Twelve men will represent USA Basketball in the next round of FIBA Qualifying with two members of the Sioux Falls Skyforce on the squad. Almost the same lineup that took the floor for the NBA G League International Challenge will suit up for a pair of games this weekend.

Larry Drew II will have the distinction of suiting up for all three squads featuring G League players since the process began in August of 2017. Additionally, Jeff Van Gundy will continue to serve as head coach and former Skyforce Head Coach Mo McHone will be an assistant on the bench for USA Basketball.

As a refresher, since FIBA adjusted the qualifying schedule for teams to play in the 2019 World Cup, no NBA players are eligible to play due to the current parameters of the league’s collective bargaining agreement. G League players are under free agent status which does allow them to suit up for international play.

With Sioux Falls having two players on the team, those players will miss upcoming games against the South Bay Lakers (who have donated Travis Wear to the USA Basketball cause) and the Agua Caliente Clippers on February 24 and 26. The Reno Bighorns also have two players on the squad with Aaron Harrison and David Stockton.

However, the Bighorns have two games scheduled in this qualifying window beginning February 21 against Salt Lake City (whose Taylor Braun made the team) and February 24 at Memphis. It’s within the realm of possibility that they could return for a February 27 engagement against Northern Arizona. Sioux Falls should have their players back for a date with Oklahoma City on February 28.

The two FIBA qualifying games will be February 23 against Cuba and February 26 against Puerto Rico with the venue for both games being Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz.


 

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