Kyrie Irving, Jeremy Lin and Klay Thompson selected in USA Basketball Men's Select Team - NBA Update
Rookie of the year Kyrie Irving, Jeremy Lin and Klay Thompson were among the list of 13 players named for 2012 USA Basketball Men’s select team, which will compete against Team USA in training camp. The 6 days training camp will
start in July in Las Vegas and will provide an opportunity to the National basketball team to develop some sort of chemistry before they embark to the London Olympics.
Washington Wizards point guard John Wall and this years’ most improved player Ryan Anderson are also in the squad, which features DeJuan Blair of the San Antonio Spurs, DeMarcus Cousins of Sacramento Kings, DeMar DeRozan of Toronto
Raptors, Derrick Favors of Utah Jazz, Paul George of Indiana Pacers, Taj Gibson of Chicago Bulls, Gordon Hayward of Utah Jazz and rookie Kawhi Leonard of Spurs.
Jay Triano, who served as the assistant coach for 2010 USA Basketball World Championship will share the coaching responsibility with Mike Hopkins, the 15th year Syracuse University assistant coach. Triano has coached
Toronto Raptors for three seasons in the past and also assisted the select team in 2007 and 2008.
Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman highlighted the importance of Select team after making the announcement on Monday.
“The USA Select Team was a vital part of the USA Men’s National Team’s training in 2007, 2008 and 2010, and again in 2012 we’ll utilize this team of select NBA players to help get our National Team ready for the very competitive
summer that is ahead of us,”
Select Team is a great platform to become part of the USA Basketball National team program. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala have all been part of this prestigious squad
in the past and have now gone on to be the part of Team USA.
Colangelo seemed by the talent gathered around for the team.
“The 2012 Select Team has an excellent collection of talents. The group has outstanding speed and versatility, some excellent shooters, and some very good size,” added Colangelo. “It will be great to have them involved in USA Basketball
and in the National Team pipeline for our next quadrennium, 2013-16.”
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