As the NBA season comes to a close, another international tournament is getting set to begin this summer. From August 25 through September 10, the 2023 FIBA World Cup will be held in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. Team USA will begin their quest for revenge after a seventh-place finish four years ago, starting with training camp in Las Vegas on August 3 and with an exhibition game against Puerto Rico on August 7.Â
In recent days, Team USA and Head Coach Steve Kerr have received commitments from eight players, with four spots remaining vacant at this time. Team USA will begin their Group Stage of the tournament on August 25 against New Zealand, with games against Greece and Jordan to follow, rounding out their competition in Group C. Then, the two top finishers from Group C, presumably Team USA being one of them, will then meet the top two finishers from Group D made up of Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, and Lithuania.
Let’s take a look at the eight players and four potential players to fill out the roster for Team USA heading into the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Projected 2023 Team USA Roster
PG: De’Aaron Fox, Jalen Brusnon, Tyrese Haliburton
SG: Anthony Edwards, Austin Reaves
SF: Brandon Ingram, Mikal Bridges
PF: Jaren Jackson Jr., Bobby Portis, Evan Mobley
C: Robert Williams III, Jarrett Allen
De’Aaron Fox
The first name that we want to cover for the 2023 Team USA roster is merely a prediction at this point, but one we find could come to fruition. De’Aaron Fox would be an amazing asset to a backcourt that already features two other top-tier point guards. Fox’s speed, handles, and shot creation are the premier things he can bring to Team USA as he continues to reach more success at both the individual and team levels.
Fox is coming off a 2022-23 season that saw him lead the Kings to a third-seed in the Western Conference and the team’s first playoff appearance in 17 years. Fox earned his first All-Star and All-NBA Team selection averaging 25.0 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 1.1 SPG. Fox was also named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year after a torrid season of scoring in the fourth quarter that carried over to the first round of the NBA playoffs. Fox would be a welcome asset to Team USA should he commit or even be asked.
Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson is one of the players who has already committed to Team USA for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and I’m sure Steve Kerr is excited about it. Brunson is a super quick and agile point guard who uses his high basketball IQ to patiently pick apart defenses. He does not turn the ball over much and will always find the most efficient shot on every possession, whether that is for himself or a teammate. His best asset, other than his speed, will be his strength as a point guard, which allows him to get into the lane and create those efficient shots.
After spending the first four seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson would leave the Mavericks for the Knicks in free agency. In 68 games with the Knicks, Brunson provided a spark and energy that had been missing from Madison Square Garden for quite some time. Brunson led the Knicks to 47 wins and a playoff berth with 24.0 PPG and 6.2 APG on 49.1% shooting overall and 41.6% from three on just over 4.0 attempts. This type of efficiency from the point guard spot is something we already know Steve Kerr can utilize in a lineup.
Tyrese Haliburton
Another confirmed commitment to Team USA’s 2023 roster is Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers. As one of the bigger point guards in the NBA, Haliburton uses his height and court vision to become a nightmare for opposing defenses. Haliburton is an instinctive passer and scorer who is efficient in shooting the ball from everywhere and a potential future 50/40/90 candidate.
Haliburton will serve as a great third option should Team USA carry three point guards, or a backup to Brunson if it is just them. He can be trusted to make the right play at all times, even on the international level. In 2023, Haliburton had the best season of his young career, making his first trip to the All-Star Game, averaging 20.7 PPG, 10.4 APG, and 1.6 SPG on 49.0% shooting overall and 40.0% from three.
Anthony Edwards
For Team USA, Anthony Edwards is likely to be the main star of the show after committing to them earlier this week. Edwards’ athleticism will be essential on the world stage, as will his explosiveness and scoring ability. Edwards possesses the ability to float around to a few positions if need be for Coach Kerr and has turned into quite the disruptive defender over the last three seasons in Minnesota.
Edwards also earned the first All-Star selection of his career in 2022-23 after leading the Timberwolves to the NBA playoffs for the second season in a row. Edwards started 79 games this season for the Timberwolves and averaged a career-high 24.6 PPG and also had career-highs in rebounds and assists with 5.8 RPG and 4.4 APG. Edwards also had the most efficient shooting season he has had yet, going 45.9% overall and 36.9% from three on 7.3 attempts. He could be the key weapon for Team USA as they strategize a completely different offensive attack than in 2019.
