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Winners and Losers Who sizzled and who stunk at the World ChampionshipsPosted: Sunday September 08, 2002 1:47 AMUpdated: Monday September 09, 2002 4:22 PM
INDIANAPOLIS -- "We’re No. 6! We’re No. 6!" OK, so maybe it’s not the cheer folks in the U.S. expected to hear after this year’s FIBA World Basketball Championships. But it’s a reality now after the U.S. stumbled to a sixth-place finish with an 81-75 loss to Spain on Saturday night. The U.S. entered the tournament with a perfect 53-0 record in international competition when using NBA players. They left angry and embarrassed, the first U.S. team to not medal since 1978. They lost to Argentina. They lost to Yugoslavia. They lost to Spain. In all three games, flag-waving foreign fans drowned out U.S. fans amid the sparse crowds at Conseco Fieldhouse. All in all, it was not one of the better weeks for USA basketball. Here’s a look at some other big winners and losers from this year’s tournament:
Winners
He quit smoking, backed up his trash talk and got to the championship game. Meanwhile, he showed he could flop in any language.
No player at this year’s tournament did more to raise his profile. Spurs fans are going to love watching this 6-foot-6 slasher "Manu"-facture offense next season.
He led all scorers in the tourney with a 23.3 scoring average while leading Germany to the bronze medal game. Even Mark Cuban’s insurance agent was impressed.
Sure they finished 12th. But the one-time African patsy beat Canada and China, and took Brazil and Puerto Rico to OT. Take that, Charles Barkley!
He carried Team USA early with explosive scoring bursts. His defense and shot-selection were questionable at times, but he was clearly the best player on the U.S. team.
Bounced back from a poor opener to dominate like no other big man. He even flashed some Princeton-like passing from the high post.
Some foes didn’t like it, but this wacky pre-game tribal dance by New Zealand was the talk of the tourney. Let's just hope it doesn’t catch on.
Losers
Fair or not, he will be remembered as the guy in charge when the U.S. lost for the first time with NBA players. Somewhere, John Thompson is breathing easier.
The Jazz forward was a one-man gang for Russia until badly spraining his left ankle before the U.S. game. He wound up playing in just three games.
Poor promotion. Overpriced tickets. Whatever the reason, World Championships crowds were thinner than Karl’s hairline. So much for Hoosier Hysteria.
The showboating Hornets guard too often played like he was back on the L.A. playground. Meanwhile, he shot just 38.1 percent from the floor.
The Lebanon head coach -- and former Ole Miss star -- was a frequent critic of his nation’s federation. He got fired midway through the tourney.
The Sonics forward racked up DNP-CDs for his Yugoslavia team. He spent part of his team’s semifinal win over New Zealand seated in the stands -- still dressed in his uniform.
Put together a team full of good guys. Unfortunately, too many of them couldn’t make a basket or a free throw. Next time, get Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant . Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.
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