Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Harris has a lot to look forward to when the NBA begins. However, all of his attention is currently focused on Team USA and their quest to win the FIBA World Cup.
He is not usually a person you'd expect to represent the United States in international competition, but the withdrawal of some of the NBA's top stars paved the way for him to make it to the USA Basketball roster. Understandably, the Nets sharpshooter was nothing short of excited to play with his USA teammates against the best ballers the world has to offer.
“It’s obviously an honor to be here, to represent your country,” Harris said after Team USA’s opening rout of the Czech Republic, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “We are all extremely proud to wear USA across our chests. This is something that not a lot of people have the opportunity to take part in, to have this experience.
“We are all privileged and honored to be here, but we also have that competitive streak in us where we are here to uphold the gold standard that USA has had in the past Olympics, past World Cups and past World Championships.”
Harris knows he wouldn't have a spot in the team if the league's top stars didn't excuse themselves from competing in this year's tournament. With that in mind, he and his teammates will be determined to prove the doubters wrong and win the gold.
However, the 27-year-old swingman wasn't just invited because there weren't any quality players to work with. Harris, in fact, has steadily improved as a player ever since being selected in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. He developed a deadly 3-ball and made almost half of his long-range shots last year. His long-range accuracy and energy are what Popovich wanted for Team USA.
There's still plenty of basketball to go before the World Cup winners are determined, but we can expect nothing but quality plays from Harris and his teammates.
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