WASHINGTON, DC – Washington Wizards guard John Wall was one of 13 NBA players added to the 2012 USA Men’s Select Team Roster announced today by USA Basketball. Wall and the USA Men’s Select Team will train against the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team during its July 6-12 training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“This is an outstanding honor and privilege to be named to the 2012 USA Select Team,” said Wall. “ I am excited for this special opportunity and I’m looking forward to the professional and personal experience of training against the Men’s National team who will be representing the United States in the Summer Olympics.”
Wall, who was a member of USA Junior National Select teams that competed in the Nike Hoop Summit in 2009, has averaged 16.3 points, 8.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 135 games over his first two NBA seasons. The 21-year-old became the sixth-fastest player in NBA history (124 games) to reach the 2,000 points/1,000 assists plateau and has been selected to participate in consecutive Rising Stars Challenge games during All Star Weekend in Los Angeles (2011, where he took home MVP honors) and Orlando (2012).
In 2011-12, Wall averaged team highs in points (16.3) and assists (8.0), while adding 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest in 66 games (all starts). He finished seventh in the NBA in assists per game and led Washington in total points (1,076), assists (530), steals (95), minutes played (2,386), field goals made (378) and free-throws made (317).
Joining Wall on the 2012 USA Basketball Select squad are: 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 Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors). 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.
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 from July 6-11 at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center. The USA Men’s National Team will train July 13-15 in Washington, D.C., before facing Brazil in an exhibition game at Verizon Center on July 16.