We don’t need to tell you that, as the 2023 World Cup tips off in East Asia this weekend, it’s worth paying attention to, say, Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton. Team USA is not necessarily studded with stars, but it is packed with familiar faces. Even Team Canada, without Jamal Murray but with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and R.J. Barrett, is a known commodity.
Throughout the World Cup, though, there will be lesser-known players putting in some important games, games that could propel them into the upcoming NBA season—for better or worse. Here are five players worth monitoring once the action gets going:
Josh Giddey, Australia. The Boomers will be ripe with NBA players, especially young players expected to have an impact next season—Matisse Thybulle, Josh Green, even not-so-young Dante Exum. But Giddey could be the most interesting player in the entire tournament, after a breakout season with the Thunder last year. The Aussies will run their offense through Giddey, something OKC could do more next season to take pressure off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder do play through Giddey quite a bit already, of course, but he is in position to really show off his playmaking in the coming weeks.
Evan Fournier, France. Fournier is 30 years old and his NBA career has come to a standstill as the Knicks have nudged him out of the rotation. But he can still play, in the right situation. He had 29 points in France’s final World Cup tune-up, and was Les Bleus’ top scorer in the Tokyo Olympics, at 18.7 points (France won the silver medal, losing to the U.S., in that tournament). Fournier is in the final year of his contact and could be a good two-fer for a team hoping to add an expiring deal and a bench player who can still shoot. This is a chance to rebuild his trade value.
Franz Wagner, Germany. Anthony Edwards stole the show in the U.S.’s victory over Germany in Abu Dhabi this week, but don’t overlook Wagner, who kept Germany in the game after losing a fourth-quarter lead. Wagner scored 16 points, was a plus-16 for the game, and had nine fourth-quarter points. Though the Germans are longshots to earn a medal in the tournament, Wagner’s scoring and toughness could help them pull a surprise.
Filip Petrusev, Serbia. Petrusev, who played two years at Gonzaga, is slated to make his NBA debut with the Sixers this year after signing a contract in July. At 23 years old, Petrusev (who is 6-foot-11) appears to be NBA-ready, and had 30 combined points in Serbia’s last two World Cup prep games. The Serbs will not be the powerhouse they would be if Nikola Jokic were playing (he’s taking this Cup off), but Jokic’s absence is a big opportunity for Petrusev to make a summer statement ahead of Philadelphia’s camp. Miami’s Nikola Jovic, too, should get some chances to shine, but Petrusev is ahead of him as a scoring option.
Usman Garuba, Spain. Garuba was caught up in a game of NBA roster roulette this summer, dealt from Houston to Atlanta to Oklahoma City before the Thunder waived him this week to pare down the team’s roster. Gruba is a free agent, and deserves a chance in the NBA—hopefully, for him, the World Cup will prove it. He was a useful sub (4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 blocks in 16.9 minutes) for Spain in last year’s EuroBasket tournament and should have a bit more of a role this time around. Garuba still is raw (he can’t shoot the 3, a sometimes fatal flaw in the NBA) and could well head back to Spain on a pro contract, but he has talent and is worth a flier.
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August 25, 2023 at 04:51AM
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All The FIBA World Cup’s A Stage: 5 NBA Players Worth Watching - Forbes
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