Clippers center DeAndre Jordan will get an opportunity to wear another red, white and blue jersey in late July.
Jordan is among 27 players, including three All-Stars, selected for the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s National Team mini-camp in Las Vegas, USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo announced Wednesday. The camp will be held from July 22-25 and include three days of practice and an intra-squad game at Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.
“It’s a tremendous honor,” Clippers Vice President of Basketball Operations Gary Sacks said. “I think it really shows how DeAndre is viewed throughout the league. He’s an emerging young player and the chance to be a part of a mini-camp like this is only going to help him. I’m excited for him and for USA Basketball.”
“I am honored to be selected,” Jordan added. “I look forward to competing with the other young talent in our league and think I can gain experience from it.”
A number of the players invited have previous experience with Team USA, but it will be the first for Jordan, who did represent the United States in the 2007 Under 19 World Championships. He recently finished his fifth season with the Clippers and second straight as the full-time starting center.
Since being drafted with the No. 35 pick in the 2008 Draft, Jordan has become one of the most exciting big men in the league. He was third in the NBA in dunks last season, underscored by an iconic alley-oop over Pistons guard Brandon Knight. He led the Clippers in blocked shots, was second in rebounding and shot a franchise-record and league-high 64.3 percent from the field.
Including Jordan, there are five centers who have committed to the mini-camp: DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Drummond, Larry Sanders and Tyler Zeller. Cousins was a member of the 2012 USA Select Team that scrimmaged against Team USA in the lead up to the 2012 Summer Olympics. Otherwise, the group of big men are relatively new to USA Basketball.
"The majority of these players have prior USA Basketball experience including 10 members of last summer's USA Select Team that helped prepare the U.S. Olympic Team,” Colangelo said. “This year is an important first step in the rebuilding of the USA National Team roster for the 2014-16 international competitions, and we believe we have compiled a roster of not only outstanding basketball talents, but individuals who will represent the United States in the manner we expect."
Jordan is one of several Clippers who have been involved in USA Basketball over the years. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were selected to the 2012 Olympic squad before Griffin was forced to withdraw after sustaining a meniscus injury. Paul went on to win his second gold medal in London. Former Clippers guard Eric Gordon, who played in the 2010 World Championships on Team USA, previously competed in the Las Vegas mini-camp.
Here is the complete list of players who accepted invitations to participate in the 2013 USA Basketball Men's National Team mini-camp: Ryan Anderson (New Orleans Pelicans); Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors); Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards); Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies); DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz); Paul George (Indiana Pacers); Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls); Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz); Jrue Holiday (Philadelphia 76ers); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers); Ty Lawson (Denver Nuggets); Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs); Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers); Greg Monroe (Detroit Pistons); Chandler Parsons (Houston Rockets); Larry Sanders (Milwaukee Bucks); Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors); Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats); John Wall (Washington Wizards); and Tyler Zeller (Cleveland Cavaliers).