Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart will all be on the final 12-man roster for the FIBA World Cup in China next month. USA Basketball announced the final roster on Saturday afternoon, as Kyle Kuzma became the final player to drop out after he suffered an ankle injury earlier this week in the wake of a loss to Australia on Saturday.
Here’s a look at the full depth chart for Team USA heading into World Cup play:
Guards: Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell, Marcus Smart, Joe Harris, Derrick White
Forwards: Khris Middleton, Harrison Barnes, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown
Centers: Myles Turner, Brook Lopez, Mason Plumlee
Smart was the one question mark in this group to make the roster strictly from a health standpoint. The guard had not played since the first week of training camp due to a sore calf before Saturday's exhibition matchup. Unlike many of his USA teammates, Smart elected to stay with the team during his injury rehab and made a return to the court on Saturday morning as the USA lost the tuneup to Australia, snapping a 78-game win streak for Team USA in international play. Their last loss came in the 2006 World Cup semifinals against Greece.
Four takeaways from the play of Smart and others against Australia, the construction of the USA roster and what to expect from the Celtics on Team USA moving forward.
Marcus Smart looked sharp in his return
The 24-year-old guard only played nine minutes in the first half while getting the start in the backcourt next to Donovan Mitchell. The minutes limit was definitely a plan to ease the defensive-minded guard back into action in what was ultimately a meaningless game and Smart looked fairly sharp, making two of his three field-goal attempts and dishing out three assists in nine minutes.
I love Marcus Smart pic.twitter.com/pMdtTZgCYO
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) August 24, 2019
Marcus Smart is already hitting threes ???? pic.twitter.com/FiHt4uLkxK
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) August 24, 2019
Can we please make sure Brad is made aware of this @celtics pic.twitter.com/sCiST8TMOG
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) August 24, 2019
The Jays are killin people lets goooooo pic.twitter.com/0nhQ3pj7z7
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) August 24, 2019
Like Tatum realizing he had a lane and attacking instead of settling after missing some early jumpers pic.twitter.com/RLyDlGxvdD
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) August 24, 2019
Kemba is just too quick. ?
?: NBA TV | @FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/yZKKh9O9R2
— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 24, 2019