Jazz Fans Can Watch These 5 Players in FIBA Cup
There's good news for the Utah Jazz fans that need basketball in their lives during the two-month lull until training camp begins. The FIBA World Championships start on August 25, and the event will feature five current Jazz players.
Let’s take a closer look at which Jazzmen will be participating in next month's event.
Jordan Clarkson | Philippines
Clarkson will be leading the Philippines in his first FIBA tournament. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year played for the Philippines in the 2018 Asian games, where he averaged 26 points per game and led his team to a fifth-place finish.
Also, last summer, Clarkson averaged 25 points in the two games that helped the Philippines make this year’s tournament. He qualifies as the team's naturalized player as his grandmother was born in Bacolor Pampanga, Philippines.
Walker Kessler | United States
Kessler will get his first taste of the FIBA representing the USA. Getting quality minutes should be in the cards, with Kessler being the only center on the roster.
The United States could win it all, led by Anthony Edwards, Brandon Ingram, and Jalen Brunson. Currently, the oddsmakers have the United States at -120 to win the tournament
Lauri Markkanen | Finland
Markkanen is no stranger to playing on the international stage. 'The Finnisher' stood out last summer during the qualifying rounds.
In seven FIBA games, Markkanen averaged 27.9 points while hauling in 8.1 rebounds. More notably, he had a 43-point performance in last year’s Eurobasket tournament, leading Finland to the quarterfinals.
Simone Fontecchio | Italy
Jazz fans that are familiar with Fontecchio can get a glimpse of the second-year Jazzman when he takes the floor for his home country Italy. He's experienced in world tournaments and will be the player that opponents will be keying in on.
Fontecchio played in the 2020 Olympics Basketball tournament in Saitama, Japan, where he averaged 22.3 points per game.
Kelly Olynyk | Canada
Olynyk will be representing Canada on a team that has premiere NBA talent up and down the roster. Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and RJ Barrett lead a cast that has a chance to make some noise next month.
Canada has a shot to win it all, considering their starting five are NBA players, along with a bench with pro experience as well.
The tournament gets underway on August 25.
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