James Harden and Anthony Davis officially added to Team USA
Il giocatore dei Thunder sarà convocato ed insieme a lui arriva anche il futuro rookie
Anthony Davis, who led the University of Kentucky Wildcats to this year’s NCAA championship, and Oklahoma City Thunder standout guard James Harden have been added to the list of finalists for the 2012 USA Basketball National Team, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo announced today. The official 12-man U.S. Olympic team roster will be announced later this year.
“After a lot of deliberations, after reviewing our roster, we think these two additions strengthen our National Team program immeasurably. James Harden probably is the sixth man of the year in the NBA, and Anthony Davis brings a dimension to our pool we don’t have. He’s young, but it’s exciting to think about the possibilities,” said Colangelo.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be this young and have a chance to represent my country. This is a great opportunity and I’m excited to be a part of something like this,” said Davis.
Davis played and started in all 40 UK games and as a freshman led the Wildcats to a 38-2 record, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season title and the NCAA championship. The 6-10 forward averaged team highs of 14.2 ppg., 10.4 rpg. and 4.7 bpg., while adding 1.3 apg. and 1.4 spg. He shot 62.3 percent from the floor and 70.9 percent from the foul line. Named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading Kentucky to the title and averaging 13.7 points, 12.3 rebounds and 4.8 blocks in NCAA Tournament play, the Chicago native recorded 186 blocks which is the most in the history of the SEC and an all-time NCAA mark for freshmen. Davis owns UK freshman records for blocks (186) and rebounds (399) by a Kentucky first-year player. He also tied the UK freshman record for double-doubles (20). He won six National Player of the Year awards including the Adolph Rupp Trophy, U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), Basketball Times, Associated Press, Wooden and Naismith. In winning the 2012 Naismith Trophy, Davis became just the second freshman to ever capture the award. Additionally, he was selected the 2012 SEC player, freshman and defensive player of the year.
Davis has represented USA Basketball previously. As a high school senior he was selected a member of USA Basketball’s Junior National Select Team that competed in the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit. Davis finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and two block shots to help the USA to a 92-80 win over the World Select Team.
“Being named as a finalist for the USA Basketball National Team is an unbelievable feeling and an opportunity that is truly humbling. It is an honor to be included with such talented players and I look forward to the chance to represent my country this summer,” said Harden.
Harden completed in 2011-12 his third NBA season, all with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Averaging career highs of 16.8 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 3.7 apg. and 31.4 minutes a game, Harden also shot career bests of 49.1 percent from the field, 39.0 from 3-point and 84.6 percent from the foul line. He helped lead the Thunder in 2011-12 to the West Conference’s second best record of 47-19, to a first place finish in the Northwest Division, and to the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
Harden, who becomes the third Oklahoma City Thunder player named to the USA finalists roster, played two seasons at Arizona State before entering the NBA Draft in 2009. Selected the Pac Ten Conference’s Player of the Year in 2009, during his two ASU seasons he scored 1309 points, and averaged 19.0 ppg., 5.4 rpg. and 3.7 apg.
USA Basketball announced on Jan. 16, 2012, a group of 20 finalists for the 2012 USA National Team from which the 2012 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team would be selected.
Named a finalist for the 2012 USA National Team were: 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); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); 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 (New Jersey Nets).
Since the finalists announcement, four players have been lost to injuries, Aldridge, Billups, Howard and most recently Rose.
Colangelo, who has served as managing director of the USA Men’s National Team since 2005, is again directing the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2012. The USA coaching staff features Duke University Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski, and back 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.
The USA National Team opens 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 www.UNLVtickets.com.
Following the USA’s training and exhibition contest in Las Vegas, the USA will move on to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., to train July 13-15 and play an exhibition contest versus Brazil at the Verizon Center on July 16 (8 p.m. local time). The game will be part of a doubleheader with the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, which will face Brazil’s Women’s National Team (5:30 p.m. local time).
The USA men will continue their preparations July 17-18 in Manchester, England, and on July 19 (7:30 p.m. local time) will play Great Britain at the Manchester Arena. The USA women will square off against the Great Britain women at the Manchester Arena on July 18 (7:30 p.m. local time). Tickets for both the USA men’s and women’s national team games against their respective Great Britain counterparts are available by calling +44 (0) 844 847 8000 or at www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
Twenty years after the USA Dream Team made its debut in Barcelona, Spain, the U.S. returns and will conclude its tour with a pair of exhibition games against FIBA’s No. 2 and No. 3 ranked world powers. Facing No. 3 ranked Argentina on July 22 (9:30 p.m. local time) at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, the USA will close out its exhibition tour against FIBA’s No. 2 ranked power Spain on July 24 (9:30 p.m. local time) at the Palau Sant Jordi. Tickets for the games in Barcelona are available at www.entradas.com/entradas/comprar-entradas-torneo-usa-espana-argentina.
