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San Antonio Spurs: Rudy Gay to play in 2018 NBA Africa Game

By Rob Wolkenbrod
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Rudy Gay #22 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball from the free-throw line during the game against the Washington Wizards on March 27, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Rudy Gay #22 of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball from the free-throw line during the game against the Washington Wizards on March 27, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Rudy Gay of the San Antonio Spurs will play in the 2018 NBA Africa Game.

On Thursday, the NBA released the rosters for the third annual NBA Africa Game, which will take place on Saturday, Aug. 4 at 5:00 pm CAT, with the Sun Arena at Time Square in Pretoria, South Africa as the host. The San Antonio Spurs, who did not send a representative in 2017, will have someone play in this global celebration.

Rudy Gay was announced as part of the Team World squad, composed of players outside of Africa. DeMar DeRozan, Harrison Barnes, Danilo Gallinari, Khris Middleton and Hassan Whiteside will make up part of the roster, with other players yet to be announced.

Joel Embiid, Al-Farouq Aminu, Bismack Biyombo, Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka are among the Team Africa Representatives.

This is the first time the NBA Africa Game has gone beyond Johannesburg, the city that hosted it the first two years and drew 5,000 people in 2016 and 7,500 in 2017, according to the Toronto Star. So it’s an opportunity to expand the promotion within South Africa, especially in a venue that can hold 8,500.

Aside from Africa, it’s a chance for the NBA to generally stretch its arms internationally. The global development of basketball continues to pay dividends, with athletes outside the United States coming over for college basketball or straight from their professional league. Joel Embiid went from Cameroon to Kansas, while someone, like, Luka Doncic, will go from Real Madrid to the top two or three picks in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft: After the lottery

The NBA Africa Game should receive plenty of looks this summer, along with it as the rare basketball game between the end of July’s summer league and the start of the regular season in October. Let’s see in two-plus months what kind of show this diverse group of players put on in Pretoria.

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