'We don’t want to sugarcoat this': Carmelo Anthony isn’t ready to listen to any excuses as Team USA is stunned by Germany in 2023 FIBA World Cup

Carmelo Anthony did not mince his words and quickly conceded to the fact that Germany's 2023 FIBA World Cup semi-final win against Team USA was a major shocker.

Speaking in a special roundtable discussion with fellow FIBA World Cup global ambassadors Pau Gasol and Luis Scola at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City on Saturday, Anthony told the media present, including Sportskeeda, not to deny that fact.

Anthony said:

"Let's just be quite frank. We don't want to sugarcoat this. It is an upset."

The betting lines reportedly opened with Team USA being a minus 10.5 favorite to beat Germany ahead of their semi-final clash.

However, as the game went on — and Germany gradually pulled away — the tides soon turned in Germany's favor, and by the early fourth quarter, Germany became a minus 4.5 favorite.

Even if Team USA somehow prevented Germany from going against the spread, an upset is an upset according to Anthony.

He further added:

"When you have that gold standard in that, that's what we're reaching... Anything other than that is an upset. I don't want anybody to kinda sugarcoat that... Those are upsets. Let's accept that."

Anthony then lauded Germany for completing the major stunner against Team USA:

"You got to take your hat off to Germany. Those guys had a hell of a game."

Carmelo Anthony says upsets are 'good for basketball'

Carmelo Anthony added that seeing an upset like Germany's win over Team USA should be beneficial for the sport of basketball in general, especially in the long run:

"That's good for the sport. That's good for FIBA, basketball, and fans to let everybody know that the rest of the world is here to play."

This is the second time since NBA players were allowed to play for Team USA that the team was knocked out in the FIBA World Cup semi-finals and the fourth time overall that Team USA missed out on the championship.

Carmelo Anthony, a member of the 2006 team that lost to Greece in the semis, hopes that Team USA has learned its lessons from the stinging defeat on Friday night to Germany:

"Everybody has to think differently on their approach to win the gold medal."

Team USA caps its campaign on Sunday night against neighbor Canada for the bronze medal.