MADRID, 6 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Point guard Jalen Brunson, power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and forward Paolo Banchero lead the list of 12 players with whom the United States basketball team will face the next World Cup in absolute category, which will be held from August 25 to September 10 in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
USA Basketball, the top federating body in American basketball, released this Thursday the draft of its new ‘Dream Team’ with the following members: Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Josh Hart (New York Knicks), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers).
Thus, Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks last season until the Eastern Conference semifinals, where the Manhattan team was eliminated by the Miami Heat with a 2-4 overall score in the series. For their part, the Heat reached the NBA Finals, finishing runners-up after losing against the Denver Nuggets (4-1).
Meanwhile, Jaren Jackson Jr. won the 2022/23 Defender of the Year award. In this way, he became the second youngest player in history to win this award, after Dwight Howard in 2009, and also the second from the Memphis Grizzlies; He was joined in that list of honors by the Spanish Marc Gasol, who took it in 2013.
In addition, Paolo Banchero is the current Rookie of the Year. Not surprisingly, he signed his great first season with the Orlando Magic averaging 20 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Being called up by the US, and despite also having Italian nationality, the options for him to play with the transalpine team have vanished.