Kentavious Caldwell-Pope And Stanley Johnson Named To 2016 USA Men's Select Team
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 7, 2016) – Featuring 15 players owning USA Basketball experience and including seven members of the 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie first and second teams, USA Basketball today announced 25 players have been chosen for the 2016 USA Men's Select Team that will train July 18-21 with the 2016 USA Basketball Men's National Team during its training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Selected for the 2016 USA Basketball Select squad were: Malcolm Brogdon (University of Virginia); Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Detroit Pistons); Willie Cauley-Stein (Sacramento Kings); Kris Dunn (Providence College); Aaron Gordon (Orlando Magic); Jerami Grant (Philadelphia 76ers); Gary Harris (Denver Nuggets); Rodney Hood (Utah Jazz); Brandon Ingram (Duke University); Brice Johnson (University of North Carolina), Stanley Johnson (Detroit Pistons); Zach LaVine (Minnesota Timberwolves); CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers); Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls); Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver Nuggets); Jahlil Okafor (Philadelphia 76ers); Jabari Parker (Milwaukee Bucks); Julius Randle (Los Angeles Lakers); D'Angelo Russell (Los Angeles Lakers); Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); Denzel Valentine (Michigan State University); Justise Winslow (Miami Heat) and Cody Zeller (Charlotte Hornets).
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who on Oct. 23, 2015, was named head coach of the USA Basketball Men's National Team for the 2017-20 quadrennium, will oversee the Select Team and Spurs assistant coach Ime Udoka and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright will serve as assistant coaches.
"The 2016 USA Basketball Select Team continues to our tradition of featuring some of the game's brightest and most promising young players. Participation in this camp provides them with valuable experience at the USA Basketball National Team level, while helping prepare the 2016 USA National Team for its upcoming international competition. For many of the Select Team players this is a continuation of their USA Basketball experiences and for others it is an introduction into our pipeline," said Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball National Team managing director.
"Being chosen for the Select Team is an honor and it is an important step in becoming involved in USA Basketball's National Team program in the future. Current national team players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, as well as many other outstanding players, got their USA National Team start through a Select Team.
"We're also very excited to get our future national team head coach Gregg Popovich involved this summer. Coach Popovich's coaching success speaks for itself and it will be great to have him be a part of this year's Las Vegas training camp."
Members of the USA Select Team will train daily with the USA National Team from July 18-21 (12:00-2:00 p.m. PDT) at UNLV's Mendenhall Center. All practices are closed to the public.
The 2016 USA Basketball Showcase presented by Verizon will feature the USA Basketball Men's National Team playing five domestic exhibition games and conducting training camps in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Chicago and Houston.
The USA Basketball Showcase presented by Verizon will feature in Las Vegas the USA going against South American rival Argentina on July 22 in Las Vegas.
Tickets for the USA Basketball Showcase exhibition games are on sale now. VIP ticket packages available in select markets. For ticket information visit usab.com/showcase.
The 2016 USA Select Team features eight players who completed their rookie NBA season in 2015-16, nine who wrapped up their second NBA season, three third-year NBA players and five players who are eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft.
Booker and Okafor were named to the 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie first team, while Cauley-Stein, Mudiay, Russell, Turner and Winslow earned All-Rookie second team honors. Additionally, LaVine and Smart earned 2014-15 All-Rookie second team honors, while Oladipo was named to the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie first team and Zeller earned All-Rookie second team honors.
Select Team players possessing USA Basketball experience are:
National Team Minicamp: McDermott (2013), Smart (2013)
Select Team: McDermott (2014), Smart (2014), Zeller (2014)
Pan American Games: Brogdon (2015/Bronze), Valentine (2015/Bronze)
World University Games: McDermott (2013)
U19 World Championship: Gordon (2013/Gold), McDermott (2011), Okafor (2013/Gold), Smart (2013), Winslow (2013/Gold)
U18 Championship: Grant (2012 /Gold), Stanley Johnson (2014/Gold), Randle (2012/Gold), Turner (2014/Gold),
Smart (2012/Gold), Winslow (2014/Gold)
U17 World Championship: Stanley Johnson (2013/Gold), Okafor (2012/Gold), Parker (2012/Gold), Winslow (2012/Gold)
U16 Championship: Gordon (2011/Gold), Stanley Johnson (2011/Gold), Okafor (2011/Gold), Parker (2011/Gold)
Nike Hoop Summit: Gordon (2013), Harris (2012), Ingram (2015), Stanley Johnson (2014), Okafor (2014),
Parker (2013), Randle (2013), Turner (2014), Winslow (2014)
Junior National Team: Gordon (2010-12), Stanley Johnson (2010-13), Okafor (2010-13), Parker (2010-12), Turner (2013), Winslow (2010-12)
Since the development of the USA Basketball Men's National Team program in 2006, USA Basketball has previously selected and utilized five USA Select teams to help the USA National teams prepare for major international competitions.
The first USA Select Team was fielded in 2007 and featured up and coming players like Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson, David Lee and J.J. Redick. USA Basketball assembled another Select squad in 2008 that featured future NBA All-Stars like LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Durant, Iguodala, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, and Russell Westbrook. In 2010 and to help prepare the USA for the FIBA World Championship, a 20-member Select Team was assembled and was comprised by top returning collegiate players. Among players on the 2010 roster were BYU guard Jimmer Fredette; Butler guard Shelvin Mack, Duke's Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, UConn's Kemba Walker and others. The 2012 Select squad featured future USA National Team members DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Paul George, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, and most recently, the 2014 Select Team included Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, McDermott, Victor Oladipo, Dion Waiters and Zeller.
The 2016 USA Basketball National Team coaching staff features USA head coach and Duke University's Naismith Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski. Serving as assistant coaches are Syracuse University and Naismith Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau and Oklahoma City Thunder associate head coach Monty Williams.
The 31 finalists for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team include: LaMarcus Aldridge; Carmelo Anthony; Harrison Barnes; Bradley Beal; Jimmy Butler; Mike Conley; DeMarcus Cousins; Stephen Curry; Anthony Davis; DeMar DeRozan; Andre Drummond; Kevin Durant; Kenneth Faried; Rudy Gay; Paul George; Draymond Green; Blake Griffin; James Harden; Gordon Hayward; Dwight Howard; Andre Iguodala; Kyrie Irving; LeBron James; DeAndre Jordan; Kawhi Leonard; Damian Lillard; Kevin Love; Chris Paul; Klay Thompson; John Wall; and Russell Westbrook.