By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Kristaps Porzingis will play for the Latvia senior national team in the approaching international window, the Latvian Basketball Association announced confirming the rumors of recent months.
Porzingis, 26, is slated to return to the national team of his country at the start of the final stage of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. Latvia will host Turkey on 25 August and visit Great Britain on 28 August tipping off Group I of the second and final round of the European Qualifiers. His country being eliminated from the 2022 EuroBasket prevents international fixtures from spilling into September.
“Five years have passed since I last wore the jersey of the national team,” he said per LBS, roughly translated with the helping hand of Google, “I can’t wait to wear the jersey again and enjoy basketball with my teammates and sing the national anthem with our sixth players.”
The Latvian forward/center is eligible to join the national team for practice on August 4, according to the standing FIBA-NBA insurance policy. He will also feature in friendly prep games leading up to the World Cup Qualifiers. Up next will be the Washington Wizards and the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season.
The last and lone appearance at the senior international level was in the 2017 EuroBasket. Porzingis averaged 23.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 0.9 assists, and 0.6 steals per contest. Latvia had made it all the way to the Quarterfinals but was knocked out by future champion Slovenia and his future Dallas Mavericks teammate Luka Doncic.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL