Lakers News: This Country Is Biggest Obstacle Against Austin Reaves Winning FIBA World Cup Gold
Although Team Spain is actually the highest-seeded nation heading into this month's FIBA World Cup, Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves' second-seeded Team USA squad must be most concerned with the progress of the No. 15 seed.
That's right, it's Team Canada.
Although Team USA boasts a roster full of NBA players, including 2023 All-Stars Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Tyrese Haliburton, Team Canada is surprisingly stacked.
New head coach Jordi Hernandez's club from the Great White North is fielding a roster with seven available NBA players: 2023 All-Star Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, New York Knicks swingman RJ Barrett, Houston Rockets small forward Dillon Brooks, Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, Minnesota Timberwolves wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Utah Jazz center/power forward Kelly Olynyk, and Dallas Mavericks big man Dwight Powell. 2023 Denver Nuggets champion point guard Jamal Murray had been scheduled to join his countrymen, but apparently his body is shot after an extended playoff run and he is officially out, per a team presser.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined for the tournament and Luka Doncic's health status up in the air, Gilgeous-Alexander might be the third-best player available in the entire competition. Barrett has All-Star upside (Murray seems destined to earn that honor this year too, but alas he's out), and every other Team Canada NBA player has been a significant contributor to a playoff-caliber club. They are much, much better than the No. 15 seed.
The games that count kick off on August 25th (Team USA plays its first meaningful competition game on the 26th). We'll see how our guys fare.
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