COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Basketball unveiled its blueprint for the future Thursday, selecting 21 of the nation's top young high school basketball players to the 2009-10 USA Basketball Men's Developmental National Team.
Tony Wroten, Garfield (Seattle, Wash.)
Photo by Jim Redman
Perry Ellis, a freshman from Wichita, Kan., who earned state player of the year honors after leading Wichita Heights to a state title, and highly-touted Seattle guard Tony Wroten of Garfield High School are among list of standouts – all freshmen or sophomores during the 2008-09 season – selected to compete for a roster spot.
The 2009 USA U16 National Team and 2010 USA U17 World Championship Team, should the U.S. qualify for the U17 Worlds, will be comprised of USA Developmental National Team members. Athlete invitations were extended by the USA Basketball Men's Developmental National Team Committee.
"I think we've got a very talented group of guys," USA Developmental National Team head coach Don Showalter of Mid-Prairie High School (Iowa) said. "One of the things that we need to do from the start is make it clear that this is about building a team.
“We're not playing an all-star game. We have to make sure the kids understand about how difficult the competition is going to be. It's not like we're going out and playing another AAU team or just another tournament. It's a very, very high level of competition and as soon as we make the kids understand that, we'll be better off.”
The USA Developmental National Team will first look to capture the gold medal at the inaugural 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, slated to be held June 17-21 in Mendoza, Argentina, and qualify for the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship. In order to be eligible for these age-based events, an athlete must be a U.S. citizen born on or after January 1, 1993.
The invited athletes will train June 6-12 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 12-member team that will represent the U.S. this summer will be announced prior to the USA's June 13 departure for Argentina.
Angelo Chol, Hoover (San Diego, Calif.)
Photo by Kirt Winter
Included on the 2009-10 USA Basketball Men's Developmental National Team are:
Justin Anderson (Montrose Christian School, Md. / Rockville, Md.)
Kyle Anderson (Paterson Catholic School / Fairview, N.J.)
Brad Beal (Chaminade College Prep / St. Louis, Mo.)
K.C. Caudill (Brea Olinda / Brea, Calif.)
Angelo Chol (Herbert Hoover / San Diego, Calif.)
Quinn Cook (DeMatha / Bowie, Md.)
André Drummond (Capitol Preparatory Magnet School / Middletown, Conn.)
Perry Ellis (Wichita Heights / Wichita, Kan.)
Sterling Gibbs (Seton Hall Prep / Scotch Plains, N.J.)
Brandan Kearney (Southeastern / Detroit, Mich.)
James McAdoo (Norfolk Christian / Norfolk, Va.)
Johnny O'Bryant (Eastside / Cleveland, Miss.)
Tony Parker (Miller Grove / Lithonia, Ga.)
Norvel Pelle (Dominguez / Long Beach, Calif.)
Chasson Randle (Rock Island / Rock Island, Ill.)
L.J. Rose (Second Baptist / Houston, Texas)
Mike Shaw (De La Salle / Chicago, Ill.)
Marquis Teague (Pike / Indianapolis, Ind.)
Adonis Thomas (Melrose / Cordova, Tenn.)
Kevin Ware (Rockdale County / Conyers, Ga.)
Anthony Wroten, Jr. (Garfield / Renton, Wash.)
Showalter will be assisted in 2009 and 2010 by Herman Harried, head coach Lake Clifton High School (Baltimore, Md.), and Kevin Sutton, head coach at Montverde Academy (Fla.).
