Former Gonzaga guard named to USA World Cup Qualifying Team

USA Basketball announced the 12-man roster for the 2025 World Cup qualifying team on Tuesday, and a former Gonzaga Bulldogs guard made the squad.

Ryan Woolridge, who played one year under Mark Few in 2019-20, is among the 12 players included on the roster, and one of six who will be making his debut with USA Basketball.

The World Cup qualifying team will participate in training camp Nov. 21-26 in Miami before tipping off in Managua, Nicaragua, on Nov. 28 at 5:10 PM PT, and again in College Park, GA, on Dec. 1 at 4:10 PM PT. Fans will be able to watch for free on Courtside1891.

This will be one of six World Cup qualifying windows the USA will compete in between Nov. 2025 and March 2027. In total, 80 national teams will compete for one of 32 berths to the 2027 FIBA Men's World Cup in Doha, Qatar. Team USA is 19-5 under the current format, and finished atop their respective group in both 2019 and 2023.

Woolridge is a 6'3 guard from Texas who spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career playing for North Texas. After averaging 11.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.9 steals as a junior in 2018-19, Woolridge opted to look elsewhere to play his final season of eligibility as a graduate transfer.

He ultimately landed at Gonzaga alongside another senior guard from Texas, Admon Gilder, and alongside Joel Ayayi; they went on to form an elite backcourt for coach Few.

Woolridge started all 33 games for Gonzaga, averaging 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting a career-high 43.2% from three. He unfortunately did not get a chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament, however, as the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the event that season after Gonzaga had already won the WCC Tournament and clinched a spot in the big dance, in what would have very likely been a No. 1 seed.

Woolridge has spent time overseas in Greece, Hungary, and Germany since departing Gonzaga, as well as in the NBA G-League. He was with the Oklahoma City Blue for 11 games in 2022-23, and is currently on the Windy City Bulls - averaging 9.0 points and 6.3 assists through three games.

Woolridge is not the only WCC alumnus on the roster for Team USA, with former Pepperdine forward Kessler Edwards getting the nod as well. Edwards was drafted No. 44 overall in the 2021 NBA draft after averaging 17.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Waves as a junior.

Other familiar names on the roster include former North Carolina forward Garrison Brooks, former Alabama guard Jaden Shackelford, former West Virginia guard Javonte Smart and former All-American and national champion at Virginia Kyle Guy.

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