Ex-Piston Langston Galloway back playing for Team USA

While NBA players are off until training camp, Team USA has games to play, so that those NBA players will be eligible for the World Cup next year. Langston Galloway, formerly of the Detroit Pistons, has been a key member of the United States squad.

Late August is usually when players go on vacation or, find a pickup game with Steph Curry, like Cade Cunningham and a bunch of Pistons in Los Angeles have done. But former Pistons shooting guard Langston Galloway has important national business to take care of at the end of the month.

Galloway, a 6-foot-1 combo guard, will be playing for Team USA’s men’s team, as it attempts to qualify for the World Cup.

Team USA is set to play twice as part of the fourth of six qualifying windows, leading into making the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The United States hosts Uruguay on August 25 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, with Columbia coming in on August 29.

Galloway was also on the team back in July, when Team USA defeated Cuba and host Puerto Rico.

Since World Cup qualifying occurs throughout the year, conflicting at times with the NBA and NCAA seasons, USA Basketball (which is now run by former Pistons standout Grant Hill), decided to go with players who are neither in the NBA or college at the time. That way, the team would be able to have ample practice time, and have some kind of continuity.

Galloway played for the Pistons from 2017-20 and was with the Phoenix Suns when they made the NBA finals in 2021.

However, this past season, he signed a few 10-day contracts with Milwaukee and Brooklyn but finished the season with College Park in the G-League. So he was available when Team USA called.

Coaching Team USA is Jim Boylen, the former head coach of the Chicago Bulls.

Entering the pair of Vegas contests, the United States is tied for first place with Brazil in Group F as each has a 5-1 record.

In Puerto Rico, Galloway averaged 11 points (36-percent from three) and 3.5 rebounds as he started both games.

While the American NBA players are letting Galloway and company take care of business, other countries do not have that kind of depth. According to NBA.com, in this qualifying window, Luka Doncic is playing for Slovenia, Nikola Jovic and former Pistons favorite Boban Marjanovic are in action for Serbia and current Pistons forward/center Kelly Olynyk is on Canada’s roster.

There are two more qualifying windows, in November and February, before the teams who will be in the World Cup field will be known. The tournament will be held beginning August 25, 2023 in the Philippines and Indonesia.

The up-and-down career of an NBA player means Galloway’s status for those last two dates won’t be known for a while. But when the big name stars play in the World Cup next year, they have to give Langston Galloway a thank you.