Austin Reaves
Austin Reaves will be representing Team USA for sure after committing to them this week as well. Reaves has been the type of young player that every team should want, and they will be bidding for his services this offseason as he heads into restricted free agency. Reaves has shown that he isn’t afraid to get physical and is willing to do the little things to help his team win. He has turned into one of the better shooters in the game and has been able to take on the scoring load at moments when Anthony Davis or LeBron James are struggling, especially in clutch time.
The second-year shooting guard appeared in 64 games this season for the Lakers, including 22 starts at the shooting guard spot. He averaged 13.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 3.4 APG while shooting 52.9% overall and 39.8% from three. Reaves shined in the NBA playoffs as well and helped the Lakers reach the Western Conference Finals with 16.9 PPG in 16 starts and added 4.4 RPG and 4.6 APG on top of it. Reaves may be young, but his energy and hard work could be a game-changer for a young Team USA squad.
Brandon Ingram
The commitment of Brandon Ingram to Team USA for 2023 is one that seems to be flying under the radar. In a Kevin Durant-esque way, Ingram is a tall and skilled scorer who has zero issues with creating his own shot from all three levels of offense. Using his tall but lanky frame, Ingram’s isolation scoring skills have grown immensely and are tough for even the best defenders in the NBA to handle. Defense is an entirely different beast on the international level, however.Â
Ingram missed 37 games for New Orleans this season but seems to presumably be healthy enough for it not to be an issue this summer. In those 45 games he played, Ingram averaged 24.7 PPG for New Orleans as they qualified for the play-in tournament. He added 5.5 RPG and 5.8 APG as well while shooting the ball 48.4% from the floor. If 100.0% healthy, Ingram could be an x-factor in any success Team USA hopes to have in the Philippines.
Mikal Bridges
For the first few seasons of his career with the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets, Mikal Bridges has been basketball’s Iron Man. He has not missed a start since the 2019-20 season and has missed only nine games over the last five seasons. He is one of the game’s best perimeter defenders, finishing up as a Defensive Player of the Year finalist in 2021-22. Bridges has also opened up his offensive repertoire since leaving Phoenix, making him one of the more impressive two-way players in the game today.
Bridges spent the first 56 games of the season with the Suns, where he averaged 17.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.3 SPG. After being traded to the Nets in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the desert, his game completely opened up. In 27 games with Brooklyn, Bridges averaged 26.1 PPG on 47.5% shooting overall. He helped the Nets keep a spot in the playoffs, although they were swept in the first round by the 76ers. We know how much Kerr loves to utilize his two-way players, and he is getting a gem in Mikal Bridges.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
With the first big defensive addition to the Team 2023 World Cup squad comes Jaren Jackson Jr. Having already committed to Team USA, Jackson Jr. will undoubtedly serve as the anchor of their defensive unit. Jackson is a shot-blocking machine that can face up against most interior opponents in the NBA. The one thing that will have to be worked on is his tendency to get into foul trouble. As the anchor of a defensive unit that is also capable of 20-25 points a night, Jackson has to stay on the floor for Team USA.
In 2022-23, Jackson enjoyed an incredible improvement in his game. He earned the first All-Star appearance of his career with Memphis this season after leading the NBA in blocks for the second year in a row. He averaged 3.0 BPG and became the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson also averaged a career-high 18.6 PPG and 6.8 RPG while shooting over 50.0% from the floor. Jackson will give an all-around presence in the paint that will be needed for Team USA to have a chance at competing at a high level internationally.
Bobby Portis
The final player on our list who is a sure commitment to Team USA in 2023 is fan-favorite Bobby Portis. Portis is the ultimate glue guy who is willing to put everything on the line in order to help his team succeed. Portis is a veteran who gets physical in fighting for rebounds and knows which spots he can attack from on the court. He is always a threat to knock down shots from the outside as well and will be one of the leaders of Team USA’s locker room.
