(Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)
Despite all that NBA talent, a lot of things went wrong in Team USA’s pursuit of the FIBA Basketball World Cup gold medal.
USA Basketball drew some criticism for the roster they had, as it mostly consisted of young players still making a name for themselves in the league.
Still, one could agree that they were mostly rising stars with more than enough talent to get the job done, which obviously wasn’t the case.
Notably, that has led plenty of people to point the finger at Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr.
The former No. 4 pick left a lot to be desired with his performances throughout the tournament, averaging just 2.9 rebounds per game despite being the team’s starting center.
When Naveen Ganglani asked about the criticism, the Michigan State product simply said that he had no comment or response to that criticism (via The Dunk Central).
Jaren Jackson Jr. doesn’t have any comments for averaging 2.9 RPG in the World Cup
(h/t @naveenganglani )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 9, 2023
Jackson Jr. was supposed to be a driving force, especially on the defensive end of the floor, considering that he had just been named Defensive Player of the Year.
Coach Steve Kerr was also under fire for failing to make an adjustment and go with Walker Kessler over Jackson, who was clearly struggling with foul trouble and physicality.
Jackson Jr. still has a bright future in this league, but it’ll be hard to shake off this narrative, at least for a while.
The post Jaren Jackson Jr. Has Blunt Response To Criticism During World Cup appeared first on The Cold Wire.