Report: Naz Reid to Play for USA Basketball Select Team Prior to FIBA World Cup

As the 2023 FIBA World Cup inches closer, countries are beginning to finalize their rosters. For Team USA, some marquee players that will be representing their nation are Mikal Bridges of the Brooklyn Nets, Jalen Brunson of the New York Kicks, Jarren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies, and, of course, Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Not only has the official roster been finalized for the USA, barring any injuries, but their Select Team is also getting to completion with only three spots remaining.

Friday Morning, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported two new additions to the Select Team — those being New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy and Timberwolves center Naz Reid.

After the commitment of Reid, Murphy, and Payton Pritchard, here’s an up-to-date look at USA’s Select Team roster, which currently features nine players and has the ability to carry up to 12 total on the roster:

• Jalen Green / Houston Rockets / G
• Cade Cunningham / Detroit Pistons / G
• Quentin Grimes / New York Knicks / G
• Payton Pritchard / Boston Celtics / G
• Trey Murphy / New Orleans Pelicans / F
• Keegan Murray / Sacramento Kings / F
• Jalen Williams / Oklahoma City Thunder / F
• Chet Holmgren / Oklahoma City Thunder / C
• Naz Reid / Minnesota Timberwolves / C

The point of having a separate practice squad, full of young stars in the making, is to not only give the National team some competition during their training camp in early August but also serve as a springboard for those young players. If a player on the National team were to get injured during training camp, the preliminary rounds, or during the World Cup, someone from the Select Team would be called up to replace them, usually in correspondence with that injured player's position.

Even if a young player on the Select Team doesn’t get his number called, just being around some of the best players in the country for a few weeks is always positive on the developmental side of things.

In 2021, Anthony Edwards was a part of the Select Team. However, he wasn’t called up to represent his country as he suffered an ankle injury which cut his time with the team short. Following a career year and being named to his first All-Star game, Edwards will be officially representing the United States of America this August.

When they saw the news about Reid joining the Select Team, I’m sure a good chunk of Wolves fans have that sliver of hope that he will be joining Ant on the big stage in the Middle East for the World Cup. Of course, that would be a whole bunch of fun to watch those two compete on one of the highest levels together. Regardless, I’m sure Ant will be looking forward to hitting Naz with an in-out dribble move — or vice versa — and attacking the basket for a slam in the handful of scrimmages the two will face off against each other.

USA’s training camp is set to begin on August 3rd in Las Vegas, with their first exhibition game being held on August 7th against Puerto Rico. Once training camp comes to a close, rosters will be finalized one last time, and the National team will make the trip to the Middle East for their first official World Cup game against New Zealand on August 26th.