WFAN’s Joe Benigno slams ‘unlikeable’ USA basketball team

Joe Benigno made his feelings on Team USA’s men’s basketball team at the Summer Olympics in Paris. The longtime WFAN host is not a fan.

Benigno retired as a full-time host in 2020 but has continued to do work for the station since. This week, he’s been filling in on different WFAN shows while the station’s regular hosts have been on vacation.

On Friday, Benigno was filling in for hosts Brandon Tierney And Sal Licata on BT and Sal, WFAN’s midday show. On the show, Benigno voiced his displeasure with the Olympic team, specifically naming stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant, as well as coach Steve Kerr.

“As far as the Olympic — this is the most unlikeable Olympic basketball team that I can ever remember,” he said. “I’ll just leave it at that. I’m no fan of Kevin Durant. I’m no fan of LeBron James. And I am certainly no fan of the head coach, Kerr. I don’t want to get into any more than that.”

Anyone listening to Benigno on another WFAN show earlier in the week was not surprised by those comments.

On Tuesday, Benigno and Jerry Recco were filling in on WFAN’s morning show, Boomer and Gio, while regular hosts Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti were away. While Benigno wasn’t as specific, he made comments that were otherwise nearly identical.

“I said this to Jerry and I don’t want to get into it too much — but it is a very unlikeable men’s USA team,” he said. “I’ll tell you that. They are not likable at all. I’ve got to say that.”

This was not the first time this week that Joe Benigno made that comment about the USA men’s basketball team. https://t.co/lW9cl5qmUA pic.twitter.com/UTSOXYK1Nm

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 10, 2024

When asked, Benigno did clarify that despite him not liking the team, he does want it to bring home gold.

“Yeah,” Benigno said. “I just, I can’t get excited.”

[WFAN on Audacy, Photo Credit: WFAN on YouTube]