The 2023 FIBA World Cup will partially be remembered for all the big names who didn’t play. After a deep playoff run to a title in Denver, Nikola Jokić is sitting out this World Cup to rest his body (and attend a few parties in Serbia). Giannis Antetokounmpo is out of the World Cup for Greece as he recovers from offseason knee surgery. Joel Embiid is not playing for the USA or France. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum are among the big names sitting this one out for USA Basketball. A lot of players prioritized playing next summer in the Paris Olympics over this summer in the World Cup.
Karl-Anthony Towns will be there playing, representing the Dominican Republic.
He explained his decision to play this summer for the homeland of his mother — who died early in the pandemic — to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.
“There was a lot that went into the decision,” Towns said.
Towns had a calf injury last season that limited him to 29 games (and he admits he was not 100% when he returned), so wanting to get in some run and feel like himself again on the court makes sense. As does playing for the homeland of his mother, an emotional commitment for Towns that he embraces.
“There’s a lot of passion and pride in the Dominican for our national teams,” Towns told ESPN… “You see it in the World Baseball Classic. I’ve definitely felt it this summer.”
He also could lift the Dominican Republic out of the group stage. Italy is the clear favorite in the group, which also includes Angola and the Philippines (one of the World Cup hosts). With the elite game of Towns — a floor-spacing big who fits well in the international style of play — the Dominican Republic could advance out of the group to the knockout rounds, and once there take their chances. It would be a huge step forward for the Dominican Republic.
Towns sounds like a guy ready to enjoy every minute of it.
