Detroit Pistons guard Saddiq Bey is reportedly among three players that will be promoted from the USA Basketball select team to the Olympic team for five upcoming exhibition games, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Bey, along with San Antonio Spurs guard Keldon Johnson and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, will be filling in for Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton during the exhibition games. Those three players will join the team after the NBA Finals.
The U.S. will begin its exhibition schedule on Saturday versus Nigeria from Las Vegas, Nevada (8 p.m. EST on NBC Sports Network). The Americans will then play two games against Australia and wrap up exhibition play with one game apiece versus Argentina and Spain.
Sources: Team USA is promoting three Select Team members — San Antonio's Keldon Johnson, Cleveland's Darius Garland and Detroit’s Saddiq Bey — for exhibition games beginning Saturday. Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton will join USAB after Finals.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 9, 2021
Bey, who was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team, was among 17 players named to the select team that practiced and scrimmaged against the Olympic team this week. Bey said earlier this week he was surprised to receive the invitation but was excited nonetheless.
“It is my first time being a part of a USA event so it’s a blessing and an honor,” Bey said on Tuesday. “Once I found out, I was ecstatic for the opportunity and continue to work and trying to be the best I can and help the main team bring home the gold.”
Preliminary play in the Olympics, which will feature 12 teams across three groups, will begin July 25 and run through Aug. 2. The quarterfinals will start on Aug. 3 and consist of the top two teams in each group from the preliminary phase.
USA Basketball was placed into Group A for the Olympics, which also features France, the Czech Republic and Iran. The U.S. will open with France on July 25 at 8 a.m. EST.
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