Quote Originally Posted by Reilly View Post
I didn't realize the USA lost 2x in qualifying -- I guess those were the Jeff Van Gundy-coached teams.
Those losses didn't get a lot of attention because the teams weren't very good.

On June 28, 2018, Team USA lost 70-78 to Mexico in Mexico City. Here's the roster from that night:
  • Marcus Thornton
  • David Stockton
  • Alex Caruso
  • Nicholas Johnson
  • Rashawn Thomas
  • Xavier Munford
  • Reggie Hearn
  • Trey McKinney
  • Kevin Jones
  • Jonathan Holmes
  • Amile Jefferson
  • Taylor Braun

Other than Amile, I think most of us (aside from awhom) would be hard pressed to recognize more than half of these names.

On November 29, 2018, Team USA suffered a second loss, 80-63 playing in La Roja, Argentina. Here's the illustrious roster from that night:
  • Julian Williams-Washburn
  • Joel Berry
  • Scotty Hopson
  • Chasson Randle
  • Travis Trice
  • Deandre Liggins
  • Reggie Hearn
  • Eric Moreland
  • Richard Solomon III
  • John Jenkins
  • Cameron Reynolds
  • Tyler Zeller

Way too many Tar Heels, no wonder we lost. Argentina was led by a 38-year old Luis Scola, which I believe makes him the only person to beat Team USA three times (2002, 2004, 2018). And there are only a handful of people who have beaten Team USA twice: Argentines who were on the 2002 & 2004 teams, and Lithuanians on the 1998 & 2004 Teams.

But the takeaway is: even as badly as Team USA has been hit by defections for the 2019 tournament, the guys suiting up this summer are in a different stratosphere than the ones who lost last year. Hence why it really flew under the radar.

P.s.
If I told you a made up a name and inserted it into one of the rosters above, could you spot it?