The call came when Kyle Korver was in London.
Maybe it’s apt he was overseas when he was selected for the 2014-16 USA Basketball Men’s National team. Korver will be one of 28 NBA players to compete for a spot on the 12-member roster that will represent the United States in the 2014 World Cup in Spain and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
“It’s a huge honor,” Korver told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution after USA Basketball announced the roster Thursday. “Not only to represent your country but just to be nominated. To have an opportunity to play on a team like that, with the best players in the NBA and all the young talent, to be asked to be a part of it is an honor.”
A smaller number of national team members will be selected to participate in the 2014 training camp in July. The training dates and locations will be announced at a later date. The World Cup will be held Aug. 30-Sept. 14.
The roster features 11 of the 12 players who won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The other invitees are LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, Bradley Beal, Tyson Chandler, DeMarcus Cousins, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, Kevin Durant, Kenneth Faried, Paul George, Blake Griffin, James Harden, Gordon Hayward, Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, David Lee, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Kevin Love, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Klay Thompson and Deron Williams.
Mike Krzyzewski returns as head coach.
“The roster itself is the strongest roster we’ve ever had,” USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said in a conference call with reporters.
While all 28 invited players have been involved with USA Basketball, Korver has had a limited association. He said he once went to a summer camp, along with current teammate Paul Millsap, when the two were playing for the Jazz.
“It will be fun to play with those guys, off those guys, and maybe add something,” said Korver, who was informed of the invitation last week when the Hawks played the Nets in London. “It will be fun and I’m excited.”
Both Colangelo and Krzyzewski said the roster will be fluid with the possibilities of other players being added in future. They said the aim of the roster was to keep continuity in the program but also added younger players.
Korver is the fourth Hawks player to be selected to represent USA Basketball. He joins Joe Johnson (2006 World Championships and 2006-08 Senior National Team Program), Steve Smith (1999 FIBA-Americas team) and Jason Terry (2001 Goodwill Games).
He is averaging 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 35.0 minutes a game this season. The sharp-shooting guard currently holds an NBA-record streak of 110 games with a 3-pointer. He ranks third in the league in 3-point percentage (.457) and his tied for seventh in 3-pointers made (100).
For his career, Korver ranks 11th in league history in 3-point percentage (.422) and 23rd all-time with 1,423 3-pointers made.
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