Colorado will have its fair share of representation at this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The tournament kicks off Friday and while none of the current Nuggets will be playing — Jamal Murray withdrew from Team Canada and Slovenia’s Vlatko Cancar suffered an ACL tear — there’s still plenty of players with ties to the Centennial State.
Here’s a look:
Australia
Nick Kay: The 6-9 forward-center played with Metro State from 2011-15. He was twice named a first-team All-RMAC selection. In his senior season, he averaged 20.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
Jack White: The 6-foot-7 forward played 17 games with the Nuggets last season, averaging 1.2 points and 1.0 rebounds.
France
Evan Fournier: Drafted in the first round (20th overall pick) by Denver in the 2012 NBA draft. The 6-6 shooting guard played two years with the Nuggets, averaging 7.4 points and 2.1 rebounds. He was traded to Orlando in 2014 with Devyn Marble for Arron Afflalo.
Rudy Gobert: The three-time NBA defensive player of the year was originally drafted by the Nuggets with the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He was traded that night to Utah for Erick Green and cash.
Mexico
Daniel Amigo: The 6-10, 245-pound center played for the Denver Pioneers from 2014-18. He averaged 11.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 88 games with DU.
Francisco Cruz: The 6-3 guard is one of three former stars from Denver’s Abraham Lincoln High School. He helped lead the Lancers to championships in 2007 and ’08.
Jorge Gutierrez: The 34-year-old point guard helped Lincoln to the state title in 2007 before transferring to Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., for his senior year. He starred at California, where he became the Pac-12 player of the year in 2012. He made his NBA debut in 2014 with the Brooklyn Nets and made stops with the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets.
Hector Hernandez: The 6-8 forward-center graduated from Lincoln in 2004 before going on to play at Fresno State.
Spain
Juancho Hernangomez: The 27-year-old forward was selected by the Nuggets in the first round (15th overall pick) of the 2016 NBA draft. He played three-plus seasons in Denver, averaging 4.7 points and 3.1 rebounds. He was part of a four-team trade that sent Gerald Green, Keita Bates-Diop, Shabazz Napier, Noah Vonleh and a draft pick that became Zeke Nnaji to Denver.
Rudy Fernandez: The 6-6 guard played the 2011-12 season with Denver, averaging 8.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
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