JUBA (South Sudan) - South Sudan have thrown down the gauntlet ahead of their debut FIBA Basketball World Cup campaign by adding Los Angeles Lakers forward Wenyen Gabriel to the squad.

The Khartoum-born Gabriel, 26, appeared in 68 regular season games this past season for the Lakers, averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds. He was on the playoff roster as Los Angeles made a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals before falling to eventual NBA champions Denver.

A 2.06 (6'9") forward, Gabriel did not play for the Bright Stars at FIBA AfroBasket 2021 or in the Africa Qualifiers for the World Cup.

South Sudan have point guard Carlik Jones, who appeared in seven games for the Chicago Bulls. The squad also has shooting guard Marial Shayok, a second-round draft pick in 2019 by Philadelphia.

Shayok suited up for the Maine Celtics this past season and averaged 16.8 points per game. He made 79 of his 178 attempts from behind the arc.

Leading players for South Sudan the past few years that remain in the group are Nuni Omot, Deng Acouth, Majok Deng, Mareng Gatkouth, Sunday Dech, Koch Bar and Kuany Kuany.

Omot's 15.1 points per game led the Bright Stars as they won 11 of 12 games in the qualifiers while Kuany Kuany, who has played for the team since it began gathering on the outdoor courts in Juba, South Sudan, was the team's leading scorer (11.8 points per game) and rebounder (5.5 rebounds per game).

One player on the roster, Khaman Maluach, is just 16 years old, but is a potential star of the future. Maluach is a 2.13 (7'0") center.

South Sudan will play in Group B, in Manila, against China, Puerto Rico, and Serbia. A top-two finish would put them in the Second Round against the top two sides from Group A which consists of Angola, the Dominican Republic, Italy, and the Philippines.

The Republic of South Sudan was founded in 2011. The national team, formed under the leadership of current federation president Luol Deng, a long-time NBA star born in Wau in 1985 in what is now South Sudan, began playing in FIBA competition in qualification games before AfroBasket 2021 in Rwanda.

South Sudan coach Royal Ivey, who led the team at that AfroBasket 2021, also played in the NBA is currently serves as an assistant coach of the Houston Rockets.

The Africans' first game ever at a World Cup will be against Puerto Rico on August 26.

FIBA