The USA Basketball roster is quite easily one of the most challenging basketball teams across the world. Boasting the presence of legendary players and superstars from the NBA, the team usually is known for their star-studded lineups which is on more occasions than one, hard to beat.
Earlier today, USA Basketball announced their 12-man roster for the qualifying rounds of the FIBA AmeriCup, which is the Americas Basketball Championship that takes place every four years between national teams of the Western Hemisphere continents.
12-man team unveiled for upcoming qualifying matches
Generally, the team from USA Basketball consists of the elites of the American NBA fraternity with superstars eager to represent their country on a global stage. However, with the AmeriCup set to begin later this month as the Americans take on Cuba in their first game of the tournament, it is merely impossible for any NBA star to catch any action for USA Basketball in the qualifying rounds of the tournament.
The tournament’s qualifying rounds is set to begin on the 22nd of February, later this month where the American contingent will face Cuba in their opening fixture which will be held in Florida. Following their opening game, the team will fly to Cuba to play their subsequent game on the 25th of this month.
Team USA’s 12-man roster sees a drought of NBA superstars and current NBA players. Regardless, ten of the twelve players have been tried and tested in the league, having at least a year of experience with just two of the players not having any prior NBA experience.
The 12-man roster consists of:
- Jordan Bell, F/C
- Deonte Burton, G/F
- Michael Carter-Williams, G
- Will Davis, F
- RaiQuan Gray, F
- Dusty Hannahs, G
- Matthew Hurt, F
- Jayce Johnson, C
- Stanley Johnson, F
- Elfrid Payton, G
- Jahmi’us Ramsey, G
- Justin Wright-Foreman, G
Apart from Will Davis and Jayce Johnson, the rest of the team have stepped foot onto the NBA hardwood. The qualifiers also come as a golden opportunity for the above players to prove themselves on an international level, with no major player or superstar present to lead the team from the front.
Coaching staff: Jerome Allen leads with former NBA assistants
Guiding the team to achieve glory will be some of the best minds coming from USA Basketball. Leading the American squadron will be Jerome Allen and his team of coaches.
Allen has gained widespread popularity around the league with his profound knowledge of the game which earned him his place with USA Basketball. Till last year, Allen served the Detroit Pistons before he left the team. Now, this stint with USA Basketball presents him with the opportunity to turn things around and could also help him boost his career.
Joining him in the task of coaching the team are the group of other coaches which consist of Melvin Hunt, Sydney Johnson and Bill Bayno, who will also serve as a scout during the team’s venture.
Without a doubt, USA Basketball are the strong favorites to lift the championship, given their track record of seven championship in the tournament’s history. The two qualifying games that the team will play this month concludes the first round of the competition’s qualifiers with two more rounds to go in November of this year and February next year, respectively.
Consisting of 16 teams split into four groups, with each group having four teams, and each team playing another team twice, the top three teams of each group will advance to the AmeriCup which will be held next year around August in Managua, Nicaragua.
Can USA Basketball win the AmeriCup? Which familiar faces would you have liked to see on the squad? We would like to know your opinion on Team USA, so feel free to comment below.
