Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams Named to USA Select Team

On Monday, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams were officially named to the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s Select team, per USA Basketball.

The select team is set to train with the USA National Team as it prepares for the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup. There have now been seven Select teams in various years to help the National roster prepare for major international competition.

Holmgren missed his true rookie year due to a Lisfranc suffered in a Pro-Am last summer, but is now set to galvanize the Thunder roster with length and a much-needed interior precense featuring solid at-rim scoring and shot-blocking.

He capped his final 2023 NBA Summer League performance with 25 points and five blocks versus the Pacers.

In the 2019 U19’s, Holmgren helped to lead Team USA to a perfect 7-0 record and gold medal in Latvia. He scored in double-figures in all contests and set the FIBA U19 tournament record with 19 blocks.

This will be Williams first action with USA Basketball. Last season, he earned All-Rookie first team honors and finished runner-up in the 2022-23 Rookie of the Year Award race to Paolo Banchero. In 75 games, the former Santa Clara guard averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game, earning Western Conference Rookie of the Month twice.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, Josh Giddey, Aleksej Pokusevski and more are also slated to play in FIBA for their respective teams.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup begins on Aug. 25 and runs through Sept. 10.

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