Joe Johnson: 40-Year-Old, 7-Time NBA All-Star Is Among USA Roster for World Cup Qualifying Games

Seven-time NBA All-Star Joe Johnson has answered USA Basketball's call again. The 40-year-old Johnson was among 12 players announced Tuesday on the USA Basketball roster for a pair of World Cup qualifying games later this month.

Johnson, who has only appeared in one game for Boston this season, last represented the USA Basketball in AmeriCup qualifying in February 2021, ESPN reported.

Along with Johnson's fellow former NBA vets Jordan Bell and Langston Galloway, the entire roster includes Tarik Black, Brian Bowen II, Jared Harper, Juwan Morgan, Matt Ryan, David Stockton, Rayjon Tucker, Paul Watson, and Justin Wright-Foreman.

Most of the players came from the G League and had some NBA experience.

USA Team Set to Advance in Next Round With Just One More Win

Jim Boylen, who led the Americans to a 1-1 record in a pair of qualifying games in Mexico last November, will again coach the Americans in these qualifiers.

The Americans open camp on Friday in preparation for games against Puerto Rico on February 24 and Mexico on February 27. Both games will be held in Washington.

The two games next week are the third and fourth of the United States' six first-round qualifying matchups. The Americans, who need just one more win to move to the next round, will also face Puerto Rico on July 1 and Cuba on July 4.

Four teams from the FIBA Americas region are competing in four qualifying groups. The top three teams in each group will advance to the second round of qualification, which begins from August and runs through February 2023.

The U.S. (1-1) was drawn into Group D for the first round of qualifying from the Americas region, joined by Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

The World Cup - where teams can directly qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics - will run from August 25 to September 10, 2023, with games being played in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.

Boston Celtics May Sign Joe Johnson

The Boston Celtics appear to have found their stride after a rough start to the 2021-22 NBA season.

The Celtics have won seven straight games and appear to have positioned themselves for a serious playoff push due to an active trade deadline. With that said, there's still work to be done in Boston, despite taking a big swing at Derrick White and reuniting with a few familiar faces in Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser.

With vacant roster spots to fill and coach Ime Udoka openly admitting the team is seeking added shooting, a potential reunion with "Iso Joe" is on the horizon, according to Heavy.com's Steve Bulpett.

"I think there is a chance of Joe Johnson," said the veteran NBA insider. "He is a guy that was really good in the room."

Joe Johnson made headlines earlier this season when he signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics nearly two decades after being drafted by the team in 2001. In the end, his second stay in Boston was short-lived, as he only played in one game and scored two points.

Johnson's entire career is far more noteworthy. He was a seven-time All-Star who played for the Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets in his 17-year NBA career.

Johnson has an average of 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists during 1,277 regular-season games. He also has a ton of postseason experience, having played in 120 playoff games.

Despite the Celtics' recent surge in the victory column, they continue to rank at the bottom of the NBA in 3-point shooting. Their collective 33.8% 3-point percentage ranks seventh-worst in the entire NBA.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Isaiah Thomas & Joe Johnson Rule the Court! | FIBA AmeriCup 2022 Qualifiers - From FIBA - The Basketball Channel