The USA men’s basketball team fell apart on Sunday in Tokyo, blowing a fourth quarter lead to France thanks to an offense that was unable to score a basket in the final 3:40 seconds — a problem Team USA has had in exhibition games as well. The loss led to plenty of jokes at the Americans and even saw Evan Fournier get to the root of USA hoops’ issues with one sentence, pointing out that they’re a lot of great individuals but not yet a great team.
However, before the jokes arrived at the USA’s expense, the basketball world’s focus was on something that happened at halftime of the USA-France game, where a basketball shooting robot was brought out for the mostly empty arena to shoot from all over, cashing everything.
Robots are taking free throws at the #TokyoOlympics.
Automatic. pic.twitter.com/AUoc6zSj4N
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 25, 2021
A basketball robot. For your pleasure. pic.twitter.com/5LZF2vpwNg
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) July 25, 2021
There were a number of camps that you could be in for reactions. My personal favorite was everyone pointing out that this robot’s release was outrageously slow and as such, you could just block this robot every time.
Slow Ass release, I would work this robot https://t.co/jYiko4JCrF
— nickmarbles (@nick_marbles) July 25, 2021
Release is too long, I’m swatting that shit every time fr 💯💯💯 https://t.co/TysTEQzm7h
— gummy mcgee (@TeeTooToopWhoop) July 25, 2021
I could defend the SHIT out of this clown https://t.co/kTsp1Wx0jB
— OJ Computer (@buttt_stufff) July 25, 2021
slow ass release https://t.co/Xr8BxdvBEZ
— mel 🇵🇸 (@melodramatictw) July 25, 2021
Blocking that shit to next week https://t.co/Y09gM4t2uT
— Peyso (@peyroll) July 25, 2021
I’ll lock this stiff ass foo up https://t.co/UqASTa1xb9
— Miklo (@Jadedkiss626) July 25, 2021
Slow ass release https://t.co/m2bCngdDLQ
— Nico Vazquez. (@xNicov624) July 25, 2021
Release is too slow I’d block the shit out of that https://t.co/DOPGeMRDKi
— Josh Means (@jmeanz) July 25, 2021
I would dominate this fucking thing https://t.co/bVY5BJGSYZ
— Max McGee (@mcgeezy01) July 25, 2021
I’m locking his ass up https://t.co/7Vmbf1dINU
— J.D. (@jdscribnah) July 25, 2021
I'd dunk on it https://t.co/PAKaaHc5Lq
— The Thumb Thespian (@BishopCognac) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/findingneema23/status/1419290696150917122
I would’ve blocked tf out of this!!!! https://t.co/9P9l2tgRrg
— Former Expert, Esq™ (@TheFormerExpert) July 25, 2021
There were also a lot of tweets about the robot being better than Ben Simmons or the Sixers needing to trade Simmons for the shooting robot.
Already better than Ben Simmons https://t.co/Y2sMWDXBuN
— Luka Magic (@banjxhn) July 25, 2021
Ben Simmons is embarrassed https://t.co/TFv76MGb2u
— Juan LG (@JustLakerGame) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/KgosinagaMusa/status/1419286205427068929
This is what happens when Ben Simmons asks for a living wage hope you’re happy https://t.co/Ub2xL5peCl
— Kalon Fullerton (@cowlonfull) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/pblest/status/1419312870953734149
Sixers are NBA champions if we have this robot instead of Ben Simmons https://t.co/7eVsMOOCLP
— Mike Bradley (@RealMikeBradley) July 25, 2021
The next most popular joke was that the USA squad needed this robot against France.
Is the robot available to sub in? #USABMNT https://t.co/OPLZHeVcd9
— Buzzer (@buzzer) July 25, 2021
Can we get it on Team USA???? https://t.co/svgJ8l1Yd9
— Anthony (@ZombiesIsBeast) July 25, 2021
#usabasketball could have done with this guy https://t.co/kbzBHRNh1X
— celbridgegooner (@celbridgegooner) July 25, 2021
Hmm, maybe we need THIS to hit open 3s at the #Olympics! #USAvsFrance https://t.co/iCGIgGWux5
— Mike (@MainEventSwerve) July 25, 2021
Get this robot on team USA ASAP https://t.co/omnES6CPFg
— David Beer (@dabeer27) July 25, 2021
Another was to call the robot Kawhi Leonard (you know, because he’s a basketball playing robot without emotions) or Stephen Curry (cause it can’t miss).
They’ve cloned Steph Curry https://t.co/Ez8H98ltI5
— Tyson Beck (@tysonbeckdesign) July 25, 2021
https://twitter.com/Unavaillableee/status/1419328451182567425
Kawhi Leonard out here in Tokyo not with Team USA having fun while he supposed to be recovering from a torn acl smh https://t.co/jyeBNIGn50
— Tęrräñøvå (Overly Positive Pal) (@TerranovaNoah) July 25, 2021
Bot Curry with the shot, boi https://t.co/ScckOIe19p
— 𝓟𝓪𝓽𝓻𝔂𝓴 "𝓓𝓪𝓻𝔀𝓲𝔃𝔃𝔂"9⃣ (@PJetzu) July 25, 2021
They told me @StephenCurry30 wasn’t going to Tokyo though….. https://t.co/zM2eXGY8DN
— Colin Morris (@the_cmorris) July 25, 2021
Plenty also pointed out that the robot takes about as long to shoot as Giannis does to shoot free throws.
He hold the ball almost as long as @Giannis_An34 at the free throw line 😂 https://t.co/dwgF4kRLsr
— James 59FIFTY Rogers (@PhoenixFrostJr) July 25, 2021
Takes the same amount of time as Giannis to shoot 😂 https://t.co/5Aiv9uh3CW
— V 🇹🇹 (@V_disrespectful) July 25, 2021
Giannis at the free throw line https://t.co/qWO7xxXwmD
— Wes Dunn (@W_Dunn40) July 25, 2021
The rest of the tweets were some form of “[insert team/owner/gm] sign or trade for this robot” or “we are all going to die.”
Kuzma + 1st round pick @LakersNation https://t.co/Ym5arAgsJp
— 𝙰𝚋𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚘 (@imabdielito) July 25, 2021
I’ll pay 100 mil, just put him on the hornets roster https://t.co/RcWzFDGkwu
— Brandon Disher (@BrandonDisher) July 25, 2021
I'll trade you Kyle kuzma for one https://t.co/rTvOaQvGM2
— Coastah Tray 🎢 (@traytrayolay) July 25, 2021
We’re doomed. https://t.co/lNd8kyogmt
— Chris Schiffner (@ChrisSchiffner) July 25, 2021
Pels could use a floor spacer https://t.co/T2vpZ4aVJl
— Cooper Petagna (@cpetagna247) July 25, 2021
The end is near https://t.co/5ELBCdATtK
— aStRaLoN (@NoLaRtSa) July 25, 2021
Nah. I’ve seen how this movie goes. Shut it down. https://t.co/JyvRScPSkR
— Alex Bazzell (@alexbazzell) July 25, 2021
We’re doomed https://t.co/UgwN7K3Qht
— ❄️ (@_Omvrrr) July 25, 2021
