USA Basketball and Coach Kerr select “rookies” for FIBA World Cup 2023

No Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Jalen Brown or Donovan Mitchell this time from previous US World Cup teams. 

USA Basketball’s managing director Grant Hill announced a line-up loaded with rising young stars including New York teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Brooklyn teammates Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis, New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram, Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Utah’s Walker Kessler and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves.

None of them have played at previous FIBA World Cups or the Olympics. 

“We have all new guys, all rookies,” Hill told the Associated Press. “And we’re going to have to really work and just prepare them, build them up as we get them ready for the international game and a little different style of play.”

The team will be coached by Golden State’s Steve Kerr, assisted by Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga’s Mark Few. Kerr and San Antonio coaching legend Gregg Popovich led Team USA at the FIBA World Cup in China in 2019

Banchero, who obtained an Italian passport in 2020, will play for Team USA instead of Italy at the FIBA World Cup in the Philippines in August. While Banchero’s father is Italian, his mother played for Team USA and University of Washington. 

“I think we have really good guard play that translates on the international stage,” Hill said. “We have shooters, we have athletes, guys who can defend, who can get out in transition. We have some guys that are versatile, who can play multiple positions, particularly the power forward position. I think what you want in an international game is guys who have all the tools necessary in the toolkit, because you’re going to see different styles of play.”

Their one-week training camp begins in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 2. Before the World Cup, the Americans will play five games: in Las Vegas on Aug. 7 against Puerto Rico; in Spain on Aug. 12 against Slovenia and Aug. 13 against Spain; in Abu Dhabi on Aug. 18 against Greece and Aug. 20 against Germany.

Team USA will stay in Manila throughout the World Cup, which runs from Aug. 25 through Sept. 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Team USA play in the group stage against New Zealand on Aug. 26, Greece on Aug. 28 and Jordan on Aug. 30. 

Guards: Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Austin Reaves

Forwards: Brandon Ingram, Paolo Banchero, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson

Centers: Walker Kessler, Bobby Portis

words and images copyright Christopher Johnson Globalite Media all rights reserved

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