The Boston Celtics have four players participating in USA Basketball’s training camp, and two of them are slated to be captains for Team USA.
Celtics guards Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart will reportedly be captains for USA Basketball during the FIBA World Cup in China, per the Associated Press (via ESPN). Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell will also reportedly be a captain for the Americans.
On Friday, Marc Stein of The New York Times reported that Team USA coach Gregg Popovich had not officially named the three players captains.
Walker told reporters Wednesday that he, Smart and Mitchell would help lead Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, which will be held in China from Aug. 31-Sept. 15.
The Americans are coming off a 102-86 exhibition win over Australia, and they’ll play their second game against the Boomers on Saturday. Team USA has 13 players on the training camp roster, but it has to cut one more player before the FIBA World Cup begins.
With Walker and Smart helping lead the Americans, that could assist in them developing chemistry and rapport.
Walker will likely be the Celtics’ best player this upcoming season, and Smart has regularly led the team on defense with his energy and tenacity on the perimeter.
