Celtics Rumors: Payton Pritchard Will Be Part Of USA Select Team

The 2023 FIBA World Cup in the Philippines is a month away, and a Boston Celtics guard reportedly was called up to help the United States men’s basketball team train for its gold medal run.

Payton Pritchard will be part of the select team that will practice and scrimmage against Team USA, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.

The select team will be coached by Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic and also will include players like Chet Holmgren, Cade Cunningham and Keegan Murray, according to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and Shams Charania on Thursday.

Pritchard was part of the USA Basketball program before when he competed in the 2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup. He helped Team USA win the bronze medal and was named to the All-Star Five.

Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were on the 2019 team that finished seventh in the FIBA World Cup. Tatum and Brown won’t be part of Team USA this year, but Kristaps Porzingis will represent Latvia.

Steve Kerr took over as Team USA head coach, and this year’s FIBA World Cup team will be led by Anthony Edwards, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jalen Brunson.

Pritchard’s status in Boston was up in the air this offseason, but it appears he will stay with the Celtics this season after the backcourt opened up with the Green shipping Smart off to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The fourth-year guard will get his chance to prove to Joe Mazzulla he is deserving of more minutes if he shines against the top young players on Team USA.