Shaquille O’Neal Subtly Warns Austin Reaves and Anthony Edwards of a Storm Coming, as NBA All Star-Led Rivals Smoke Latvia to Overshadow Team USA

As the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup games commence, teams with the potential to lift the cup are beginning to highlight. Some initial favorites, like France, are already out of the conversation. As a result, the shift creates a broader opening for formidable teams like Canada and team USA to shine. In Canada’s first three matches, they have showcased an unwavering dominance. A fantastic pool of NBA players backs them. This leads to their synchronization on both offense and defense ends.

While the USA team remains the ever-favorites to win it all, Canada’s emergence was duly predicted even before the exhibition matches. They are projected as the prime candidates to defeat Team USA. Even though the teams are not yet aligned for a matchup, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal sheds light on the brilliant run Canada has initiated.

Canada clinches top spot ahead of Team USA in FIBA World Cup standings

Although Luka Doncic undeniably holds the title of 2023 FIBA’s top player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a close second. With the additional forces around him, it is easy to pinpoint the reason behind their dominant run. After their three games, the average point differential in their wins stands at 37. During their recent stint, they cruised past the capable Latvia with a 101-75 victory.

In a recent update, Shaq subtly hints the USA team of Canada securing the number 1 spot in the tournament. He posted the 2023 World Cup power rankings by @basketballforever on his Instagram story.

While both teams remain undefeated in the tournament, a unique scenario places Canada above them in the rankings. The Canadian team has participated in three matches, while the USA has only completed two games. The upcoming showdown for the USA is against the Jordanian team, bearer of the lefty Kobe Bryant. Ahead of that, both the USA and Canada are scheduled for games on September 1 and September 3.

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Interestingly, building on the hint from Shaq, Canada manages to outpace the USA in a specific aspect despite having yet to encounter them directly. In the number of games played, Canada claims the highest differential in the tournament, a staggering 111 points. Meanwhile, the USA occupies the fourth position, trailing behind Lithuania’s 76 and Serbia’s 59 points.

Can USA win it all this year?

Team USA is still the global powerhouse in basketball, producing some of the world’s finest players. Yet, this supremacy doesn’t equate to their automatic victory in FIBA competitions. Even though there are no superstars this year, Team USA has dispatched star-caliber players to represent their nation. Nevertheless, Canada has also done the same, yielding visible results. When talking past Canada, the global basketball landscape has progressively narrowed the gap with the USA over time. Teams like Spain, France, Australia, and Serbia now command heightened respect on both ends of the floor. 

The 2019 FIBA World Cup saw the U.S. struggle. This culminated in a disappointing seventh-place finish. While the current team is less star-studded than its 2019 predecessor, it has succeeded in incorporating exceptional talent. However, the 2023 USA FIBA roster collectively needs more international experience. Furthermore, this summer was the first time they had played together.

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Even with this, the USA can still secure the title. A squad of adept coaches with championship experience, Steve Kerr and Erik Spoelstra, stands beside them. With the emergence of several capable opponents this year, the road ahead presents a more formidable challenge than usual for the American team. However, they are still the favorites to secure the gold in the tournament.