USA Basketball roster for FIBA World Cup is filled with newcomers
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LAS VEGAS — Steve Kerr’s first run as USA Basketball coach will feature a team that’s light on international experience but relatively loaded with star talent. USA Basketball announced Thursday that its 12-man roster for the upcoming FIBA World Cup tournament in Asia will be headlined by four all-stars — Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Brandon Ingram and Jaren Jackson Jr. — and include Paolo Banchero, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Bobby Portis and Austin Reaves.
The overhauled roster, which doesn’t include any returning players from previous Olympics or World Cup teams, marks a fresh start for USA Basketball after longtime executive director Jerry Colangelo and former coach Gregg Popovich both retired after winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Former NBA star Grant Hill stepped in as Colangelo’s successor, while Kerr, the coach of the Golden State Warriors, has taken the reins from Popovich in advance of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kerr will be assisted by Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra, Los Angeles Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga Coach Mark Few.
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USA Basketball has won gold at the past four Olympics but is seeking to avenge an embarrassing seventh-place finish at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, where an underwhelming roster lost to Serbia and France. This year, the World Cup will feature group stage games in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia before converging on Manila for the knockout round, which will open with the quarterfinals Sept. 5 and conclude with the gold medal game Sept. 10.
“We are excited for the challenges ahead,” Hill said in a statement. “I am confident that working together, and under the leadership of our outstanding coaching staff, this team will proudly represent the United States this summer in Manila.”
Kerr’s roster, while not exactly a “Dream Team,” is well balanced positionally and features several advantages over the 2019 group, which struggled to develop chemistry after losing several high-profile players to last-minute withdrawals. Jackson, the reigning NBA defensive player of the year, should thrive in the international game because of his mobility, while Ingram, Bridges and Johnson bring valuable length and versatility on the wings.
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At guard, Brunson and Haliburton are more natural distributors than the backcourt options at Popovich’s disposal four years ago. Edwards and Banchero, a pair of former No. 1 overall draft picks, will be cast as pure scorers with the physicality necessary to create shots and get to the free throw line, while Hart, Portis and Reaves will serve as energetic glue guys.
USA Basketball should boast the tournament’s deepest and most talented team, though it will need to establish its go-to options in late-game situations. Ingram and Edwards are the most likely candidates after Kevin Durant filled that role brilliantly in Tokyo.
“I’m confident this group will represent our country well, with effort, talent and a commitment to winning together,” Kerr said. “We look forward to competing for a gold medal in the World Cup later this summer.”
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Adding Jackson and Kessler, who just completed a standout rookie season with the Utah Jazz, is a crucial long-term development for USA Basketball, which will need to match up with Serbia’s Nikola Jokic, France’s Victor Wembanyama and other talented big men in future international tournaments.
Jokic, the reigning Finals MVP, has yet to announce whether he will play in the World Cup, while Wembanyama, the top pick in last month’s draft, will skip the tournament to prepare for his rookie season with the San Antonio Spurs.
The Americans, who won the FIBA tournament in 2010 and 2014, are second behind Spain in FIBA’s world basketball rankings. To launch its latest run for gold, USA Basketball will hold a training camp in Las Vegas before hosting Puerto Rico in an Aug. 7 exhibition at T-Mobile Arena. From there, the Americans will play two exhibitions in Spain and two more in the United Arab Emirates before opening World Cup play in the Philippines on Aug. 26 with a group stage game against New Zealand. They are scheduled to face Greece on Aug. 28 and Jordan on Aug. 30 to complete group play.
Giannis Antetokounmpo played for Greece in the 2019 tournament, but his status remains uncertain this time around. Luka Doncic led Slovenia to the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics and was included on the team’s extended roster this month.
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Source: The Washington Post
