There could be a solid contingent of Celtics at FIBA World Cup
A number of Celtics may be repping red, white, and blue this summer.
As Team USA begins to assemble its roster for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, at least three of Boston’s players have received invitations to participate in training camp in August. New point guard Kemba Walker will be joined by both forward Jayson Tatum and guard Marcus Smart.
Smart expressed his excitement on social media Monday night, tweeting: “I love [playing], don’t matter where. But playing for USA basketball is [something] I’ve been a part of for a while. I take it serious & am ?? to even be thought of. ☘️ is everything to me. But to wear ?? means the world to me. To do it with my teammates Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum is ? ?”
With several high-profile names — including All-Stars Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis, and James Harden — having withdrawn from participation, forward Jaylen Brown is on the shortlist as a possible replacement.
Twenty players will attend the four-day camp in Las Vegas, while only 12 will make the roster to compete in the two-week tournament in China. Team USA’s first contest will be Sept. 1, followed by games on Sept. 3 and 5. To prepare, the group will also train in Los Angeles and Australia.
Centers Vincent Poirier and Daniel Theis are also expected to represent their home countries, France and Germany, respectively.
