The USA Basketball Men’s National Team were finally unable to escape a game with their impressive win streak intact on Wednesday, as they fell to France and were eliminated from the 2019 FIBA World Cup. While France’s 89-79 win may not have been all that much of an upset, the reactions proved that most expected a different outcome.
One of those reactions came from Tony Parker, who is one of the most recognizable players in French basketball history. The former San Antonio Spur was clearly thrilled with France’s win even though his former coach, Gregg Popovich, is the coach of Team USA.
Yes!!!! https://t.co/Em8LpGlCbC
— Tony Parker (@tonyparker) September 11, 2019
Parker won four NBA championships playing under Popovich, so he probably had some mixed emotions. Still, the moment was a huge one for France. USA entered the game with a 58-game win streak in major international competitions, which tells you all you need to know.
Numerous players opted not to play for Team USA this summer, and some of them were criticized for their decisions. The team was unable to match the chemistry of a squad like France, whose players had been playing together in international competition for years. If star NBA players opt out of the 2020 Olympics the same way they did with the World Cup, the gold medal could be up for grabs.