In 2022-23, Portis was in the hunt for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award for most of the season. In 70 games for the Bucks this year, Portis averaged 14.1 PPG and 9.6 RPG in just 26.0 minutes on the court. Portis also shot 49.6% from the field, the second-most efficient season of his career as a shooter. Portis’ game will be great off the bench for Team USA, but what he brings to a team’s chemistry is not easy to come by.
Evan Mobley
The final power forward to be included, we think, on Team USA’s roster is Evan Mobley. The reason for Mobley’s addition to Team USA is simple. One, as a finalist for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award, he would be an asset in any role Steve Kerr puts him in. Mostly, he can be extremely useful if Jackson does get into the aforementioned foul trouble we spoke of. His offensive game is also rapidly improving, and Team USA can definitely use more of that from the interior.
In 2022-23, Mobley started 69 games for the Cavaliers and averaged 16.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 1.5 BPG. He was named to his first All-Defensive Team this season, as well as a top-three finish for Defensive Player of the Year. Although he has not found his shot from three just yet, Mobley shot the ball 55.6% overall in 2023, giving Team USA yet another efficient interior scorer. Team USA would be out of their mind not to at least make a call to Mobley to gauge his interest.
Robert Williams III
Keeping with their aim to have their roster full of younger, budding stars, I believe the next man up will be Robert Williams III of the Boston Celtics. Williams has been one of the better interior defenders in the game over the last few seasons with Boston only hindered by his lack of ability to stay on the court. When healthy, Williams is an explosive and athletic defender with brilliant instincts who can be a leader for a young Team USA on the court.
As previously mentioned, injuries have been an issue with Williams and they limited him to just 35 games during the regular season in 2022-23. In those 35 games, Williams still averaged 8.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 1.4 BPG. This is coming after a 2021-22 campaign in which he played 61 games and averaged 10.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, and 2.2 BPG. I am hoping Williams is offered the spot simply because I believe an offseason of getting into shape with Team USA and playing with these other young players could work wonders for his game and health. The race for this spot should come down to him and New York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson.
Jarrett Allen
Bringing in Jarrett Allen to Team USA only makes sense after adding Evan Mobley. For most of 2022-23, Allen and Mobley formed the best defensive frontcourt in the game, making opponents’ lives a living hell when attacking the basket. Allen also provides some athleticism in terms of rebounding both offensively and defensively. He is also a talented finisher and rim-runner when asked to be, making the dynamic between him and the rest of Team USA extremely intriguing.
After an All-Star season in 2021-22, Allen failed to make the midseason competition this year but still played a vital role in Cleveland’s 51-win season. Allen averaged 14.3 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 1.2 BPG, making him an extremely valuable backup for Team USA should they decide to ask him. Allen can be anything Kerr needs him to be in order to help Team USA succeed, and Allen will gladly oblige. If he is the final piece to Team USA’s roster, he rounds out what could be a team that finishes higher than seventh as they did in 2019.
Can Team USA Compete For A Medal In The 2023 FIBA World Cup?
After coming in seventh in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Team USA has decided to go with a much more youthful roster full of rising stars in the NBA. So, how does this team of youngsters stack up against the rest of the international field? The defending world champions, Spain, will have most of their team back for 2023 and should be considered one of the favorites heading into the tournament. Spain took down Argentina in the Finals back in 2019 in a blowout victory, 95-75. Argentina will have a roster that will compete for a medal as well.
France, who placed third in 2019, is in an interesting position with immense potential should they keep phenom Victor Wembanyama after he averaged just over 19.0 PPG in World Cup Qualifiers. Other nations that will most certainly be competing for medals at this summer’s competition are Serbia, who will be led by Nikola Jokic, and Greece, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Any time one of the two best players in the world is leading your team, you have a chance at gold. Team USA has decided to go with a younger and more youthful approach to their 2023 international campaign. As far as the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Team USA seems to be only the sixth or seventh-best team once again, but this roster could surprise a ton of people. The NBA season may soon be coming to an end, but there is plenty of terrific basketball coming your way this summer courtesy of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
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