Brandon Knight wants to do well in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers

MarJon Beauchamp, Torrey Craig, Kessler Edwards… In the heart of the American selection full of former NBA players we find Brandon Knightthe player with the most impressive CV this assembled team to start qualifying for the 2027 World Cup.

For the 8th pick in the 2011 Draft, like others, this window is an opportunity to find some light, although he hasn’t been talked about much since late 2021. He then took advantage of the spike in Covid cases to join the Mavs team for a brief appearance. Since then, the desire for a new career in the Big League has not left the father of the family.

« I still have love for the game. Even if I wasn’t playing and setting goals, I would practice every day. And, frankly, it’s for my kids. At the height of my career, my son wasn’t here yet. My daughter wasn’t there yet. So I want them to be able to see that dad is active. My goal is to hopefully make it back to the NBA one day, and if they could see that, that would be it for me. I will continue to persevere whether I succeed or not », The 33-year-old sets his sights today.

The result: when USA Basketball athletic director Sean Ford contacted him about donning the national jersey, Brandon Knight, who currently plays in Puerto Rico, wasn’t hard to convince.

A smile on the phone

« When I called him, you could almost see his smile over the phone. He is such a nice person, always smiling. Everyone here immediately said yes. Maybe they weren’t 100% sure what they were getting into, but they want to advance their career. I hope he can make it here and have a good basketball experience “, says the manager.

I would be coached Stephen Silasthis American team meets Nicaragua for the first clash in Managua this Friday, before the second leg a few days later on American soil.

This is the start of a six-legged tie that will be played between now and March 2027. The Dominican Republic and Mexico are the other two countries in their group.

In any case, Brandon Knight approaches this double-dealing with the idea of ​​being altruistic. “ As a father of two, that’s what life is all about: being selfless. I am a firm believer that you reap what you sow. And if the only time this team gets noticed is by losing, that’s life. It is an honor to have this challenge. It’s an honor to play for the United States, to have a target on your back and to be selected for it. And it’s always good to serve », Delights the leader/guard.