Montenegrin Star Nikola Vucevic Makes Bold Claim About European and American Players: “We’re Not as Athletic”

Apart from the NBA, the FIBA World Cup is another event that basketball fans look forward to. It is a well-known fact that many NBA athletes participate in this competition as well, representing their respective nations. Naturally, Team USA has the maximum number of NBA players on their team. However, this does not mean that all the superstars get together to make the team. Most stars choose to take a break after the regular season, or some take precautions for injuries.

Keeping this in mind, Montenegrin Bulls‘ star Nikola Vucevic believes that the US needs to start getting together its best players for the tournament. If they can pull this off, the veteran believes that Team US could be unstoppable.

The athleticism sets them apart

In a recent appearance in the Point Forward podcast, Vucevic asserts that “If the US, if they brought the best big dogs, I think it’d be tough for us to beat them.” He continues, “You got like skill, athleticism, all of it in one.” Compared to the US, Vucevic regrettably admits that “we’re not as athletic.” He claims that the Europeans tend to slow the game down due to a lack of athleticism and further believes that Team USA could be a favorite if they bring in the actual firepower they have.

In the FIBA WC 2023, Team US was represented by a group of young NBA players, showcasing a lack of senior experience. The team had young talents like Anthony Edwards, Austin Reaves, and Tyrese Haliburton. However, they managed to only finish in fourth place after losing the bronze medal game.

That being said, when was the last time the US won a gold medal on the international stage?

Team US over the years

Ever since FIBA was founded in 1932, the US men’s basketball team has won five gold medals. These were in the year 1954, 1986, 2010, and the most recent one in 2014. The 2014 team was packed with power and talent, with the likes of Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Derrick Rose, all in their prime. Considering the amount of star power in the roster, it would’ve been a shocker had they lost.

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However, the same level of fierceness has not been seen in the teams that followed that year. This year, though, they are expected to bring back the magic. According to sources, the 2024 team could include Lebron, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, AD, Jayson Tatum, and Devin Booker.

If this works out, we might be seeing one of the best US teams ever. But will they be better than 1992’s US Men’s Olympic basketball team a.k.a the ‘Dream Team’? Well, that can be up for debate.

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