The United States men’s basketball team took a major step forward in its preparations for the upcoming Basketball World Cup in China later this month on Friday night. The main squad and the select squad faced off in a scrimmage in Las Vegas, one which saw the collection of players who will compete for a chance to represent the national team beat their younger counterparts, 97-78.
Following the conclusion of the contest, USA Basketball released the names of the 17 athletes who will advance to the next round of try outs. Per a release, they are Harrison Barnes, Marvin Bagley, Jaylen Brown, De’Aaron Fox, Joe Harris, Kyle Kuzma, Brook Lopez, Kyle Lowry, Khris Middleton, Donovan Mitchell, Mason Plumlee, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, P.J. Tucker, Myles Turner, Kemba Walker, and Derrick White. Both Bagley and White were promoted from the select team following the exhibition, while Bam Adebayo and Thaddeus Young were cut.
The list will, eventually, be cut down to the 12 players who suit up for Team USA in China. As USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said in a statement, there’s still plenty of time to round out the roster.
“We’re bringing a couple of young players from the Select Team so we’re going to be patient with the rest of the squad because we have plenty of time, we have two weeks to decide who will be the final 12,” Colangelo said. “Forty-eight hours before Game 1 in China is when we have to submit a roster so we want to make sure everyone gets a real shot.”
The team will get a few days off before training from August 13-15 and taking on Spain in an exhibition on the 16th. As for the World Cup itself, the United States will begin group play on Sept. 1 in Shanghai, where they will take on the Czech Republic.
