U.S. national team may use D-Leaguers for future FIBA qualifying
The D-League may be getting an entirely different kind of showcase in the near future.
With a new schedule - set to go into effect in 2017 - overlapping with the NBA season, the U.S. men's national team could resort to using D-Leaguers for 2019 FIBA World Cup qualifying.
The modified qualifying slate will feature four windows of play - two of which will come in November and February - when the NBA regular season should be in swing.
From ESPN's Mark Woods:
While most leagues around the world will simply shut down for a 10-day period to accommodate FIBA play, that concept has been deemed a non-starter in the NBA - with an early idea of allowing an out to go on national duty during All-Star Weekend taken off the table.
Utilizing a single squad drafted in from the D-League, rather than dipping into the NCAA or bringing back U.S. exports from overseas, is now seen as the most viable alternative solution.
The World Cup, which serves in part as a springboard to Olympic qualification, does not reserve spots for previous winners, so despite Team USA's victory at the 2014 edition - and even if it should win gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics - it'll still have to qualify for 2019.
As for the new, complicated scheduling format, FIBA insists it was drawn up with the NBA's blessing.
"The whole concept was developed in very close cooperation with the NBA and USA Basketball," FIBA sports and competitions director Predrag Bogosavljev told Woods.
"They have difficulties in getting NBA players for qualification but they have certain depth. They are discussing different opportunities together. One of them is using the D-League. But there are also some other options. But they will participate and find the best way to do it."
The World Cup reserves seven spots for countries from the Americas. Should a backup U.S. roster - comprised of D-Leaguers or otherwise - be able to qualify for one of those spots, the national team can call on its NBA talent for the actual tournament.