Porzingis headlines Latvia's 16-player roster ahead of first-ever World Cup appearance

RIGA (Latvia) - Latvijas Basketbola Savieniba (LBS) have cut down their preliminary roster to 16 players with one month to go to their first ever appearance at the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

NBA star Kristaps Porzingis, who continues to headline the roster, was featured on the national team in two games of the World Cup European Qualifiers. The 7’3” (2.21M) big man averaged 25.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game to help Latvia clinch a World Cup debut.

"We are going to have talent to do great things."

"The World Cup is the first time for us, in such beautiful countries," said Porzingis last year. "It's going to be a great experience for everyone, not just me, the team, but our families and fans. It's going to be spectacular."

Fellow NBA forward Davis Bertans is also on the preliminary roster after playing in the European Qualifiers. The Dallas Maverick averaged 12.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in four games. Davis’ brother, Dairis, is also on the preliminary list and was among one of the World Cup Qualifiers ironmen that played all games for their national teams, averaging 9.8 points in those 12 games.

While this might be Latvia’s first-ever World Cup, they looked like a team that had been there and done that through the Qualifiers as they rattled off 11 straight wins. The team was among one of the best three-point shooting teams, making a total of 134 triples on a 37.5 percent conversion rate - both second-best among all teams in the European Qualifiers.

The continued rehabilitation from serious injuries has prevented Janis Strelnieks and Rihards Lomazs from taking part.

The team will still have to cut down to a final 12 for their maiden World Cup campaign and Latvia are expected to have a highly competitive team. At the very least, that is what Porzingis expects from the team.

"Anything can happen," he also said. "You can finish in the top three or 15. We have to see how it goes. (But) We are going to have talent to do great things."

Latvia will start in Jakarta, Indonesia where they will face Canada, Lebanon, and France in Group H. The two countries that survive will then face the two sides that emerge from Group G, which consists of defending champions Spain, South American heavyweights Brazil, Asian juggernauts Iran and Cote d'Ivoire, a team that reached the Final of the last FIBA AfroBasket.

This preliminary roster update comes as the team will begin an extensive preparation games schedule.

On Wednesday night, the team travels to Liepaja to train for a week and then on August 2, will play the first preparation game against Sweden.

Latvia will then return to Riga and continue to train and play warmup games against Georgia (August 5), Dominican (August 12) and Finland (August 16).

On August 17, the team travels to Chinese Taipei, where preparation games are scheduled against Puerto Rico on August 20 and then two days later against Lithuania.

The following day will see Latvia travel to Jakarta to compete in the World Cup.

FIBA