3 Hidden Benefits of OKC Thunder players participating in FIBA World Cup
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder are well-represented at the 2023 FIBA World Cup tournament. Headlined by Jack White and Josh Giddey representing Team Australia, as well as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, leading the way for Team Canada.
We get our first taste of some form of Thunder basketball action since the end of Summer League this week as Team Canada and Team Australia begin World Cup exhibition play this week. However, the benefits to the OKC Thunder being so well represented at the FIBA World Cup tournament go beyond just tiding fans over until the start of the NBA regular season.
3 Hidden benefits of the OKC Thunder are well represented at the 2023 FIBA World Cup tournament.
Along with the four players mentioned above, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren will participate in Team USA’s select as practice players to improve the main club. Aleksej Pokusevski and Vasilije Micic were poised to play in FIBA together, but injuries have sidelined them for the tournament (though both will be ready to go by training camp).
Davis Bertans (Latvia) and Usman Garuba (Spain) are also poised to play in the FIBA World Cup for their respective countries. What are three hidden benefits of the OKC Thunder being represented well at this end of Summer classic?