Mission Accomplished: NBA G League Completes FIBA Qualifying Efforts
12 games.
54 players.
1 Goal.
The NBA G League completed its mission on Monday night with a thrilling 84–83 victory over Argentina to cap a 10–2 record and qualify Team USA for the FIBA World Cup in China this summer.
In 2017, FIBA changed the qualifying period for the World Cup to winter months, coincidentally falling during the NBA regular season. Seeing as how those players could not compete during the regular season, the G League was tasked with getting the job done for them.
And last night’s heroics by Reggie Hearn with an incredible fadeaway jumper with just one second remaining to seal the victory is fitting for the entire G League experience.
Improbable, unlikely, unprecedented. Yet here we are nearly 18 months later with a job well done.
Team USA helped save Hearn’s pro career, as he spoke of the opportunity with 2 Ways & 10 Days when he was named to the roster in the summer of 2017.
“It’s without a doubt my Lord and savior Jesus,” said Hearn on his biggest supporter throughout this process. “I can sit here and talk to you for an hour about all the times that I’ve wanted to quit the game of basketball, all the times where I’ve lost confidence in myself and my game and so I’ve spent many days many nights praying asking God if basketball is for me and if it’s somewhere where I can make an impact on the world with the game and He’s kept me going.
“There have been times even in my professional career where I wanted to quit the game. He has answered continuously, encouraging me just with opportunities like this. If at any one of these times I had quit the game, I would never had an incredible opportunity like that.”
18 months removed, he’s been named the 2018 USA Basketball Male Athlete of The Year, hit a game winner against one of the top teams in the world, and has been anointed his teams the appropriate nickname, Captain America.
Side note to the Stockton Kings, get this man a shield. Give him his own entrance music when he walks onto the court. The key to the city, a voucher so he never has to pay for a meal again, anything to show Hearn the appreciation he deserves.
Truthfully, Hearn isn’t one that is seeking that sort of admiration or recognition. He’s the type of player to leave it all on the court. He’s not looking to be on the highlight reel or make the flashy play. So it’s only fitting, of course, that his play was no. 1 overall on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Monday night.
Credit goes to Jeff Van Gundy as well. Returning to the sideline after being removed from the game for a decade is no easy task, let alone trying to accomplish something that hasn’t been done before with G League talent.
The world of basketball has improved tremendously in that span. Just look at the NBA. At the end of the 2008 season, 76 players representing 31 countries were on rosters. Fast forward ten years later and 108 players representing 42 countries or approximately 24% of NBA rosters are comprised of international players.
Team USA was put in a vulnerable position without its NBA stars and the international game improving with each passing year. Yet Van Gundy was up for the challenge.
A total of 54 players rotated through in this window, some were even called up while they were suiting up for Team USA during qualifying periods. Most recently, Chris Chiozza earned a call-up with the Rockets while training with USA.
“I think I’ve learned two major things overall,” said Van Gundy when Team USA visited Santa Cruz last February. “How many great players there are around the world, such respect for teams we’ve competed against. And also, how many good players there are in our country that are playing, toiling in obscurity. But that doesn’t mean that they are outstanding players.”
Van Gundy wasn’t shy about reaching out to teams and those he has existing relationships with about filling roster spots with some of the talent he coached during this process.
“I know if they have an opening and I feel like one of my guys would be a good fit I’m going to champion them,” Van Gundy said. “When you coach somebody you know them…the good part I can say about Reggie Hearn is he’s smart, he can shoot, and he’s tough. So I can sell that.”
Van Gundy has said repeatedly this is the toughest and most important job of his coaching career, but he also wants to make sure the hard work his players have put in doesn’t go unnoticed.
“I think much more needs to be done for them and for what they’re going through to try to help our greater stars to qualify,” Van Gundy said. “I think USA Basketball does a terrific job. I think every other entity needs to do more to promote them, to promote what the cause is, and also to be committed to try to have us get the best possible roster we can.”
So what happens next? How will these players be remembered, if at all for their hard work over these past 18 months? What can be done?
My advice? Save a roster spot for Reggie Hearn when the NBA players come around to represent USA. I think it’s safe to say he’s earned it at this point. He, like the rest of those players, have shown they can hang with some of the toughest teams in FIBA, and Hearn would be a symbol of those players who helped along the way.
He would be the constant reminder to those who helped make this a possibility for Team USA. The journey doesn’t have to end here for Hearn and his USA accomplishments, but if it does, it’s a sweet way to top it off.
