Jay Huff Headlines 12-Man Team USA Roster for July World Cup Qualifiers
jay-huff-leads-team-usa-roster-for-july-world-cup-qualifiers
USA Basketball on Tuesday revealed the 12 players who will suit up for the next FIBA World Cup qualifying window, scheduled for early July.
Games and Schedule
Team USA travels to the Dominican Republic for a July 3 matchup before visiting Mexico on July 6. The Americans enter the two-game set with a 3-1 record, marking the fourth of six qualifying windows ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Complete Roster
Guards: Pedro Bradshaw, Jacob Gilyard, Kevon Harris, Mike James, Elijah Pemberton, Gabe York
Forwards: Matt Ryan, Terry Taylor, Jarrod Uthoff
Centers: Dewan Hernandez, Jay Huff, Orlando Robinson
NBA Experience
Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff is the lone active NBA player on the list, but nine teammates own previous NBA service. Center Orlando Robinson spent most of last season on a two-way deal with the Orlando Magic before being waived in February. Forwards Terry Taylor and Matt Ryan logged NBA minutes during the 2024/25 campaign with the Kings and Knicks, respectively, though each played overseas last season.
Veteran Presence
Thirty-five-year-old guard Mike James, a 2024 EuroLeague MVP and the competition’s all-time leading scorer, joins the national team for the first time. The roster is guided by head coach Stephen Silas, who formerly led the Houston Rockets.
The players selected for the qualifying window are not expected to comprise the final World Cup squad, which traditionally features higher-profile NBA talent once the league’s offseason begins. Nonetheless, the July games offer this group an opportunity to secure victories that would move the United States closer to locking up a World Cup berth.
Source: Hoops Rumors
