Picked Last, Knicks’ Josh Hart Stands Out for Team USA

Getty US's Josh Hart (3L) and Greece's Ioannis Papapetrou (2L) vie for the ball during the FIBA Basketball World Cup group C match between US and Greece at the Mall of Asia Arena.

New York Knicks’ reserve guard Josh Hart was the last player to be selected for Team USA. But he’s emerged as their top rebounder in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, averaging 7.5 rebounds per game.

His Team USA and Knicks’ rival coaches, Steve Kerr, and assistant Erik Spoelstra, have raved about Hart’s gutsy plays that always leave them in awe.

“Josh is just a winner,” Kerr said after Team USA’s 109-81 rout of Greece on Monday. “When people ask what position does he play? He plays a winner. I don’t know what position he plays, but he gets loose balls. He guards anybody.”

“At one point, [Spoelstra] turned to me and said, some people get 50-50 balls, he gets the 30-70 balls, you know, and I thought that was really well said,” Kerr added.

Hart was the only player from both teams who grabbed double-digit rebounds. He outrebounded Greece’s starting frontcourt of 7-3 Georgios Papagiannis and 6-8 Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who only combined for seven rebounds.

Hart had four points and four rebounds during Team USA’s breakaway in the second quarter, where they transformed a 25-22 lead into a 42-27 advantage by the time he was subbed.

“He just makes these plays with his effort, physicality, and toughness,” Kerr said. “But also his skill.”

“He really pushes the ball well in transition and moves, get off, gets off the ball and then that’s when the first domino falls defensively and then you see an X, two or three passes, Josh is often the first guy to create the advantage and he just has a unique game and what he does translates to winning,” Kerr added.

Team USA was plus-13 during Hart’s 20 minutes on the floor. The Knicks guard, who also dabbles as a power forward in small ball lineups, added six points and five assists for a young Team USA that has yet to lose since they were formed three weeks ago.

Jalen Brunson No Longer Surprised With Josh Hart’s Plays

Hart’s teammate at Knicks and Villanova, Jalen Brunson, was no longer surprised with how the reserve guard stood out.

“Ever since I’ve known Josh, since the day we met…he’s been the same player,” Brunson told reporters after Team USA went 2-0 to advance to the next round of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. “He’s had the same mindset since the day I met him.”

“He’s a hard-working guy. [He] has the ability to do things on the court that every NBA player does, but he takes pride in always doing the little things on a nightly basis. He brings that toughness, that effort, and he’s just a different man. He goes out there, he’s relentless and he’s been doing that since the day I met him,” Brunson added.

Hart and Brunson won a championship at Villanova in 2016 and are focused on achieving the same feat with Team USA on the world stage and hopefully with the Knicks.

Lakers Emerge as Knicks Rival in Giannis Antetokounmpo Chase

The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as the Knicks’ rival in a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade should the two-time MVP leaves Milwaukee, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

“The Lakers and the Knicks are already being mentioned as franchises presumed to interest Antetokounmpo down the road if he does decide to move on from Milwaukee, which just made a slew of moves (re-signing Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez and replacing Mike Budenholzer as coach with Adrian Griffin) to try to appease its face of the franchise,” Stein wrote in his August 28 Substack newsletter.

Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee came to focus after he told the New York Times that he’s unsure of signing an extension with the Bucks.