Nigeria defeated a roster stacked with All-N.B.A. players on Saturday, becoming the first African team to beat the U.S. men’s national team.
The U.S. men’s basketball team was upset by Nigeria on Saturday evening in its first exhibition game ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, a stunning outcome even if the effects are more symbolic than likely to affect the United States’ eventual gold medal hopes. Nigeria defeated a Team U.S.A. roster stacked with All-N.B.A. players,90-87, at Mandalay Bay Arena in Las Vegas. It was the first win by an African team over the U.S. men’s national team. The loss drops Team U.S.A.’s record to 54-3 in exhibition games held since 1992, when N.B.A. players were first allowed to play in the Olympics. The team had not lost an exhibition game since 2019, a 98-94 upset by Australia ahead of the FIBA World Cup.
