USA opts for young guns

It’s final and official: Young guns will come over to the Philippines to carry the fight for Team USA in next month’s FIBA World Cup.

USA Basketball yesterday announced the Americans’ Final 12 for the Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 hoops extravaganza with NBA All-Stars Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards and Jaren Jackson Jr., the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, as spearheads.

Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Bobby Portis and Austin Reaves round out the bunch whom coach Steve Kerr described as “talented, team-oriented players.”

Team USA won’t have household names such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Paul George and Damian Lillard but officials have high hopes for the current iteration.

“I’m confident this group will represent our country well, with effort, talent and a commitment to winning together. We look forward to competing for a gold medal in the World Cup,” said Kerr, who will be assisted by Fil-Am coach Erik Spoelstra, among others.

“We are excited for the challenges ahead and look forward to the opportunity to compete at the 2023 FIBA Men’s 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,” said USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill.
The Americans, who are aiming to bounce back from their disappointing seventh-place finish in 2019 in China, will hold a training camp in Las Vegas from  Aug. 2 to 6 before playing a series of exhibition games there beginning Aug. 7 against Puerto Rico.

They will then hit the road for more matches against Slovenia (Aug. 12) and Spain (Aug. 13) in Malaga, Spain and Greece (Aug. 18) and Germany (Aug. 20) in Abu Dhabi before flying to Manila.

Team USA is up against New Zealand (Aug. 26), Greece (Aug. 28) and Jordan (Aug. 30) in Group C of the World Cup at the MOA Arena.