The New York Knicks had a handful of players participating in the 2023 FIBA World Cup over the past month, all emerging from the tournament with varying results.
Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart reunited on Team USA, while RJ Barrett suited up for Canada, and Evan Fournier represented France.
Each player entered the tournament with objectives for themselves and their respective teams. Some of these goals were met, some were exceeded, and others were unable to be completed.
Here are the report cards for each Knick in the World Cup.
Grading each New York Knicks player in the FIBA World Cup
Josh Hart
Hart was one of the final additions to Team USA’s roster, so there weren’t any grand expectations surrounding his international performance. In fact, some of the only questions regarding the forward were about whether he would be involved in the rotation or not.
Although the men’s national team underperformed by ultimately losing in the bronze medal game, Hart was one of the bright spots on the roster.
He thrived in his reduced role, eventually earning a slot in the starting lineup on a squad with numerous All-Stars. His 5.3 rebounds per game paced the team, while he operated as a connector on offense rather than adopting a score-first mentality.
This led to Hart averaging just 5.1 points in his 18.2 minutes each contest. However, he did so while shooting 68% from the field, 50% from three, and 88% on free throws.
Hart never ventured too far outside of his comfort zone, mostly scoring on cuts to the basket as well as transition opportunities, but he cemented his status as one of the best role players in the league.
While he performed admirably from an individual standpoint, it’s hard to completely ignore that the team as a whole still failed to medal. Knicks fans should be excited for his second season in New York regardless, though.
Grade: B+
