USA Basketball

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Tobias Harris USA MNBT Minicamp - Day 2

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Tobias Harris Mic'd Up | USA MNBT Minicamp

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Team USA Minicamp - Day 1

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Tobias Harris USA MNBT Minicamp - Day 1

USA Basketball today announced that L.A. Clippers forward Tobias Harris and center DeAndre Jordan have been named to the 2018-20 USA Men’s National Team roster.The USA Men’s National Team roster features 35 players who are expected to attend the July 25-27 USA Men’s National Team minicamp in Las Vegas. It is expected that the official, 12-member 2019 USA World Cup and 2020 U.S. Olympic teams, should the USA qualify to compete in China and Tokyo, will be comprised of players from the 2018-20 USA National Team.Jordan was a member of the gold medal-winning 2016 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball team, where he appeared in all eight games (three starts) and averaged 7.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks while shooting 74.2% from the field, as USA went 8-0 in Rio De Janeiro. Jordan tied a U.S. Olympic record with 16 rebounds in the semi-final win over Spain. He has been an active participant in USA Basketball since first appearing in the 2007 USA U19 World Championship.Harris was named to the 2014 USA Select Team that trained with and against 2014 USA National Team, and was also named a member of the 2010 USA Junior National Select Team that defeated the 2010 World Select Team 101-97 in the Nike Hoop Summit, but did not compete after suffering an injury prior to the event.

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Harris & Jordan Named To 2018-2020 USA Basketball Men's National Team Roster

Karen Song

USA Basketball announced today that a total of 34 players, including Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chris Paul, are expected to attend the Aug. 11-13 USA Basketball Men’s National Team minicamp in Las Vegas.

The roster of attendees includes all 12 members of the gold medalist 2014 USA World Cup Team, and nine Olympic gold medalists, including eight members of the 2012 London Olympic team. Paul is a two-time gold medalist with Team USA (2008 and 2012). Griffin initially made the 2012 London Olympic team, but had to withdraw due to injury.

Jordan, who led the NBA in rebounding (15.0 rpg) and field goal percentage (.710) last season, is one of eight players added to the 2014-16 USA National Team roster and participating in the Aug. 11-13 USA National Team training camp. The other seven are Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors), Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls), Michael Carter-Williams (Milwaukee Bucks), Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Tobias Harris (Orlando Magic) and Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic).

In addition to Griffin and Paul, USA National Team members confirmed for the 2015 Las Vegas minicamp include: LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs), Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors), Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets), Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings), Paul George (Indiana Pacers), James Harden (Houston Rockets), Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz), Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), Chandler Parsons (Dallas Mavericks), Mason Plumlee (Portland Trail Blazers), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), John Wall (Washington Wizards), and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).

The 2014-16 USA Basketball National Team coaching staff features USA head coach and Duke University’s Naismith Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski. Serving as assistant coaches are Jim Boeheim (Syracuse University), Tom Thibodeau and Monty Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder).

The 2015 USA National Team minicamp will feature practices on Aug. 11-12, and the minicamp will conclude on Aug. 13 (7:30 p.m. PDT) with the 2015 USA Basketball Showcase, a USA Blue versus USA White exhibition game at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center.

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Griffin, Jordan, Paul To Participate In USA Basketball Minicamp

Like Blake Griffin, his superstar teammate, Chris Paul will not be participating in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain later this month.

Paul, who watched from the sidelines as a casual observer during one of Team USA’s minicamp practices in Las Vegas a week ago, elected to sit out the worlds long ago. It is not uncommon, particularly for a two-time gold medalist and longtime member of USA Basketball, to stay home in a non-Olympic year. LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Russell Westbrook are among the group who are expected to be involved with Team USA in 2016 for the Summer Games in Brazil, but will not go to Spain.

Of course, Paul still has a decision to make about whether or not he will be there, too. He’s won gold twice in 2008 as a rotation player, three years into his NBA career, and again in 2012 as one of Team USA’s leaders.

“Chris has meant a lot to our team over the years,” Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He is the ultimate professional and leads the team when he is on the court. We have been very fortunate to have him lead two gold medal teams in the Olympics and be around our program for the past years.”

Paul’s legacy in international competition has been entrenched. He’s averaged 4.7 assists in three high profile events with USAB, including the 2006 World Championships. In London in 2012, Paul’s 5.1 assists per game were the fifth most by an American player in Olympic history and second most since the 1992 Dream Team. He also averaged 10.5 points and 7.8 assists with the 2004 U21 men’s team that won the Tournament of the Americas.

“When you look at this new wave of Team USA since Jerry [Colangelo] and I have been here, Chris is one guy you think of,” Krzyzewski continued. “He has been here throughout and even when he is not playing, he stops by to check in and be around the team. He is great to have for the younger players, too. He shows so much leadership out there and maturity.”

That level of leadership has carried over not only to the so-called new wave of USA Basketball, but also the new wave of All-Star point guards poised to eventually take the reins from Paul, who turned 29 in May.

“He’s been great for USA Basketball,” said John Wall, who participated in Team USA’s minicamp before missing out on the first wave of selections for the World Cup. “He’s one of those point guard who can score the ball and has a competitive edge and drive within himself that’s something you need.”

“Chris is one of the best players in the game and a great leader,” 2014 All-Star MVP Kyrie Irving added. “He has been a part of Team USA for a while now and is a big reason it is where it is at.”

As for Paul, his future with Team USA remains uncertain. But he’s grateful for the past decade in the program.

“Representing your country is the greatest honor you can have,” Paul said. “I have been very blessed to be a part of Team USA and win two gold medals.”

PHOTOS: CHRIS PAUL AND BLAKE GRIFFIN WITH TEAM USA

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PAUL REMAINS PRESENCE WITH TEAM USA

PAUL STOPS BY TEAM USA PRACTICE, COLANGELO TALKS GRIFFIN

After hosting his second annual ping pong tournament in Las Vegas over the weekend, Chris Paul stuck around to attend Team USA’s practice.

Paul, who roamed the sidelines Tuesday during Team USA’s second practice since minicamp opened July 28, is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2008 and 2012). Despite electing to sit out the 2014 World Cup, Paul, who turned 29 in May, would remain a lock for the 2016 Summer Games if he elects to play.

On Tuesday, Paul was merely there to support the group as they prepare for their first tune-up game against Brazil on Aug. 16 in Chicago. He walked around with Managing Director Jerry Colangelo and Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski and sat courtside with his son, Little Chris, and Kings forward Rudy Gay.

COLANGELO SUPPORTS GRIFFIN’S DECISION TO WITHDRAW

Clippers forward Blake Griffin withdrew from Team USA on Sunday, something Colangelo called one of a “couple of hits” in an interview with NBA TV.

Griffin, who was forced to miss the 2012 Summer Olympics due to a knee injury, was expected to be among the featured players on the 2014 World Cup roster alongside MVPs Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose. But that changed when he pulled his name from the 19-man roster.

“It came out [Monday] that [Griffin] had a stress fracture in his back,” Colangelo said. “Well, he took a little heat for backing out, but now that it’s been exposed that he had a real issue, what else could he do?”

With Griffin, Kevin Love, Dwight Howard and LeBron James not participating in the World Cup, which begins Aug. 30 in Bilbao, Spain, Team USA will likely turn to a youthful contingent of frontcourt players, including DeMarcus Cousins, Kenneth Faried and/or Andre Drummond.

However, Griffin’s absence will be noticeable. The 25-year-old MVP candidate is coming off his best season as a professional and is considered a cornerstone for USA Basketball for years to come. But much like 2012, his participation in international competition will be delayed.