Andrew Wiggins and Team Canada could get one of four wildcards to the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain in February, FIBA announced Thursday.
“FIBA will reveal which four national teams will receive the wild cards at its Central Board meeting on the weekend of 1-2 February 2014 in Barcelona, Spain,” the organization said.
Canada failed to qualify for the World Cup, which runs Aug. 30-Sept. 14, after it was eliminated in qualifying by Argentina earlier this month.
The U.S., the defending Olympic champion, will compete in the event, and Kevin Durant and Kevin Love have committed to playing.
If Canada is selected as a wild card, Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, and Wiggins, the presumed No. 1 pick in 2014 out of Kansas, could compete in Spain.
Tony McIntyre, the CIA Bounce coach who coached both Wiggins and Bennett, previously told SNY.tv he expected both to play next year, along with his son, Syracuse freshman point guard Tyler Ennis.
“I think it’s more than likely that [Wiggins] will,” said McIntyre. “This year was just a case of him wanting to get ready for college [ at Kansas].”
He added: “This year was just a case of him wanting to get ready for college. Preparing for the NBA, I think when you’re able to be around other NBA players and go through training camp and bring your own trainer if indeed he has one by then, I think it’s a perfect situation to get ready for the NBA.”
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Photo: ESPN.com
