Fox Sports to broadcast USA men's basketball exhibition games
While most weary eyes are on the United States women's soccer team during its uneven push for a third straight World Cup, Fox Sports signed another part of Team USA to its summer roster — the still-dominant basketball program.
Fox will televise five upcoming men's basketball exhibition games — the USA Basketball Showcase — as the team prepares for the FIBA World Cup, starting with Monday night's game against Puerto Rico live from Las Vegas. The team will have four more friendly games in Spain and Abu Dhabi before the tournament begins on Aug. 25. The FIBA World Cup is being played in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, making it the first time that the tournament will have multiple host countries.
In the 2024 USA Basketball Showcase, Fox Sports will feature both the men's and women's programs in their preparations for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Going into the global event, both of the senior teams will be defending their gold medals — the men will go for their fifth straight and ninth since the Dream Team asserted America's dominance in 1992.
The women, however, form the most dominant program in all of Team USA as they haven't lost a game in international competition since 2006 and haven't lost an Olympic contest since 1992. (They are 70-3 all-time at the Olympics.) The ladies will be going for their eight straight Olympic gold medal and eleventh overall.
Fox is much more associated with college basketball than any pro level hoops, but by broadcasting the men's team, it can somewhat whet the appetite for NBA fans who can't wait a moment longer until the 2023-24 season starts in October.
The men's World Cup roster may not be full of superstars, but it is a young and solid group going into the upcoming tournament. It's the first major competition under new executive director and Hall of Fame former player Grant Hill and new head coach Steve Kerr, the bench boss for the Golden State Warriors.
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