The USA Basketball Men’s National Team is preparing for the FIBA World Cup, which takes place from August 25 to September 10 in Manila, Philippines.
The tournament features teams from 32 countries and features many NBA and international team stars. It’s a big stage that leads up to the 2024 Summer Olympics throughout France.
Team USA spent last week in Las Vegas for its training camp, which included a series of scrimmages against a USA Select Team.
The 12-man USA team consists of several young NBA standouts.
The roster includes NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets) Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Josh Hart (New York Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), NBA Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers).
Team USA will compete in five games in the USA Basketball Showcase before traveling to Spain for respective games against Slovenia and Spain on August 12-13. The final two games of the showcase will be in Abu Dhabi, UAE against Greece, and Germany, respectively, on August 18 and 20.
Canada also has a team loaded with NBA players including Jamal Murray of the world champion Denver Nuggets, First Team All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, R.J. Barrett of the New York Knicks, and Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets.
Slovenia is led by star guard Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, who led his national team to a berth in the semifinals at the Tokyo Summer Olympics – the first in that nation’s history.
Greece features superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks while veterans Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Nicolas Batum of the Los Angeles Clippers lead France.
France won the silver medal in Tokyo, losing to the USA in the gold medal game.
The USA will begin play in the World Cup against New Zealand on Saturday, August 26.
Collier’s Dream season
St. Louisan Napheesa Collier has continued her dominant play in her fifth season in the WNBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The former Incarnate Word Academy All-American has put together her best overall season since joining the professional ranks in 2019. Through 25 games, Collier is averaging 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 48 percent from the field and 84 percent from the free throw line.
A three-time All-Star, Collier is currently third in the WNBA in scoring, sixth in steals and 10th in rebounding. One of her best performances came on July 18 when she had 35 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a pair of 3-pointers against the Atlanta Dream. The following week, she had 24 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four steals in a 97-92 victory over the Washington Mystics.
*Spring in Vashon’s step
The Vashon Wolverines have received an invitation to play in the 2024 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, one of the top high school basketball events in the country. The event will be held from January 11-13, 2024, at the Great Southern Bank Arena on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield.
The Wolverines will join a national field that includes Cardinal Hayes (New York), Edmond North (OK), McEachern (GA), Paul VI (Virginia), St. John Bosco (CA) and local Springfield area schools Glendale and Central.
Vashon enters the season as the three-time Class 4 state champions. The Wolverines will return a very talented team led by Division I prospects in Nicholas Randall. Christian Williams and Trey Williams.
