Though none of the current or former Memphis Grizzlies are represented on Team USA’s twelve-man roster for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, the city of Memphis still has its fingerprints all over the star-studded tournament.
Midway through the first round of action, some of the top teams in the tournament are being led by players who wear the Beale Street blues from October to June.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ most recent acquisition, shooting guard Marko Guduric, has helped lead his home nation of Serbia to a 3-0 start in the tournament, averaging 7 points on 33% from three in the first three games. Guduric has been remarkably efficient in his World Cup appearances thus far, with an aggregate plus/minus of 46 in wins over Angola, the Philippines, and Italy. Grizzlies fans would love to see Marko shoot the ball a little more (only 15 shots in 3 games), and Coach Taylor Jenkins is undoubtedly keeping tabs on his three-point percentage during the tournament, as the Grizzlies acquired him primarily because of his ability to shoot from long range.