Scariolo’s Spain surpasses the USA at the top of the world ranking. Italy tenth – Corriere.it

The world basketballthe one who, to be clear, lives under the aegis of Fiba (the NBA, as we know, is a planet apart), change master: at the top of the ranking in fact, there are no longer the USA, but Spain which since 2015 has again been led by an Italian, Sergio Scariolo (in his second experience with the Red Furies, having trained them, also successfully that time, from 2009 to 2012). After the last update of the rankings, La Roja of baskets has overtaken the Yankees by 1.1 points (the new values ​​are 758.6 against 757.5): since 2010, when the evaluation method was introduced, the first time that basketball masters (former masters, perhaps?) have been bypassed.

The Iberians have collected the 2019 world title, the recent triumph at the 2022 European Championship and the third place at the Tokyo Gameswhile the United States, albeit Olympian in 2021, discounts theelimination in the quarterfinals of the World Cup and the fact that they were only bronze medalists in this year’s America Cup.

In the press release in which he formalizes the new ranking the International Federation underlines a characteristic of Spain: in recent years the Red Furies have used 29 players, the proven proof that the project started with the return of Scariolo on the bench has generated opportunities for many basketball players and the photograph of a healthy movement, capable of creating development. For the record, after Spain and the USA, Australia, Argentina, France, Serbia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Greece and Italy, which confirms the tenth place. There is also a signal for those who have made the greatest leap forward – Thailand, gained 10 positions – and for those who, on the other hand, accuse the most decisive step backwards, or rather Thaiti which is credited with a -28.

Absolutely this overtaking does not say that the United States are no longer the homeland of basketball, but it reaffirms that they can no longer joke with the rest of the world and that if they want to win they are forced to draw more than ever on the reservoir of professionals (even here, however, without solid guarantees of leadership). In past history – therefore pre-ranking Fiba – there have been other slips to that record. But if the daring epilogue of the 1972 Olympic final, with the mockery of the USSR on the verge of tenths of a second, was by chance also made possible by a series of table errors1988 with the Soviet victory at the Seoul Games told that the world of basketball was changing.

The Americans understood the hint and after missing out on gold at the 1990 World Cup as well, they launched the Dream Team to sensationally break the bank at the 1992 Barcelona Games. But even once the hierarchies were re-established, things didn’t always go well for them: in fact, at the level of five circles, the setback of 2004 arrived (third place behind Argentina and Italy), while at the level of the world championships there were three defeats in a row – 1998, bronze; 2002, off the podium; 2006, bronze – followed by that of 2019 (no medal) after the successes of 2010 and 2014. The message of the new ranking to the USA that nothing will be given to them anymore, especially if Spain coached by an Italian will continue to be a forge of talents.