“After a lot of deliberations, after reviewing our roster, we think these two additions strengthen our National Team program immeasurably. James Harden probably is the sixth man of the year in the NBA, and Anthony Davis brings a dimension to our pool we don’t have. He’s young, but it’s exciting to think about the possibilities,” said Colangelo.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be this young and have a chance to represent my country. This is a great opportunity and I’m excited to be a part of something like this,” said Davis.
Davis played and started in all 40 UK games and as a freshman led the Wildcats to a 38-2 record, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season title and the NCAA championship. The 6-10 forward averaged team highs of 14.2 ppg., 10.4 rpg. and 4.7 bpg., while adding 1.3 apg. and 1.4 spg. He shot 62.3 percent from the floor and 70.9 percent from the foul line. Named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player after leading Kentucky to the title and averaging 13.7 points, 12.3 rebounds and 4.8 blocks in NCAA Tournament play, the Chicago native recorded 186 blocks which is the most in the history of the SEC and an all-time NCAA mark for freshmen. Davis owns UK freshman records for blocks (186) and rebounds (399) by a Kentucky first-year player. He also tied the UK freshman record for double-doubles (20). He won six National Player of the Year awards including the Adolph Rupp Trophy, U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), Basketball Times, Associated Press, Wooden and Naismith. In winning the 2012 Naismith Trophy, Davis became just the second freshman to ever capture the award. Additionally, he was selected the 2012 SEC player, freshman and defensive player of the year.
Davis has represented USA Basketball previously. As a high school senior he was selected a member of USA Basketball’s Junior National Select Team that competed in the 2011 Nike Hoop Summit. Davis finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and two block shots to help the USA to a 92-80 win over the World Select Team.
“Being named as a finalist for the USA Basketball National Team is an unbelievable feeling and an opportunity that is truly humbling. It is an honor to be included with such talented players and I look forward to the chance to represent my country this summer,” said Harden.
Harden completed in 2011-12 his third NBA season, all with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Averaging career highs of 16.8 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 3.7 apg. and 31.4 minutes a game, Harden also shot career bests of 49.1 percent from the field, 39.0 from 3-point and 84.6 percent from the foul line. He helped lead the Thunder in 2011-12 to the West Conference’s second best record of 47-19, to a first place finish in the Northwest Division, and to the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
Harden, who becomes the third Oklahoma City Thunder player named to the USA finalists roster, played two seasons at Arizona State before entering the NBA Draft in 2009. Selected the Pac Ten Conference’s Player of the Year in 2009, during his two ASU seasons he scored 1309 points, and averaged 19.0 ppg., 5.4 rpg. and 3.7 apg.
USA Basketball announced on Jan. 16, 2012, a group of 20 finalists for the 2012 USA National Team from which the 2012 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team would be selected.
Named a finalist for the 2012 USA National Team were: 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); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); 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 (New Jersey Nets).
Since the finalists announcement, four players have been lost to injuries, Aldridge, Billups, Howard and most recently Rose.
Colangelo, who has served as managing director of the USA Men’s National Team since 2005, is again directing the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2012. The USA coaching staff features Duke University Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski, and back 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.
The USA National Team opens 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 www.UNLVtickets.com.
Following the USA’s training and exhibition contest in Las Vegas, the USA will move on to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., to train July 13-15 and play an exhibition contest versus Brazil at the Verizon Center on July 16 (8 p.m. local time). The game will be part of a doubleheader with the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, which will face Brazil’s Women’s National Team (5:30 p.m. local time).
The USA men will continue their preparations July 17-18 in Manchester, England, and on July 19 (7:30 p.m. local time) will play Great Britain at the Manchester Arena. The USA women will square off against the Great Britain women at the Manchester Arena on July 18 (7:30 p.m. local time). Tickets for both the USA men’s and women’s national team games against their respective Great Britain counterparts are available by calling +44 (0) 844 847 8000 or at www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
Twenty years after the USA Dream Team made its debut in Barcelona, Spain, the U.S. returns and will conclude its tour with a pair of exhibition games against FIBA’s No. 2 and No. 3 ranked world powers. Facing No. 3 ranked Argentina on July 22 (9:30 p.m. local time) at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, the USA will close out its exhibition tour against FIBA’s No. 2 ranked power Spain on July 24 (9:30 p.m. local time) at the Palau Sant Jordi. Tickets for the games in Barcelona are available at www.entradas.com/entradas/comprar-entradas-torneo-usa-espana-argentina.
E. Carchia
@Sportando
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