Top NBA stars missing from Team USA World Cup bid

MIAMI – The United States will compete at the Basketball World Cup in August with a team coached by Steve Kerr, but without any of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) top stars.

The 12-man roster was announced on Thursday for the tournament, which runs from Aug 25 to Sept 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Team USA feature just four players who have been selected as All-Stars.

Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram and Memphis Grizzlies power forward Jaren Jackson Jr, voted Best Defensive Player last season, are the All Stars.

Also on the roster is Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year. Brooklyn Nets duo Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson, Utah Jazz centre Walker Kessler, forward Bobby Portis of Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves and New York Knicks pair of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart make up the rest of the team.

“My staff and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to coach such talented, team-oriented players,” said Kerr, who has won four NBA titles as a coach.

“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 later this summer,” he added.

Before travelling to the tournament, Team USA will be based in Las Vegas from Aug 3 and they will face friendly games against Puerto Rico on Aug 7, Slovenia and Spain in Malaga on Aug 12 and 13, then move to Abu Dhabi to take on Greece on Aug 18 and Germany two days later.

At the World Cup, the United States, who won the World Cup five times, but finished only seventh in 2019 after winning the previous two editions, have been drawn in Group C along with Greece, New Zealand and Jordan.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks and guard Dejounte Murray are working towards finalising a four-year, US$120 million (S$162.3 million) extension, according to multiple reports on Thursday. The extension will run till the 2027-28 season.

The 26-year-old averaged 20.5 points, 6.1 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 74 games (all starts) in his first season with the Hawks, who lost in the first round of the play-offs.

Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns have picked up three second-round draft picks starting in 2025 after making a trade with the Grizzlies, ESPN reported on Thursday.

The two other second-rounders will come in 2028 and 2029, according to the report, which cited league sources. The Suns spent all of their controllable selections up to 2030 as

they acquired Kevin Durant

in February and Bradley Beal in June.

The Grizzlies are getting little-used forward Isaiah Todd, who appeared in 18 games with the Washington Wizards over his first two NBA seasons, and the option to swop first-round picks in 2024 and in 2030, the report said.
AFP, REUTERS