Is this a comment from 1998?
Spurs were the first franchise to understand the benefit their players could gain from playing with their national team. Instead of working alone with a coach and extras, international players (this also applies to American players, including young players) play at a high level. They gain experience, they stay fit, and they develop their playing intelligence by learning to deal with different playing situations. It's a luxury to have international players who can come together in the summer, change environments, regain confidence, stay compe ive. For twenty years, most franchises have happily left their players in the national teams because they always come out better.
Also, apart from Team USA, the European Championship brings together a much greater level of density of teams than the World Championships or the Olympic Games (and twenty years ago, an American would not even have talked about the World Championship as only the Olympic Games counted). A little more effort, and you will understand the interest of such a compe ion.