Following Team USA’s dominant victory over New Zealand with a score of 99:72 in the first round of the FIBA World Cup, Anthony Edwards shared his thoughts on the match.
The United States entered the FIBA World Cup with the intention to improve upon their performance from four years ago, when they finished in seventh place. After their triumph over New Zealand, Anthony Edwards kicked off his statement for “BasketNews” with a touch of humor.
“I don’t know how, but the ball was slipping out of my hands somehow at the beginning of the game. The first game is always like that, as you need to get accustomed to the court, to the ball. We managed to do that in the second half. Everything should be good for us now.”
First W in the πΌ β #FIBAWC x #WinForUSA πΊπΈ
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 π (@FIBAWC) August 26, 2023
Although Edwards had a slow start to the game, he found his rhythm during the second quarter and helped his team secure a nine-point lead at halftime.
“I didn’t worry about the slower start. I was just trying to find a way to contribute more. I don’t stress about my performance as long as we’re getting wins. I put on too much cream before the game, so I created a problem for myself at the beginning. It’ll be all good.”
Edwards also mentioned Paolo Banchero, who led the Americans to victory with 21 points.
“From day one when we got together, I’ve been telling him to be himself. Step on the court and play his way, and that’s what he did in this game. He was the best player on the court.”
The next opponent for Team USA will be the Greek national team.
“As for how we’ll approach the game against Greece, that’s a question for the coaching staff. We players have no clue about it. Our job is to step on the court and play hard, and the coaches will give us the instructions to follow,” concluded Edwards.
In addition to Greece, Team USA will also face the Jordanian team before the end of the group stage.