FIBA World Cup: Barkley Predicts Spain to Win Gold

In an interview with NBATV, Charles Barkley predicted that Spain would beat the United States to win the gold medal in the FIBA World Cup. Barkley’s reasons? Geography, Glue and Fearlessness. Let’s examine.

Apr 1, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol (16) waits to be introduced before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Geography. There is nothing legendary about playing on home soil unless you manage to unite your country and win the whole thing. Spain has been here before, anticipating gold around their necks only to have it fall apart, and in front of the king no less. It was the World Championships of several years ago when the Spanish were summarily ousted from the tournament. So playing in front of your countrymen isn’t necessarily a recipe for excellence. But it doesn’t hurt that the arena in Madrid will be chaotic and frenzied. Two things can happen. Spain can feed off of the manic desperation and play out of their ever loving mind. Or, the United States can use the hostility to their advantage and silence the arena while at the same time reminding everyone they have only lost one international game in the last 9 years.

Glue. The Spanish team is cohesive and comfortable with each other’s flaws as well as their strengths and habits because they have been together so long. Year after year they come back; it is pride for their country. Experience has no peer. The Spanish team plays like they know something everyone else doesn’t. The hardest challenge is to stay connected with one another even during adversity. There is nothing shocking about what the United States have to conquer. They have shown glimpses of chemistry themselves but for such a young team with the capacity for greatness and the capacity to play selfishly they are just trying to get better each and every game and remain consistent.

Fearlessness. When Barkley was in Barcelona playing with the Dream Team foreign players were an anomaly, hardly remembered, a footnote in some NBA lost chapter. During the Olympics of 1992 foreign teams looked upon Barkley and Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan and Larry Bird as gods sent to change the earth. Simply, they were overwhelmed by the sheer sight of these magnificent athletes. Before many of the games the Americans-you had to see this to believe it- were asked to take pictures and sign autographs and then the Dream Team summarily kicked their ass. Twenty-two years later and dozens of international players alongside American born players in the NBA, the intimidation has been replaced, no one fears these former McDonald All Americans. They are no longer mysterious and more importantly they are not idolized nor deified. The Spanish national team of Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Ricky Ricky Rubio, Jose Calderon, Serge Ibaka aren’t the least bit intimidated by the players from the United States. They are so used to playing against them in the NBA that their specialness has been lost in translation. Through scouting reports and game film they know James Harden doesn’t play defense and Anthony Davis struggles down low with physicality and Kenneth Faried isn’t much of a mid range shooter. Spain is going to be ready for the United States. Will the United States be ready for Spain?