When Steve Kerr reportedly called the Team USA “lazy” and “not interested” while watching their exhibition games performance against Germany and South Sudan, he might have missed the intensity on the court while sharing the floor with the GOAT Michael Jordan in Chicago Bulls. Since the narrative has been going that the present team is Dream Team 2.0, it does not match the intensity and quench for victory that the 1992 Dream Team and Jordan had during their era. That’s what the Team USA coach Steve Kerr pointed out yesterday to the press, demanding all-in play. However, it seems that the NBA All-Star members on the team are still in their bubble of profits and marketing.

Recently, Ben Maller, while appearing on Fox Sports Radio weekly ‘Ben Maller Show’, unfolded the potential intentions of the Team USA players as he went on his show, saying, “There are two reasons these guys go to the Olympics. These big baller NBA players who have all the money.” Apparently, Team USA’s run for medals does not receive any kind of fee. Rather, they get reward money for securing the top spot at the Olympics. That’s why they might try to earn money the other way. As Maller pointed out, the first reason, “Reason number one is so they can sell shoes. I saw LeBron James; he’s just happens to coincide with him being a flag bearer at the opening ceremony. There’s a new LeBron shoe out. I wonder if those two things are related.”

Interestingly, LeBron James did don his LeBron James 22 model from Nike during scrimmages on Friday, which is supposed to be released during the holidays this year. Also, LeBron is yet to play the 22nd season of his NBA career, still. The shoe images surfaced online before the pre-scheduled date. It does seem to fit what Maller indicated. Are the Team USA players prioritizing their personal interests rather than the national ones? Maller presented another argument to support his stance and aggravate coach Steve Kerr’s agony.

Personal interest from Team USA might increase Steve Kerr’s trouble

As Maller got to his second reason in support of his selfish motive argument, he added, “Secondly, it’s about updating your resume and adding another accolade that you won. If you’ve already won a gold medal, that’s great, but you can add another one to your accomplishments. …These guys are all treating this like a European vacation. They’re eating at the great restaurants in France.” Even before France, Stephen Curry took a detour to roam London despite the close wins in exhibition games.

What coach Kerr termed as lazy, Maller referenced it as the intentional appeal to not work hard. As he added, “Maximum effort and hustling on every play are things that require no athletic ability. But these guys have tremendous athletic ability, and yet they are choosing not to do it.” Overall, it is what Steve Kerr repetitively commented yesterday: Team USA needs to bring two more levels to their game with group stages ahead.

There are only six games left, and the margins of error are quite low. Any mistake and the whole Dream Team 2.0 might go down the drain, facing repercussions, including immense shame, despite having a full roster of NBA All-Stars. Can the teams bring their A-game into the games ahead, putting their supposed overconfidence aside? Let us know in the comments.

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