Team USA's participation in the 2019 FIBA World Cup was a total failure as the Americans finished seventh in the tournament, marking their worst finish ever. Although the roster didn't include the United States' best players, it was still a supremely disappointing finish and one that will linger until Team USA takes the court again next summer.
And fans should expect a much different outcome when Team USA heads to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics. In a recent interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry announced that he plans to represent Team USA next Summer, which would be his first time ever competing on the Olympic team.
"That is the plan, for sure," Curry tells Nichols. "You know, obviously knock on wood, you don't want any injuries or things like that to interfere."
"Definitely wanna go," Curry said. "I've never been on the Olympic team. I've been on two World Cup championship gold-medal teams. But the Olympics is the experience that I want. And next year will hopefully be it."
It remains to be seen if the NBA's other superstars will follow his lead, but Curry seems confident that the roster will look a whole lot different when the games begin in Tokyo.
"We're still the best," Curry said. "If we get the guys that are supposed to be there, in terms of, you know, representing us in the Olympic stage and the commitment's been there, and I think it'll be there next year."