Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo has just been named to the roster of Team USA, and he is pumped for the opportunity to represent his country.
Adebayo and the rest of the Team USA roster will soon depart for training camp, which will start on Monday. There, they will prepare for the FIBA World Cup, which will start on Aug. 31. There are currently 16 players on the roster who will compete for the final 12 spots.
In recent weeks, a number of prominent NBA stars have declined invitations to join Team USA, including the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis. On Thursday, Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond and Los Angeles Clippers big man Montrezl Harrell turned down their invites, paving the way for Adebayo to be added to the team.
The Team USA roster won’t exactly be a weak one. Along with Adebayo, it will include notable blue-chippers as Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton, Boston Celtics All-Star guard Kemba Walker, the New York Knicks’ Julius Randle and Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma.
Adebayo, the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, averaged 8.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this past season.