Good morning. Let’s basketball.

Le Défilé; Edgar Degas; 1866-68

As I wrote in my big piece previewing the field on Monday, the 2023 FIBA World Cup tips off early Friday morning. That piece ranked the top non-American players in the tournament. (Good feedback in the comments, by the way: Simone Fontecchio, I see you.) Now let’s turn our focus to Team USA, seeking to avenge a 7th-place finish in the 2019 World Cup. (Except not really: no players were involved in that effort.)

I wrote a couple weeks ago that Team USA may never be the clear favorite again, and I truly believe that. The world supplies as many superstar basketball players as the nation does, and USA Basketball has shown a repeated inability to secure the nation’s best veteran players for these tournaments.

But after watching all of the warm-up play leading up to the tournament, I do actually think Team USA is the favorite to win this World Cup. Not a clear favorite, certainly not a prohibitive favorite. But I think they have a really good chance to take gold.

Here’s why...