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In every international tournament, the expectations on the shoulders of Team USA remain heavy. So, their loss to Lithuania in the FIBA World Cup 2023 second round did not go down well amongst the fans. Amidst the frustration, both Draymond Green and Kevin Durant have extended their support to the national team players.

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Green displayed his faith in the young NBA players of Team USA soon after their loss. After the team’s win against Italy in the quarter-final, Durant matched his energy.

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What did Kevin Durant say?

The team’s loss in the previous round received massive backlash from the supporters. Many turned their back against the national team, as questions were raised over the squad’s capability of defeating the big teams in the tournament. In the midst of chaos, the Golden State Warriors star posted, “Looking forward to watching the guys win the WC!”.

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The youngsters proved their worth after comfortably beating Italy 100-63 to secure a semi-final spot. Kevin joined his former Warriors teammate as soon as Team USA moved an inch closer to the gold medal. “Real shit,” the 34-year-old stated before adding, “Let’s bring home another gold fellas!!”.

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Both Durant and Draymond have the experience of winning gold medals in the national colors. So, their public display of backing the Team USA carries an immense amount of volume. One question then takes precedence.

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Can Team USA prove its haters wrong?

Under the guidance of a star-studded coaching unit, led by Steve Kerr, the team showcased dominance throughout. Their unexpected loss to Lithuania was blown out of proportion because of them falling short of expectations.

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One of the major sources of frustration for the fans in that game was the lack of contribution from the bench. All that seems to have gone away as the rotation players combined to contribute 57% of the USA’s points in the quarter-final.

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The potential for Team USA to win another gold medal is undoubtedly there. So, the support from the NBA superstars towards the up-and-coming stars of basketball made a lot of sense. Now, it’s up to the team to showcase what they have got in these closing stages of the tournament.

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Written by

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Sourav Bose

355 Articles

Sourav is a detail-oriented NBA content writer at EssentiallySports. His passion for the game of basketball was ignited by none other than the captivating duo of Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr. As he delved into the illustrious history of the NBA, his fascination grew exponentially. Enthralled by ''The Last Dance', Sourav eagerly immerses himself in NBA-related narratives, movies, books, and documentaries, a dedicated effort to stay abreast of the latest developments in the basketball world.

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Edited by

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Sameen Nawathe

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