After all of the mocking and “F group” proclamations, USA winning the FIBA World Cup would been a fitting and triumphant end to this battle for global hoops supremacy. It would not have been the most original script, to be sure, but still a somewhat intriguing one. This is not the NFL, though. Nor is it the NBA. The best finale Americans can hope for now is an unsettling bronze medal.

With a loss to Lithuania earlier in the week exposing some of the cracks of this Steve Kerr-coached squad, fans were just hoping USA could sill get by on talent. Germany completely exploited their weaknesses and youth with a 113-11 victory in Friday's semifinal. The skeptics now have all the ammo they need to double down on those aforementioned criticisms. Cue the “we need the real stars” social media posts.

And such a claim is admittedly tough to argue at this moment. This marks the second-straight FIBA World Cup in which USA fell short of a finals appearance. The 2019 team severely lacked upper echelon talent, with Donovan Mitchell being the only true star at that time. This year's group was more than capable of going all the way. And they should have.

The loss to Germany does not happen without multiple players underperforming. We don't want to pile on top of these guys, but we need to delve deeper into this upset loss. Here are the three players most to blame for Team USA's pitfall in the FIBA World Cup Semifinals.

3. Tyrese Haliburton

The Indiana Pacers All-Star has taken a backseat as a scorer throughout the tournament but was still a highly impactful playmaker. That trend continued on Friday, with Tyrese Haliburton tallying a team-high eight assists while shooting just 2-of-7 from the floor. The difference, though, was that USA needed him to take over in this contest.

Kerr was already down an offensive star- Brandon Ingram was out with a respiratory illness- and therefore was surely relying on the point guard to get some buckets. Nothing was firing for him. He uncharacteristically struggled from beyond the 3-point line (1-of-5) and finished with only seven points.

Haliburton is one of the best young guards in the NBA today, but he failed to produce a well-rounded effort in a crucial elimination game. His elite playmaking skills are not enough to keep him off this list. However, the 23-year-old should be an even bigger part of the team in 2027, assuming he wants to finish what he started in the Philippines.

2. Paolo Banchero

I don't want to pick on a young Orlando Magic player. They deal with enough, and that doesn't even include being accused of betraying an entire country. But Paolo Banchero can't get off unscathed. H simply needed to do more in his 17 minutes of action.

The NBA Rookie of the Year scored six points on 1-for-4 shooting and pulled down just two rebounds. He did not use his 6-foot-10 frame to full advantage, as the German frontcourt, particularly veteran Daniel Theis, feasted throughout the game. Banchero has not been unleashed in the FIBA World Cup and is still honing his skills at just 20 years of age. Thus, he came up short in the semis.

Nevertheless, this was a valuable experience for the top pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. Playing with rising stars like Anthony Edwards should only serve him well in his second season with Orlando. Though, American fans would have appreciated if he fully came into his own versus Germany.

1. Jaren Jackson Jr.

No surprises here. Jaren Jackson Jr. is the clear culprit for Team USA's semifinals shortcoming. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has seen his star rise rapidly over the last year, with him being one of the leading pillars of a still-promising Memphis Grizzlies team. But he was completely overshadowed here.

Theis owned the matchup against Triple J, recording 21 points and seven rebounds for Germany. Jackson was also powerless on offense, mustering just eight points on four-shot attempts and snagging three boards. His perfect 4-of-4 shooting from the free throw line won't let him off the hook. This was a stunningly poor showing.

There were some concerns about the Americans' depth inside, but the top rim protector alleviated many of those worries. His frustration was palpable in the upset loss. Jaren Jackson Jr. knew what everyone watching knew. He was out of sorts tonight.

He can use the humbling experience and inevitable social media condemnation as bulletin board material going forward. A motivated, usually-dominant defensive force can spell trouble for the rest of the NBA.

Ideally, all members of Team USA will take something valuable from this FIBA World Cup misstep. Regardless of their detractors, most of these players are vital components of the NBA product and the sport's future.