USA - Team USA are underdogs, says Arenas

WASHINGTON (FIBA World Championship) - Team USA guard Gilbert Arenas has responded to calls that Team USA are favourites for the FIBA World Championship in Japan by claiming the Americans are actually underdogs.

Germany's superstar Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks last weekend tabbed the United States as the team to beat in Japan.

But when asked on the ESPN program Cold Pizza why Nowitzki would say something like that in light of recent struggles by Team USA, Arenas said: "I don't know why Nowitzki would say that. I thought everyone overseas was saying we needed two balls to go play over there. I think we're doing pretty fine with just one."

And he added: "Right now, we consider ourselves underdogs. But we do want to take back what is rightfully ours."

The Americans finished sixth at the FIBA World Championship in Indianapolis and took only the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics. Team USA have not won a World Championship gold since 1994.

Arenas said US struggles in the past could partially be blamed on the limited preparation time.

"The last team's main problem was they didn't get that time together. It was put together too fast, and the guys were not familiar with each other."

And Arenas added that his team-mates and his coach, Duke boss Mike Krzyzewski, have all rallied around each other.

"We've responded well (to Coach K). We didn't have our egos coming in, he didn't have his ego. We met in the middle, and great things are happening."

The United States will meet Puerto Rico, China, Slovenia, Italy and Senegal in Group D of the World Championship.

PA Sport
Exclusively for FIBA