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Team USA's Austin Reaves. Xinhua

Team USA stock up, down: Bronze-medal edition

By Sean Keane | Last updated Sep 8, 2023 6:43 PM ET

Team USA lost to Germany in the FIBA World Cup semifinal and will now play Canada for the bronze medal. Here's a look at whose stock is up or down with the American basketball team.

Stock up

Austin Reaves: Two years ago, Reaves went undrafted. This year, he was playing in Team USA's crunch-time lineups, racking up the fourth-most minutes for the American basketball team and shooting 52.4 percent from three-point range. He fit in with the star-studded team seamlessly, which he may have learned while playing alongside superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the Los Angeles Lakers.

His reliable shooting and selfless game were one reason the United States was crushing other teams' bench lineups. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Reaves make it among an even more star-studded Olympic team next summer.

Tyrese Haliburton: The Indiana Pacers All-Star guard led Team USA in assists and steals, and he tied with Walker Kessler for most total blocks, all while making half of his three-point attempts. Haliburton showed why Indiana gave him a maximum extension earlier this summer, setting up teammates and playing solid defense. The only knock would be that the highly efficient Haliburton could have looked for his own shot more — but we fully expect him to play — and possibly start — for next year's Olympic team.

Anthony Edwards: Edwards is another maximum-extension player who made his team look wise for locking him up long-term. On a team full of All-Stars, Edwards was definitively "that dude," the go-to guy in crunch time who the team relied on when they absolutely had to get a bucket. He also showed defensive intensity that was not always present with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He turned 22 last month, but he played like a veteran. Even in the team's semifinal defeat, Edwards brought Team USA back to within a point after a huge late deficit. He seemed to elevate his performance as the game went on, especially in crunch time. This will not be the last time we see Edwards starring for the national team.

❌ Anthony Edwards in the first half: 0 points, 0/5 FG

✅ Anthony Edwards in the second half: 17 points, 7/11 FG#FIBAWC x WinForUSA pic.twitter.com/7rzmcztEUQ
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 (@FIBAWC) September 1, 2023

Stock down

Brandon Ingram: The Pelicans star went from the starting lineup, to the bench, to totally out of Steve Kerr's rotation by the game against Germany. (He reportedly had a respiratory illness.) Ingram was invisible during the World Cup, averaging 5.7 points and making just 27.3 percent of his three-pointers. Ingram acknowledged his difficulties, telling reporters, "The team is winning right now, so I can't be selfish thinking about myself. But it's a little frustrating right now for me."

The international game can be frustrating for a one-on-one scorer like Ingram, especially on a team that has other stars to initiate the offense. But Ingram couldn't adjust to become a catch-and-shoot player, or crash the boards, grabbing only three rebounds per game. He may be an All-Star in the NBA, but he couldn't even get on the court in FIBA.

Jaren Jackson Jr.: The Memphis big man didn't look like the Defensive Player of the Year in the World Cup, logging just one more rebound (20) than he had personal fouls (19). While he's a very athletic defender and shot-blocker, Jackson wasn't as good against bigger teams in the World Cup. Perhaps it's because he and his coach disagreed about his aggressive style, which led to a lot of foul calls.

"He has the ability to block everything,” Team USA head coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “But sometimes he needs to dial it back a little bit.”

Jackson ended up with the worst of both worlds, committing fouls but blocking less than a shot per game. Perhaps Jackson needs a big center next to him like Steven Adams to truly excel. But right now, his campaign to repeat as DPOY looks dead in the water.

Steve Kerr, coach: If Kerr was hoping to prove he could win without Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, this tournament did not help. He made some curious decisions, like starting Jalen Brunson over the more pass-oriented Haliburton and often going to small lineups when Team USA got in trouble. That might work when Green is his small-ball five; it's much less effective when Paolo Banchero is protecting the rim.

He'll have a different team for the Paris Olympics, perhaps with Curry and Green joining up, or even his old forward Kevin Durant. But anything less than a gold medal is a disappointment for USA Basketball, no matter what happens in the gold-medal game.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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