BOSTON -- “Team Shamrock” has gotten much of the attention when it comes to the Boston Celtics and the FIBA World Cup which kicks off in earnest this weekend.
But the Green Team quartet - Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart - on Team USA aren’t the only players in the FIBA World Cup who Celtics fans might want to pay attention to in the coming weeks.
Daniel Theis, entering his third season with the Celtics, will play for Germany this month.
The 6-foot-8 Theis is one of three players on the German team who also play in the NBA, joining Oklahoma City’s Dennis Schroeder and Dallas’ Max Kleber.
Germany’s roster also includes Paul Zipser, drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 48th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. The 6-8 small forward appeared in 98 games with the Bulls, averaging 4.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 37.1 percent from the field.
Germany’s first game of the FIBA World Cup will be Sunday at 8:30 p.m. - the same time as Team USA’s matchup against the Czech Republic - and will pit Theis and company against France which also has Celtics ties.
Boston Celtics
The French team features five players who will suit up in the NBA this season.
Among them is center Vincent Poirier, a free agent signing of the Celtics this past offseason. The 7-foot big man comes to Boston having led the Euroleague in rebounding this past season with 8.3 per game in addition to being named to the all-Euroleague Second Team.
Both he and Theis will compete for a starting job this fall for the Celtics and for the next couple weeks, give Celtics fans a rooting interest in the FIBA World Cup beyond Team USA.
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