USA Basketball finalizes U17 World Championship team

USA Basketball announced Tuesday the 12-player roster that will compete in the FIBA U17 World Championship later this month.

The squad is highlighted by Jabari Parker, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound small forward from Simeon (Chicago). Parker is rated the top rising senior in the nation by MaxPreps and helped the USA capture gold at last summer's FIBA Americas U16 competition.

Joining Parker on the roster will be Simeon teammate Kendrick Nunn and fellow Chicagoan Jahlil Okafor, a 6-10 center from Whitney Young.

Post players BeeJay Anya, Dakari Johnson and Johnathan Williams III, wings Stephen Domingo, Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow and guards Joel Berry, Conner Frankamp and Tyus Jones round out the roster.

"What we like about this team is our ability to play pressure defense," head coach Don Showalter said. "That's really a strong point of this team."

The United States opens preliminary play at the World Championship in Lithuania June 29 against Australia, followed by contests against the Czech Republic (June 30), Egypt (July 1), France (July 3) and China (July 4). The top four teams from each group will advance to the medal round July 6-8.

"You spend so much time getting down to your working number, and now it's time to really work on developing a team aspect with these 12 players," said Showalter, also head coach at Iowa City High School (Iowa). "You watch them, I know they're a lot more familiar with each other both off the court and on the court. That helps to develop the team attitude that we need to take over to Lithuania."

Showalter is assisted by Mike Jones of DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) and Rich Gray of the St. Louis Eagles club team. The staff will be looking to continue an impressive legacy for the United States in U16/17 play, compiling an 18-0 record dating back to the summer of 2009.

2012 USA Basketball Men's U17 World Championship Team Roster
BeeJay Anya, 6-8, 275, C – DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Joel Berry, 6-1, 190, G – Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Stephen Domingo, 6-7, 205, G/F – St. Ignatius (San Francisco)
Conner Frankamp, 6-1, 160, G – North (Wichita, Kan.)
Dakari Johnson, 6-10, 250, C – Montverde Academy (Fla.)
Stanley Johnson, 6-6, 230, G/F – Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Tyus Jones, 6-2, 175, G – Apple Valley (Minn.)
Kendrick Nunn, 6-3, 180, G – Simeon (Chicago)
Jahlil Okafor, 6-10, 280, C – Whitney Young (Chicago)
Jabari Parker, 6-8, 225, F – Simeon (Chicago)
Johnathan Williams III, 6-8, 210, F/C – Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.)
Justise Winslow, 6-6, 210, G/F – St. John's (Houston)