New York guard Josh Hart has committed to NBA to play in the World Cup this summer, a person familiar with the decision said Sunday.
Hart is the 12th, and likely last, person to commit to the team, the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press because the roster has not been announced by USA Basketball. This announcement is expected sometime this month. The team begins its training camp in Las Vegas in early August.
The menu can still be changed for several reasons. There will be a select team selected by USA Basketball for the World Cup squad to play and practice against in Las Vegas, and players from the selected team may be promoted to the World Cup roster in the event of injury or if a committed player is out.
Hart joins Knicks teammate Jalen Bronson on the list of committed players, along with Brooklyn teammates Cam Johnson and Michal Bridges, Orlando’s Paolo Panchero, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reeves, New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram, UT’s Walker Kessler, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis, and Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr.
The team will be coached by Golden State’s Steve Kerr, assisted by Miami’s Eric Spoelstra, Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyrone Law and Gonzaga’s Mark Vue.
Of the 12 players, six — Ingram (24.7), Edwards (24.6), Bronson (24.0), Haliburton (20.7), Bridges (20.1) and Panchero (20.0) — averaged at least 20 points per game in the NBA last season. .
The Americans will play five warm-up games before the World Cup: August 7 against Puerto Rico in Las Vegas, August 12 against Slovenia and August 13 against Spain in Spain, then August 18 against Greece and August 20 against Germany in Abu Dhabi.
The World Cup matches will run from August 25 to September 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The Americans will be in Manila for the duration of their stay at the tournament with group stage matches against New Zealand on August 26, Greece on August 28 and Jordan on August 30.
The tournament is the primary qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The United States will have to finish as the best or second-best team from the Americas region in the World Cup to automatically qualify for Paris, where the Americans will seek a fifth consecutive Olympic title.
The two World Cup finalists from Europe and the Americas, as well as one from Africa, Asia and Oceania, will all be eligible to take a place at Paris 2024.
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