Team USA coach Kara Lawson speaks out on prognosticators after dominant FIBA World Cup win over Hungary
During the postgame press conference, Lawson was asked if a recent power ranking provided her team with any added motivation entering the final stage of the tournament.Lawson admitted she did not know about the ranking, but addressed those who may have more confidence in France, which appeared to be the more dominant team during group play.THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE.DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!"This is a big tournament, this is the World Cup, and it’s okay for people to have opinions on who they think is going to win and who they think is going to lose and who they’re cheering for and who they’re going to boo.
That’s a competition, I think that’s why we love sport, it’s why it’s so exciting," Lawson said.United States head coach Kara Lawson looks on during the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Germany 2026 Group Phase match between the United States and Czech Republic at Berlin Arena in Berlin, Germany, on Sept.7, 2026.
(Getty Images)"And now in this moment in women’s basketball you have more people than ever before that are giving their opinions and they’re making rankings and they’re doing that.That’s all great, we clearly don’t talk about any of that inside our bubble, and we really just focus on what we need to do.ITALY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STAR TEARS INTO REF AFTER MISSING GAME-TYING SHOT VS US IN WOMEN'S WORLD CUP"Worrying about someone else’s opinion doesn’t serve you, because it doesn’t change whether you can do it or not.
It’s just someone’s opinion."FIBA moved France ahead of the United States in its final "Smart Power Rankings" following the group stage.The Americans fell to second after narrowly escaping Italy with a 55-52 victory, their lowest-scoring World Cup performance since the introduction of the 3-point line in 1984.Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Breanna Stewart and Chelsea Gray of the USA Women's National Team look on during a game against China at the FIBA Women's Ba...