Strong list of talent for the USA World Cup squad

COLORADO SPRINGS (USA) – USA will be among the favorites to lift the Naismith Trophy at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 after the announcement of their star-filled squad.

Bringing back memories of 2010, when the USA arrived with an entirely new team at the World Cup in Turkey and unleashed young talents like Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Russell Westbrook into international basketball, this year’s squad will have some of the hottest names in the game as it goes up against Greece, New Zealand and Jordan in Group C.

– Three 2023 NBA All-Stars with Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jaren Jackson Jr
– The NBA 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr
– The NBA 2023 Rookie of the Year, Paolo Banchero

Six players on that list were arguably the best players in 2022-23 for their respective NBA franchises. Haliburton had a great regular season with the Pacers (20.7 points and 10.4 assists), Edwards shone with the Timberwolves (31.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.2 assist in six playoff games in 2023), Banchero was strong for the Magic (20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists), Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans (24.7 points 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists), Jalen Brunson rose to another level with the Knicks (27.8 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds in eleven playoff games in 2023) and Mikal Bridges had a great playoff run for the Nets (23.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in four playoff games in 2023).

Other players with USA Basketball youth national team connections in this summer’s 12 are Haliburton, Jackson, and Walker Kessler.

Haliburton, a guard with the Indiana Pacers, featured for the USA at the 2019 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Greece and helped the team capture the title. He had a team-high 17.3 efficiency per game.

The highly talented Jackson of the Memphis Grizzlies, whose nickname is “Block Panther,” played for the USA team that won the 2016 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in Zaragoza, Spain. He averaged 3.0 blocks per game for Memphis last season, while also scoring 18.6 points per game and collecting 6.8 rebounds per game.

Protecting the rim should be a strength for the USA, as the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year will not be alone in the gym. A teammate of Finnish international Lauri Markkanen with the Utah Jazz, Kessler averaged 2.3 rebounds per game this season.

The level and depth of this squad of 12 top-flight NBA players make the U.S. the favorite for our experts in the first volume of the FIBA World Cup Power Rankings. The training camp and preseason games will be very important for this team to build the team chemistry that is so important to win in international basketball.

“My team and I are excited to have the opportunity to train such talented and team-oriented players,” said Head Coach Steve Kerr. “I’m confident this group will represent our country well, with effort, talent, and a desire to win together.”

The U.S. won the World Championships in 2010 and 2014 but fell to France in the quarterfinals in 2019. At the Tokyo Olympics, they took di