USA basketball

atlabowers

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -– Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce was named to the USA Basketball Men’s National Team coaching staff today. Pierce replaces Indiana Pacers head coach Nate McMillian who withdrew because of scheduling conflicts.

Pierce joins Gregg Popovich’s USA National Team coaching staff that also features NBA head coach Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright as assistant coaches.

The coaching staff will lead the USA National Team in 2019-20, which will include the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China (Aug. 31-Sept. 15, 2019) and, if the USA qualifies, the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan (July 24-Aug. 9). The USA National Team will open its pre-World Cup training on Aug.5 in Las Vegas.

“Lloyd was an assistant coach at Philadelphia during the time I was serving there, and I got to know him. He has made great progression in his coaching career with stops at Cleveland, Golden State and Memphis, and then in Philadelphia before landing the head coaching job with the Hawks last year,” said Jerry Colangelo, who has served as the managing director of USA Basketball Men’s National Team program since 2005. “He has demonstrated the ability in particular to be an outstanding defensive coach. Also, it was evident during our time together in Philadelphia that he was a strong leader, players respected him a great deal. I think we’re fortunate to have someone of his abilities. I think he’s really a good addition.”

The 32-nation 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup competition will be held Aug. 31-Sept. 15 in eight cities in China.

The United States, two-time defending World Cup champion and FIBA’s No. 1 world ranked team, was drawn into Group E and will play its first round games in Shanghai. Also drawn into Group E were Czech Republic, Japan and Turkey.

“It's an honor to receive this opportunity to represent our country and to work with such great coaches and staff,” said Pierce. “My family and I are excited about and committed to enjoying this journey.” Completing in 2018-19 his first season as an NBA head coach, Pierce was named the 13th full-time head coach in Hawks history on May 11, 2018. In his first season with Atlanta, he led the club to a five win improvement over 2017-18 and he and his staff were instrumental in the development of rookies Trae Young, Kevin Huerter and Omari Spellman, along with second-year big man John Collins.

Pierce, 42, came to the Hawks following five years as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers, who finished the 2017-18 season third in the Eastern Conference with a 52-30 mark and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Under Pierce’s guidance, the Sixers’ defense led the NBA in field goal percentage defense (.434), ranked second in 3-point percentage allowed (.342) and was third in defensive rating (102.0). Two Philadelphia players, Robert Covington (First Team) and Joel Embiid (Second Team), earned NBA All-Defensive selections.

Pierce joined the Sixers after two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, where he was assistant coach- player development, helping lead the Grizzlies to back-to-back playoff appearances and the Western Conference Finals in 2013.

He spent the 2010-11 season as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors after three years as assistant coach-player development with Cleveland (2007-10), where the Cavaliers made three playoff appearances and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009.

Prior to his NBA coaching career, Pierce was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Santa Clara University, from 2002-07. The San Jose, California, native played four seasons for the Broncos, where he teamed with two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash.

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USA Basketball Announces Lloyd Pierce as  2019-20 USA Men’s National Team Assistant Coach

atljtaylor

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- Following the completion of its July 28-Aug. 1 training camp in Las Vegas, USA Basketball National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo today announced that 16 players have been selected finalists for the 2014 USA Basketball Men's World Cup Team roster. The USA National Team is scheduled to resume its 2014 preparations for the FIBA Basketball World Cup on Aug. 14 in Chicago.

The finalists include three Olympic gold medalists from 2012 - Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) and James Harden (Houston Rockets); three 2010 World Championship gold medalists - Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Durant and Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and the addition of Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets) to the 2014-16 USA National Team roster and to the list of finalists participating in Chicago. Plumlee began the Las Vegas training camp as a member of the 2014 USA Select Team.

Selected USA World Cup Team finalists were DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Curry; Davis; DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Durant; Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Harden; Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks); Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers); Chandler Parsons (Dallas Mavericks); Plumlee; Rose; and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors).

"The ending to our Las Vegas training camp with the injury to Paul George was very emotional for everyone involved in USA Basketball. I very much appreciate the outpouring of support Paul and USA Basketball has received the past couple of days from the basketball world. Past Olympic coaches and some of our past Olympic and World Championship players have reached out offering their continued support and that's very important. Paul's injury was an extremely unfortunate occurrence; it was truly a freak accident. We're all very pleased that his recovery is going well," said Colangelo.

"We have always approached representing our country as a privilege, a tremendous honor, and USA Basketball is very appreciative of the willingness of our players to play for the United States and in their own patriotic way give back to their country. Historically, the players involved in USA Basketball have become better players because of their experience. They have treasured their USA Basketball experience, as well as the incredible opportunity and honor it has been for them to demonstrate their patriotism and represent their country.

"Their willingness to represent the United States says a lot about our players' patriotism and their willingness to sacrifice their time to this commitment.  Not every American has the opportunity to represent their country and our players have embraced each opportunity to do it. They have worn the USA jersey with respect and honor, and by their commitment they have made all Americans extremely proud."

