After an embarrassing start to his international campaign, Kyle Anderson finally snapped out of his funk during China’s blowout loss against South Sudan in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 on Monday evening.
Anderson, who had failed to convert a single field goal in their opening day loss to Serbia, showcased his NBA pedigree against the Bright Stars and filled the stat sheet with 22 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block.
Regrettably, the efforts of the Minnesota Timberwolves forward went down the drain as the 27th-ranked China suffered a stunning 89-69 defeat against the 62nd-ranked South Sudan, pushing them to the brink of elimination in Group B.
Anderson, also known as Li Kaier, mentioned that he expected himself to bounce back after a horrid debut that saw him miss all nine of his shots. He finished with four rebounds and four assists against the European powerhouse.
“I just expect that from myself to go out here and play well, but I think I have to find ways to play better, play hard, and try to secure the win. I mean, I expect to play well,” said the 29-year-old forward out of UCLA.
The former 30th overall NBA pick in 2014 remarked that NBA players are ‘in dangerous waters’ in FIBA competitions due to their numerous differences.
Serbia star Bogdan Bogdanovic, who currently plays for the Atlanta Hawks, commented after their victory against China that Anderson will need a bit more time to adjust to the international game.
“I’ll say physicality, I would say the spacing, you know, calls that you would get in the NBA… you know you don’t get those in FIBA. It’s just a different game, the court is much smaller (and) there’s not a lot of room out there,” said Anderson.
“It’s just a different game, and then you’re playing against teams that have played together since under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19, so it’s a different game. NBA players are in dangerous waters in this game, it’s not our style of play, but still I have to find a way to be effective to try and get the win,” he added.
Although he appeared to have finally grasped playing on the FIBA court, Anderson mentioned that it’s still tough to determine whether he has already adjusted to the international game.
“It’s tough to tell with one game. I obviously struggled against the Serbian team, and you know, it’s a different game in the NBA, so I have to figure out how to be effective in this game. So we’ll see against Puerto Rico,” said Anderson.
“We’re desperate. We have to find a way to win and try to make something happen.”
