The United States of American has always been a powerhouse when it comes to international basketball. NBA stars have become legends in the Olympics and team USA once consistently sported names like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. The 1992 USA basketball team that took Barcelona by storm is affectionately known as “the dream team” due to the fact that it featured players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing and more legends of the court.

But, more recently, USA basketball hasn’t been taken seriously. The best USA players in the NBA have chosen to sit out of international competition, instead opting to rest for the NBA season. Which in some ways is understandable. That is, until the USA gets embarrassed in the World Cup.

The FIBA World Cup is the second biggest international basketball tournament in the world and has been put on every four years since 1950. The USA were runners up in the first ever FIBA World Cup and won the second tournament in 1954. In FIBA World Cup history the United States has won five World Cup championships, finished second three times, and came is third four times. But, in the last two World Cups the enthusiasm surrounding the USA in international competition has been less than stellar. In fact, it has been lack luster at best.

Top NBA stars don’t seem to want to play in the World Cup, which has led to the cycle that has taken place. Team USA attempts to put together a team of NBA talent to face off against international teams that are getting better and better. Then when the USA team gets embarrassed, suddenly NBA stars are out in force saying that they have to save USA basketball even though their refusal to play is the reason for the FIBA embarrassment. Then NBA stars return to team USA and do well in the Olympics giving USA basketball fans hope in the future only to refuse to play in the next World Cup.

This has been the cycle for the last eight years, with the newest USA basketball team that has garnered interest from LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving and other NBA superstars being dubbed the “re-redeem team”.

The reason it is so important for the USA to build up the basketball program is because of the rise of other international programs. The rest of the world is catching up and the USA can no longer roll out their B team and expect to win. If you want proof, just look at some of the best players in the NBA. Luka Doncic is one of the best young players in the game and is undoubtedly the future face of the NBA. He is Slovenian. Giannis Antetokunmpo is one of the most dominant basketball players since Shaquille O’Neal and a back-to-back MVP. He is Greek. Reigning NBA champion and most recent back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic is from Serbia.

This just goes to show that the rest of the world is catching up to the United States on the court and they have no intention of slowing down. In the most recent FIBA World Cup, the USA finished fourth with losses to Canada and eventual champion Germany. The USA was second in their group behind Lithuania, who they lost to in the group stage. and it’s not like these teams that the USA is losing to are stacked with NBA talent. Lithuania has a single NBA player on its roster. Germany, who won the entire tournament, only has four.

The world is catching up to the USA, and if Team USA can’t get the best United States players to commit to international play then it will be hard for anyone to take USA basketball seriously.