Are there Georgian NBA Players?

Georgia is represented in international basketball competitions by the Georgia Men's National Basketball Team, which is governed by the Georgia Basketball Federation (GBB). Georgia acceded to the International Basketball Association (FIBA) in 1992, following its independence from the former Soviet Union. In 1995, the national team played its first official game against Poland.

Georgia has qualified for the European Basketball Championship 5 times, with their best showing coming in 2011 when they qualified for their first-ever trip to the tournament. In 2023, Georgia qualified for the first time to play in the top global competition, the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Georgia announced their 18-player roster on July 12, 2023. Their FIBA World Cup Squad includes Giorgi Tsintsadze, Tornike Shengelia, Giorgi Shermadini, Goga Bitadze, Duda Sanadze, Thad McFadden, Beka Bekauri, Mikheil Berishvili, Merab Bokolishvili, Rati Andronikashvili, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kakhaber Jintcharadze, Levan Gogichaishvili, Giorgi Korsantia, Nikoloz Gaprindashvili, Giorgi Turdziladze, Luka Liklikadze, and Davit Kakushadze.

The Republic of Georgia will commence its participation in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup by playing its opening match against the Republic of Cape Verde at 17:30 (local time) at the Okinawa Arena in Okinawa, Japan on August 26th, 2023. The Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia will host the tournament, which will run from August 25th to September 10th.

Georgian NBA players in FIBA 2023

The 18-player roster of the Georgian National team includes the following two NBA players.

• Sandro Mamukelashvili plays for the San Antonio Spurs.

• Goga Bitadze was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2019 and has started to make a name for himself in the NBA. He played for the Indiana Pacers till 2023 and then moved to Orlando Magic. He has shown great potential, particularly on the defensive end, and his size and athleticism could be assets for Georgia's national team. If he continues to develop and improve his skills, he could be a valuable player for Georgia in the FIBA World Cup 2023.

There are two players in the Georgian FIBA World Cup 2023 team with prior NBA experience.

• Mikheil Berishvili, who played for Oklahoma City Blue in 2008.

• Tornike Shengelia, another Georgian player who could potentially make an impact in the FIBA World Cup, is a versatile forward who has played in the NBA for Brooklyn Nets from 2012 to 2014 and Chicago Bulls in 2014.

Georgia is a country that is still developing its basketball program on the international stage. However, despite this fact, there are still some talented Georgian basketball players that play professionally overseas, including a few who have had success in the NBA.

It is important to note that final roster selections for the FIBA World Cup are ultimately made by the Georgian Basketball Federation (GBF). The GBF looks at factors such as player availability, form, and team chemistry when selecting the national team.

While Georgia may not have a large pool of NBA players to choose from, there are still a few players who could potentially represent the country in the FIBA World Cup 2023. Regardless of who is selected, the Georgian national team will undoubtedly give their all on the court and compete fiercely against some of the best teams in the world. It will be exciting to see how they fare in this upcoming tournament.