USA Basketball has announced the roster for Team Select, the sparring partner for Team USA in preparation for the 2023 World Cup in Asia. In addition to eleven youngsters from the NBA, three veterans are also part of the team.
On August 3rd, Team USA will start their mission to win World Cup gold in Las Vegas (click here for the squad), then coach Steve Kerr’s men will prepare for the World Cup in the Philippines. The select team again plays an important role, they are supposed to simulate game situations and properly test the World Cup squad. This player was nominated for the sparring tasks.
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Cade Cunningham war 2021 der Top-Pick im Draft.
Cade Cunnigham (Detroit Pistons)
Position: GuardAge: 21Stats 22/23: 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists at 41.5 percent FG and 27.9 percent threes in 33.3 minutes (12 games)
An injury to the shin cost the top pick from 2021 almost the entire season, but the guard should now be fit again and wants to get in shape for the new season at the Las Vegas camp. Cunningham is still considered the Pistons’ new face, but the soon to be 22-year-old has only played 76 games and struggled with injuries even in his rookie season. In theory, he is a strong guard with good defense who can also be used on the wing.
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Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons)
Position: CenterAge: 19Stats 22/23: 9.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 0.9 blocks at 64.8 percent FG in 24.9 minutes (67 games)
Duren played a solid rookie season for Detroit, but the youngster has a lot of competition in his own team with Isaiah Stewart, James Wiseman or Marvin Bagley. Nevertheless, the Big Man is considered the most promising player because he is extremely athletic and can be used flexibly in defense.
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Langston Galloway (Free Agent)
Position: GuardAge: 31Stats 22/23: 15.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists at 46.6 percent FG and 44.6 percent threes in 32.7 minutes (43 games for College Park Skyhawks in the G -League)
Galloway has 452 NBA games under his belt but was fired by the Indiana Pacers before the start of the season last year. The shooter spent the season in the G-League and also helped Team USA coach Steve Kerr’s side reach the finals via World Cup qualification.
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Jalen Green (Houston Rockets)
Position: GuardAge: 21Stats 22/23: 22.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists at 41.6 percent FG and 33.8 percent threes in 34.2 minutes (76 games)
The No. 2 pick of 2021 is a real scorer, so far this has been shown in victories in Houston. And yet: Green is the future, only a few guards are as explosive and talented as the 21-year-old, who has certain similarities to Anthony Edwards – at least in attack.
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Quentin Grimes (New York Knicks)
Position: Guard/ForwardAge: 23Stats 22/23: 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists at 46.8 percent FG and 38.6 percent threes in 29.9 minutes (71 games)
Grimes has established himself as a 3-and-D wing at the Knicks and has become an integral part of coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation. The Wing found its niche after his college career took a hit at Kansas (ESPN ranked Grimes 8th after high school).
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Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Position: Forward/CenterAlter: 21Stats 22/23: –
The Big Man missed his rookie season completely, but looked like the old man in the Summer League and particularly impressed defensively with his rim protection. Holmgren is versatile offensively as he understands the game, is a good passer and has a solid shot. On the other hand, he is not (yet) a real scorer.
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John Jenkins (G-League Ignite)
Position: GuardAge: 32Stats 22/23: 17.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists at 47.3 percent FG and 41.9 percent threes in 28.8 minutes (32 games)
Like Galloway, Jenkins has held his bones for Team USA for years. Last year the guard returned to America after various engagements in Europe and coached numerous youngsters such as Scoot Henderson and Leonard Miller for G-League Ignite. After the end of the season, Jenkins also saved Girona from relegation from the Spanish ACB.
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Herb Jones (New Orleans Pelicans)
Position: ForwardAge: 24Stats 22/23: 9.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 steals at 46.9 percent FG and 33.5 percent threes in 29.6 minutes (66 games)
Jones is one of the best wing defenders in the league, with the 24-year-old receiving 15 votes for the All-Defense Second Team. The Pelicans Forward is extremely long, quick on its feet and correspondingly mobile. What is still missing, however, is at least an acceptable litter.
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Eric Mika (G-League Ignite)
Position: CenterAge: 28Stats 22/23: 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists at 60.7 percent FG in 24.6 minutes (40 games)
The third of the bunch to play for Team USA in qualifying. Mika has a brief stint in the NBA, making 19 appearances for medi Bayreuth in 2018/19 before signing again in the G-League in 2022. Mika is a strong center, but also with clear defensive limitations.
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Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans)
Position: ForwardAge: 23Stats 22/23: 14.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals at 48.4 percent FG and 40.6 percent threes in 31.0 minutes (79 games)
And another wing from the Pelicans, whose strengths compared to Jones are more offensive. One of the best in-game dunkers in the league, Murphy is also an extremely reliable long-range shooter. What’s been missing from Murphy so far has been consistency.
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Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings)
Position: ForwardAge: 22Stats 22/23: 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists at 45.3 percent FG and 41.1 percent threes in 29.8 minutes (80 games)
Making a positive impact as a rookie for a playoff team is rare, but it was the case with Murray. The No. 4 pick of 2022 was a good complement for the Kings who was solid defensively and netted his threes up front. In the Summer League, Murray recently also showed approaches to creating for himself.
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Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics)
Position: GuardAge: 25Stats 22/23: 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists at 41.2 percent FG and 36.4 percent threes in 13.4 minutes (48 games)
In the completely overcrowded Celtics backcourt, Pritchard was mostly at a disadvantage, but Pritchard still has at least one competent backup playmaker. The smart trade will allow Pritchard to prove it and get more playing time in Boston.
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Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Position: CenterAge: 23Stats 22/23: 11.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists at 53.7 percent FG and 34.6 percent threes in 18.4 minutes (68 games)
For parts of the season, Reid looked like the Wolves’ best center alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but Reid is a big with an interesting skill set and a safe three-pointer. And as we know, the US doesn’t have as much choice in the big positions as it did a few years or decades ago.
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Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Position: Guard/ForwardAge: 22Stats 22/23: 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists at 52.1 percent FG and 35.6 percent threes in 30.3 minutes (75 games)
Williams was one of the positive surprises of preseason, ultimately finishing second to Paolo Banchero in the Rookie of the Year race. The wing is extremely strong, can create for itself at any time and also moves really well off the ball. Every team could use someone like him, especially since he must have been working on his threesome over the summer.
2023-07-28 07:48:56
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