FIBA World Cup: Could Canada Give United States Real Challenge?

As group play continues at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, it's starting to become clear which teams really have the talent to win it all. Some squads that initially were some of the favorites have already been eliminated, most notably France who already lost two games.

As this happens, it further opens the door for some of the best teams in the event, such as Canada. Through their first two games of the FIBA World Cup, they have looked unstoppable. Both ends of the court are clicking and the level of talent is certainly top notch.

Canada's 12-man roster includes seven NBA players, a reigning college player of the year and several other key depth pieces.

In their opener, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fueled the team to a blowout win over France. In their second outing, he played very little given how quickly Canada was able to take care of business early in the contest. 

At all levels of competition, the teams that have the best headliners always have a chance to win. While Luka Doncic is the best player at this event, Gilgeous-Alexander is certainly second. Combine that with the depth and two-way talent on the Canadian team and it's easy to see why they've been one of the most dominant teams at this tournament, with an average point differential of 42.5 through two contests.

While the United States has been and still is the heavy favorite at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Canada has what it takes to win it all. It would take a really good gameplan and for the team to be at its best, but there's no question Canada has the skill and talent to defeat the United States in a head-to-head matchup if it came down to it.