Utah Jazz wing Joe Ingles is officially locked-in for FIBA World Cup play. Also Jazz president Steve Starks is moving on up in the Miller Group.
The 2019 FIBA World Cup of basketball is less than a month away and, as such, Utah Jazz fans are getting hyped over the possibility of Donovan Mitchell representing Team USA in the competition. However, he’s not the only Jazzman looking forward to the tournament in China.
Elsewhere, Rudy Gobert will lead what figures to be a strong French team into competition. And, on Wednesday, another of Mitchell’s teammates officially locked down his ticket to the World Cup.
The Aussie Boomers announced their 12-man roster for the tourney and, as expected, Joe Ingles will be a part of the team.
Ingles has an extensive history with the Australian national team. He has participated in three Olympic Games (2008, 2012 and 2016) and also competed in the World Cup/World Championships in 2010 and 2014.
During the ’16 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he averaged eight points, three boards and three assists per contest as the Aussies finished just outside the podium in fourth place. He remains one of the Boomers’ best ballers.
Although Australia will be without the likes of Ben Simmons, who withdrew from competition earlier this summer, and injured Jazzman Dante Exum, they remain a team to be reckoned with. NBA guys like Patty Mills, Matthew Dellavedova, Andrew Bogut, Aron Baynes and Jonah Bolden will all join Ingles in China.
Nathan Sobey, the former Wyoming standout who played with the Jazz summer leaguer squad, also made the cut. Meanwhile, two other players with Jazz ties were among the notable/surprising omissions from the Boomers’ roster. Namely, Mitch Creek and Brock Motum.
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Ingles and the Aussies will compete in Group H and are scheduled to tip-off World Cup play on September 1 against Canada in Dongguan.
Starks promoted
Steve Starks, who has been the President of the Jazz since 2015, has been promoted to a new job (the job) within the Larry H Miller Group of Companies. On Wednesday, Starks was announced as the Miller Group’s new CEO, ending an eight-month national and internal search to name a new top executive.
Starks will officially assume the role on August 12 and will also serve as an executive member of the Board.
Don Stirling, an executive VP at LHM Sports and Entertainment, will take over as Jazz prez on an interim basis until the position is filled. Starks is expected to maintain an active role within the Jazz organization.