May 21, 2012

Warriors Guard Klay Thompson Named To 2012 USA Men’s Select Team

Team Comprised Of 13 Top Young NBA Players To Train Against USA Men’s National Team July 6-11 In Las Vegas Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson has been named to the 2012 USA Men’s Select Team, it was announced today by USA Basketball. The 13-player Select Team will train against the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team during its July 6-12 training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thompson, 22, averaged 12.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.4 minutes over 66 games during his rookie NBA season in 2011-12. He led all rookies in three-point percentage (.414, 17th in NBA) and three-point field goals made (111), while also finishing second among rookies in free throw percentage (.868) and fourth in scoring. The 6’7” guard started the final 28 games of the season for Golden State, averaging 18.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.11 steals in those contests. Players named to the 2012 USA Basketball Select squad along with Thompson were: Ryan Anderson (Orlando Magic); DeJuan Blair (San Antonio Spurs); DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz); Paul George (Indiana Pacers); Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls); Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs); Jeremy Lin (New York Knicks); and John Wall (Washington Wizards). Klay Thompson with R.C. Davis for Warriors.com (5/21/12) by GoldenStateWarriors USA Basketball also announced that serving as co-head coaches of the USA Select Team are 2010 USA Basketball World Championship assistant coach Jay Triano and longtime Syracuse University assistant coach Mike Hopkins. Triano, who served for three seasons as head coach of the Toronto Raptors, helped coach the 2007 and 2008 USA Select Teams. Hopkins, who recently completed his 15th season as an assistant for the Orange, has served as a court coach at the USA Basketball National Team training camps in 2010 and 2007, and was a court coach at USA Basketball’s 2000 U20 National Team and 2001 U21 World Championship Team trials. “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,” said Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman. “Being chosen for the Select Team is quite an honor, and it’s an important step in becoming involved in USA Basketball’s National Team program in the future. In the past, current national team finalists like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala, as well as many other outstanding players got their USA National Team start through the Select Team.” Members of the USA Select Team will assemble in Las Vegas and conduct a training session July 5, then train with the USA National Team July 6-11 (12:00-3:00 p.m. PDT). All practices will take place at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center. The USA National Team will open its 2012 training with a July 6-12 training camp in Las Vegas, Nev., that concludes with the July 12 (6:00 p.m. local time) USA Basketball Showcase that features the USA facing the Dominican Republic at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets for the exhibition game can be purchased by calling 702-739-FANS or online at https://www.UNLVtickets.com/eventInfo/spe/310/usa-basketball/. “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.” Since the development of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2006, USA Basketball has selected and utilized three USA Select teams to help the USA National teams prepare for its major international competitions. The first USA Select Team was used in 2007 and featured up and coming players like Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson, David Lee and J.J. Redick. The Select squad returned in 2008 and this time featured future NBA All-Stars like Aldridge, Durant, Iguodala, Love, Rose, and 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 Temple’s Lavoy Allen, BYU guard Jimmer Fredette; Syracuse guard Scoop Jardine, Wisconsin center Jon Leuer, Butler guard Shelvin Mack, Duke’s Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, Florida State forward Chris Singleton, UConn’s Kemba Walker and others. 2012 Select Team members with prior USA Basketball include Hayward and Thompson who were part of the USA’s gold medalist U19 World Championship Team; Cousins (2009) DeRozan (2008), Irving (2010) and Wall (2009) who were members of USA Junior National Select teams that competed in the Nike Hoop Summit. Additionally, Irving (2010) was members of USA U18 National teams, while Cousins (2007) participated in USA Basketball’s Youth Development Festival. Former Duke Standout Irving earned the NBA’s Rookie of the Year honors this season, while Wall finished second in the voting for last season’s Rookie of the Year. Wall was named 2010-11 All-Rookie first team, and Favors and George collected All-Rookie second team honors. Gibson was an All-Rookie first team pick in 2009-10 and Blair claimed second team honors. The 2012 Select Team features three players who completed their rookie NBA season in 2011-12, six who wrapped up their second NBA season, three third-year players and one player who finished in 2011-12 his fourth NBA season. USA Basketball has identified 22 finalists for the 2012 USA National Team from which the 2012 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team will be selected. Finalists for the 2012 USA National Team include: LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers); Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks); Chauncey Billups (Los Angeles Clippers); Chris Bosh (Miami Heat); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks); Anthony Davis (University of Kentucky); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); LeBron James (Miami Heat); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder); and Deron Williams (Brooklyn Nets). Four of the 22 named finalists have been lost to injuries. Aldridge, Billups, Howard and Rose have all suffered injuries that will prevent them from being able to play this summer. The 2012 USA coaching staff is led by USA head coach and Duke University Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski. Back in 2012 as USA assistant coaches are Syracuse University and Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, and former NBA head coaches Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan.









NAME POS HT WT BORN NBATEAM/COLLEGE Ryan Anderson F 6-10 240 5/6/1988 Orlando Magic/California DeJuan Blair C 6-7 270 4/22/1989 San Antonio Spurs/Pittsburgh DeMarcus Cousins C 6-11 270 8/13/1990 Sacramento Kings/Kentucky DeMar DeRozan G 6-7 216 8/7/1989 Toronto Raptors/USC Derrick Favors F/C 6-10 248 7/15/1991 Utah Jazz/Georgia Tech Paul George G/F 6-8 215 5/2/1990 Indiana Pacers/Fresno State Taj Gibson F 6-9 225 6/24/1985 Chicago Bulls/USC Gordon Hayward F 6-8 210 3/23/1990 Utah Jazz/Butler Kyrie Irving G 6-3 191 3/23/1992 Cleveland Cavaliers/Duke Kawhi Leonard F/G 6-7 225 6/29/1991 San Antonio Spurs/San Diego State Jeremy Lin G 6-3 200 8/23/1988 New York Knicks/Harvard Klay Thompson G 6-7 205 2/8/1990 Golden State Warriors/Washington State John Wall G 6-4 195 9/6/1990 Washington Wizards/ Kentucky Coach: Mike Hopkins, Syracuse University Coach: Jay Triano