Drew II Gets Second Call for USA National Team

It’s back to the red white and blue for Larry Drew II as he will once again suit up for USA Basketball. The 12-man roster is set for the FIBA qualifying rounds.

After playing in the FIBA AmeriCup challenge this past summer and winning a gold medal, the next challenge has arrived for the Skyforce guard. Training begins on Friday (November 17) as he and the other players, eleven of them on current NBA G League rosters, will compete in two games next week.

Both games will be on American soil. The first is to be played on Thanksgiving Day (November 23) against Puerto Rico in Orlando, FL and the second against Mexico on Sunday November 26 in Greensboro, NC.

Behind the use of players from the G League for this FIBA qualifying event is the timing and somewhat contractual. Previously, NBA players were out of season during the process of earning their way into the FIBA World Cup. Obviously the games next week are during the current season which affects not just America, but also players from every nation who are in the NBA.

Other qualifying rounds arrive in February, June, August and November of 2018, plus one final session in February 2019 before the main event in China in late summer of 2019.

Former Skyforce Head Coach Mo McHone will assist Jeff Van Gundy who led team USA to a gold medal at the AmeriCup Challenge a few months ago. Returning players from that winning effort besides Drew are Xavier Munford and MVP Jameel Warney. Another name familiar to Skyforce fans that will appear on the team is guard Donald Sloan who is currently with the Texas Legends.

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