Detroit Pistons third-year guard Cade Cunningham was recently tabbed for the USA Select Team. He’ll be joined by a teammate.
Both Jalen Duren and Cunningham are among a group of 14 current and former NBA players tabbed to join USA Select Team and train with Team USA’s FIBA World Cup team from Aug. 3-6, USA Basketball announced Monday.
They could be called up to join the main team if one of the 12 players on the main roster are injured ahead of the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup, which will take place from Aug. 25-Sept. 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
“We are confident that our USA Men’s Select Team will do a great job helping prepare the men’s national team for the 2023 Men’s FIBA World Cup,” USA Basketball Men’s National Team managing director and former Pistons star Grant Hill said in a statement. “We have a good mix of young NBA players and those who helped us qualify for the World Cup, all of who will play a huge role in our success in Manila, as we continue to develop the national team pipeline for years to come.”
Duren, 19, is coming off of a season that ended with him earning All-Rookie Second Team honors. He averaged 9.1 points on 64.8% shooting, 8.9 rebounds and started 31 of his 67 games played. He and Cunningham, along with Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and others, are reasons for optimism as the Pistons look to turn the page on their rebuild and compete next season.
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Several stars on this year’s FIBA World Cup team, including Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton and Michigan State alumnus Jaren Jackson Jr., previously played for the Select Team.
“That’s one guy I won’t ever put a ceiling on,” Pistons general manager Troy Weaver said of Duren during his end-of-season news conference. “As you keep watching him, you just see different things. … He’s a very smart young man and has tremendous gifts.”
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The USA Select Team roster will also feature former Pistons guard Langston Galloway, Oklahoma City center Chet Holmgren and wing Jalen Williams, Houston Rockets wing Jalen Green, Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, New Orleans Pelicans forwards Herb Jones and Trey Murphy, New York Knicks guard Quentin Grimes, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid, G League Ignite center Eric Mika and G League Ignite wing John Jenkins.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @omarisankofa.
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