Strong list of talents for USA World Cup squad

COLORADO SPRINGS (USA) - USA will be among the favorites to lift the Naismith Trophy at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 after the announcement of their star-filled squad.

Bringing back memories of 2010, when the USA arrived with an entirely new team at the World Cup in Turkey and unleashed young talents like Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Russell Westbrook on international basketball, this year's squad will have some of the hottest names in the game as it goes up against Greece, New Zealand and Jordan in Group C.

- Three 2023 NBA All-Stars with Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jaren Jackson Jr
- The NBA 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr
- The NBA 2023 Rookie of the Year, Paolo Banchero

Six players on that list were arguably the best players in 2022-23 for their respective NBA franchises. Haliburton had a great regular season with the Pacers (20.7 points and 10.4 assists), Edwards shone with the Timberwolves (31.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists in six playoff games in 2023), Banchero was strong for the Magic (20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists), Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans (24.7 points 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists), Jalen Brunson rose to another level with the Knicks (27.8 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds in eleven playoff games in 2023) and Mikal Bridges had a great playoff run for the Nets (23.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in four playoff games in 2023).

 

“On behalf of USA Basketball, I’m thrilled to introduce the 2023 USA Men’s National Team, which features some of basketball’s brightest talent,” said Grant Hill, USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director, in USA Basketball Press Release today. “We are excited for the challenges ahead and look forward to the opportunity to compete at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. 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.”

One of the challenges for this team will be the lack of experience at FIBA senior events. Several players on this roster have been with a USA Basketball Select Team. Haliburton was part of this team in 2021, Ingram was in 2016, Jackson, Bridges and Brunson were with the 2019 USA Select Team.

Also, several players have experience at World Youth level. Brunson won the U19 FIBA Basketball World Cup 2015 and was selected MVP of the tournament, one year after helping USA win the FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men. In 2016, he was NCAA champion with Villanova and again in 2018.

Brunson was named MVP of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in 2015 in Crete

Other players with USA Basketball youth national team connections in this summer's 12 are Haliburton, Jackson and Walker Kessler.

Haliburton, a guard with the Indiana Pacers, featured for the USA at the 2019 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Greece and helped the team capture the title. He had a team-high 17.3 efficiency per game.

Haliburton was an All-Star Five selection after helping fire the USA to 2019 U19 World Cup glory

High-flying Jackson of the Memphis Grizzlies, whose nickname is the "Block Panther", played for the USA team that won the 2016 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in Zaragoza, Spain. He averaged 3.0 blocks per game this past season for Memphis, while pouring in 18.6 points per game and corralling 6.8 rebounds per contest.

Rim protection should be a strength of the USA because the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year will not be alone in the paint. Kessler averaged 2.3 swats per game this season as a Utah Jazz teammate of Finland international Lauri Markkanen. 

The level of skills and the depth of this roster with 12 high-level NBA players is what makes USA the favorite for our experts in the first volume of the FIBA World Cup Power Rankings. The training camp and the preparation games will be very important for this squad to built team chemistry, such a important ingredient to win in international basketball.

“My staff and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to coach such talented, team-oriented players,” said Head Coach Steve Kerr. “I’m confident this group will represent our country well, with effort, talent and a commitment to winning together”.

USA won the 2010 and 2014 World Cups but fell in the Quarter-Finals against France in 2019. They rebounded by winning the gold medal at the Olympics in Tokyo. Steve Kerr, who has led the Golden State Warriors to four NBA titles and served as Gregg Popovich's assistant coach at the last World Cup, and in Tokyo, will be head coach of the national team for the first time this summer.

One look at the game tracker and fans can already see how the USA will get ready for the World Cup.

Kerr's team will play in a tournament with Spain and Slovenia in Malaga, Spain, August 11, 12, and 13.

The USA will then serve as hosts for an international event in Abu Dhabi with Germany and Greece also taking part.

USA will host Greece and Germany on August 18 and 20, respectively.

FIBA