A Celtics fan’s information to the 2023 FIBA World Cup

Celtics

A number of former Boston Celtics will take part on this worldwide match.

Kelly Olynyk (center) and Luigi Datome (far proper) will play on this 12 months’s FIBA World Cup. Jim Davis/Globe Workers Photograph

No present Boston Celtic shall be representing their nation within the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which begins on Friday. However that doesn’t imply Celtics followers can’t nonetheless get pleasure from watching it.

  • Former NBA participant says he fears Paul Pierce greater than Dwyane Wade in a single key talent

  • Celtics reportedly assembly with free-agent forwards T.J. Warren and Lamar Stevens

FIBA’s greatest match will function many former Celtics gamers, a few of whom lived in Boston as just lately as 2022. Six nations can have Celtics alumni don their nation’s jerseys on this 12 months’s FIBA World Cup, and lots of of these gamers will play main roles of their group’s quest for a gold medal.

Maybe essentially the most notable former Celtic taking part within the World Cup is Kelly Olynyk, who will play for Staff Canada. Olynyk performed for the Celtics from 2014-2017, the place he was chosen to each the Rising Stars Sport and All-Rookie Second Staff for that first 12 months. He’ll be a part of Dwight Powell, who wore inexperienced for one season (2014) earlier than he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks alongside Rajon Rondo.

It’s price noting that present Celtic Oshae Brissett was imagined to play alongside Olynyk and Powell for Staff Canada, however he withdrew as a consequence of precautionary considerations over a knee damage.

Staff Germany can have essentially the most former Celtics on their roster with three gamers. Dennis Schröder, Germany’s place to begin guard, is probably going one of many first names that involves thoughts. He performed for the Celtics for half of the 2021-22 NBA season till he, together with Enes Freedom and Bruno Fernando, have been traded to the Houston Rockets for Daniel Theis, who will even be taking part in for Staff Germany. 

Theis had two stints in Boston. It’s the place he made his NBA debut in 2017, and he performed there till he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in 2021. He was traded again to the Rockets on the 2022 commerce deadline earlier than he was despatched to the Indiana Pacers as a part of the Malcolm Brogdon commerce a couple of months later.

Schröder and Theis shall be joined by Moritz Wagner, who was traded to Boston on the 2021 NBA Commerce Deadline. The Celtics waived him a month later.

Staff France employs one other 2021 commerce deadline acquisition in Evan Fournier. Fournier offered the Celtics with capturing from March 2021 till that summer season, when he was a part of a sign-and-trade and despatched to the New York Knicks. Fournier will play on Staff France with Guerschon Yabusele, whom the Celtics took sixteenth general within the 2016 NBA Draft. Boston was Yabusele’s solely NBA cease, taking part in with the Celtics from 2017 till he was waived in 2019.

Three extra nations every have one former Celtic apiece. Reigning champion Spain will swimsuit up Juancho Hernangomez, who performed in Boston for the primary half of the 2021-22 NBA season earlier than being traded to Utah. Italy’s Luigi Datome performed with the Celtics in 2015, the place he made his first-ever NBA begin and performed his last-ever NBA recreation. And although he by no means wore a Celtics jersey in a recreation, Slovenia’s Zoran Dragic was a Boston Celtic from July 2015 till he was waived a month later.

Whereas all the present Boston Celtics will spend the remainder of their summers getting ready for the 2023 NBA season, chances are you’ll acknowledge a few acquainted faces in case you tune into this 12 months’s FIBA World Cup.