NBA stars James Harden, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard set for Australia trip

Team USA is getting a star-studded look about it as they prepare for the basketball World Cup, meaning Australia will see some serious NBA talent.

Team USA have added some of the biggest names in the NBA to their training squad for the Basketball World Cup in China.

That likely means many of those same players will take the court when the Boomers take them on in warm-up games in Australia before the World Cup begins at the end of August.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped the news on Thursday that the likes of James Harden and Anthony Davis had been added to coach Gregg Popovich’s training squad of 18, that will be cut to 12 by the time the World Cup starts.

ESPN Sources: Among additional players expected to join USA Basketball’s training camp in August on way to a roster spot in September’s FIBA World Cup in China: Bradley Beal, Eric Gordon, Kyle Kuzma, Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, Kevin Love, CJ McCollum and Jayson Tatum.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2019

James Harden, Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis were among the biggest names to be added to the squad.

As NY Times reported, Anthony Davis, Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden also planning to play for Team USA.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 5, 2019

However perhaps some of the biggest news is that Zion Williamson, straight out of college and expected to be the top NBA Draft pick later this month, could force his way on to the team.

Williamson has been picked as part of a select squad of young players that will scrimmage against Team USA but will be offered the opportunity to make the leap straight to the national team like Anthony Davis did at the 2012 Olympics.

Zion Williamson could make it all the way to the World Cup.

Other players available for the American squad include Boston star Jayson Tatum, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma and Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell. ESPN is reporting Andre Drummond, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Khris Middleton will join the team during their upcoming training camp.

The US will play Spain in an exhibition game in Anaheim on August 16 before flying to Australia to take on the Ben Simmons-led Boomers at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on August 22 and 24 and Canada at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on August 26.

The US will open their World Cup campaign in China on September 1 against the Czech Republic.

The Boomers will hold their 18-man camp in early August, before finalising their final 12.

Australia will be stacked with NBA players with Simmons, Andrew Bogut, Patty Mills, Aron Baynes, Joe Ingles, Jonah Bolden and Matthew Dellavedova available.

Mitch Creek and Deng Adel, who had brief NBA stints this season while playing in the NBA G League, are also keen to join the team.

The Boomers have never won an Olympic or World Cup medal.

—With AAP