.” After all, if a star-filled roster comprising LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant could barely tackle a team that only qualified for the Olympics this year, then what does that say?

“This is the oldest team we’ve ever put to the Olympics defensively they have Anthony Davis they have, LeBron James does not play any defense anymore, so he’s an absolute zero on the defense. Basically, the three Celtic players are the ones to play any defense,” Hartman continued. Unfortunately, the co-host’s disappointment was also built up by the fact that they refused to give too much importance to their X-Factor. And no, it is not Anthony Edwards, as some people might think.

“You’ve got offensive weapons on this team galore. I agree with you as far as Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis is the X Factor. If you watch Laker basketball season long, he was the most valuable player for the Lakers, because he can do it at both ends when he is healthy, and he was certainly healthy this year,” said Hartman. AD has certainly been making an impression in the recent exhibition games. During the crucial game against Australia, the 31-year-old scored 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Davis’ performance in the third quarter helped Team USA recover from a first-half stint that was filled with failed shots and too many turnovers, allowing the rival team to close up a large points gap. Without his contribution, they wouldn’t have been able to earn the final score of 98-92, which saved them from embarrassment.

The Fox Sports Radio host isn’t the first to call for Steve Kerr’s firing. In the aftermath of the Australia nail-biter, fans on social media erupted against the 58-year-old for his unexpected rotations that could’ve proven costly. His decision to put Ant-Man, Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton, Bam Adebayo, and Devin Booker in the last quarter was also called out since it caused the score to go from 65-41 to 86-80! While hope was placed that things might change in the later games, the South Sudan reality contradicts that belief.

LeBron James praises Anthony Davis’ “treat” to Team USA

Having been NBA teammates for over 5 years, Anthony Davis is certainly to LeBron James what Scottie Pippen was to Michael Jordan in the 90s! AD has served as an efficient second-in-command to Bron for half a decade, covering for the All-Time Leading Scorer and making significant contributions when he couldn’t. If the 39-year-old might have hoped to keep that same sportsmanship alive going into the Olympics, he has certainly not been disappointed so far.

When discussing Anthony Davis’s impact during the first three exhibition games in a presser, LeBron James stated, “I see it every day. He’s been my teammate for the last six years, so I’ve seen it every single day. He’s just one of these talents that there’s not many of them, so it’s always a treat to be on the same floor as him.”

Alongside Stephen Curry, it was LeBron James and Anthony Davis that blocked the loss against South Sudan. While LeBron went 10-14 shooting from the field to bring his score to 25 points in 23 minutes, AD put his offensive and defensive skills together to drop a score of 15 points and 11 rebounds, accompanied by 2 blocked shots. With 4 seconds remaining in the game, it was AD who prevented Sudan from making a much-needed shot and let them steal the win. One more exhibition game remains before Team USA heads off to Paris for the main event. Therefore, we will have an answer in due course as to whether Anthony Davis’ role will further increase under Steve Kerr or not.

As the Paris Olympics loom closer, the pressure mounts on Steve Kerr and Team USA. Will Kerr adapt his strategy to better utilize the talents of Anthony Davis and secure another gold medal? Or will the criticisms and calls for his firing overshadow the team’s efforts? Only time will tell, but one thing is clear: the debates and tensions are far from over.