While training in Chicago, the 16 selected finalists will be actively involved in the 2014 World Basketball Festival that is being held Aug. 13-17, and which is being hosted by NIKE, Jordan Brand and USA Basketball.

"We had an excellent training camp in Las Vegas and each player gave a great effort and deserves recognition and thanks for his commitment and hard work. We've said all along that we would be proud to have any of the players who were in Las Vegas represent USA Basketball and the United States. This phase of the selection process was extremely difficult and very thorough, and it's worth again mentioning that we are looking to select the best team, which are not necessarily the best players. We're pleased with where we are at this point of our training and we're looking forward to getting back on the court and continuing our preparations to represent the United States at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup," said Colangelo.

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 USA Basketball and Syracuse University and Naismith Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams. 

The USA finalists will practice Aug. 14-15 at the Quest Multisport Complex, Chicago, and play an exhibition contest versus Brazil at the United Center on Aug. 16 (8 p.m. CDT).

"We're excited about where the team is headed. Really all 16 guys have a chance to make to the team, which usually does not happen in a training camp, and it shows that all of the guys thus far have done an excellent job. Then it's just a matter of finding what chemistry that we can develop with the entire group and I don't think we'll know that until we play some exhibition games. The 16 guys give us a chance to look at a way of playing in a number of different ways and we just have to figure out what those ways are and then the 12 who will fit best," said Krzyzewski.

The American squad will continue its World Cup preparations Aug. 18-22 in New York, and play a pair of exhibition games at Madison Square Garden, Aug. 20 against Dominican Republic, and Aug. 22 versus Puerto Rico. The USA will complete its pre-World Cup exhibition tour on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Training Aug. 24-25, the U.S. will close out its exhibition tour on Aug. 26 facing Slovenia at Gran Canaria Arena. Conducting a basketball clinic for youth on Aug. 27 in Dakar, Senegal, the USA team will complete its training for the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup Aug. 28-29 in Bilbao, Spain, the site of its World Cup preliminary round games,

The 2014 World Cup, featuring a total of 24 national teams, is scheduled to be held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The USA will play its preliminary round games in Bilbao, after being drawn into Group C along with teams from the Dominican Republic, Finland, New Zealand, Turkey and Ukraine.

The USA opens the 2014 World Cup on Aug. 30 against Finland, and then faces Turkey on Aug. 31 in a rematch of the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal game, a contest in which the USA claimed an 81-64 victory. Following a day off on Sept. 1, the USA resumes play Sept. 2 facing New Zealand. The U.S. will go against the Dominican Republic on Sept. 3, and will conclude its preliminary play on Sept. 4 facing Ukraine.

Each team at the 2014 World Cup will play the other teams in its preliminary group, and the top four finishing teams from each of the four preliminary round groups will then qualify for the round of 16. Winners of the round of 16 games will advance to the quarterfinals, while losers are eliminated. Winners of the quarterfinals games will advance to the medal round semifinals, while the quarterfinals losers are eliminated from the competition. Winners of the semifinals will advance to the Sept. 14 gold medal game, while semifinals losers will meet in the bronze medal game on Sept. 13.  The games from the round of 16 to the semifinals will be played in Barcelona and Madrid, and the bronze and gold medal games will be held in Madrid.

usa-basketball-announces-16-finalists-selected-for-next-round-of-usa-mens-national-team-training

USA Basketball Announces 16 Finalists Selected For Next Round Of USA Men's National Team Training

atljwilson

Kyle Korver and Klay Thompson had a friendly three-point shootout after the Team USA training session Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Two of the top shooters in basketball lit it up from seven spots on the floor in a catch-and-shoot format.  Korver won (barely) by beating Thompson at four of the seven spots.

It's pure joy to watch Korver shoot a basketball, and Thompson is pretty fun himself.  Take a look at the mastery below, courtesy of Rich Twu at LetsGoWarriors.com:

kyle-korver-beats-klay-thompson-in-three-point-contest

Kyle Korver Beats Klay Thompson In Three-Point Contest

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Featuring 19 players, including two players who are new additions to the 2014-16 USA Basketball National Team roster, USA Basketball Chairman and National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo today announced this summer’s USA Basketball Men’s National Team from which the 2014 USA World Cup Team will be selected.

Added to the 2014-16 USA National Team roster and participating in the July-28-Aug. 1 USA National Team training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada, are NBA standouts DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors) and Chandler Parsons (Dallas Mavericks).

Previously named USA National Team members who are confirmed to participate in the 2014 Las Vegas training camp include: Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards); DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings);Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); Andre Drummond(Detroit Pistons); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Paul George (Indiana Pacers); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks); Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors).

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 USA Basketball and Syracuse University and Naismith Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams.

All 19 players boast of prior USA Basketball experience and the group includes four members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team that brought home gold, and five members of the 2010 USA World Championship Team that also claimed gold.

“First off, I’m very pleased about the 19 players who are now confirmed to participate in the 2014 USA National Team training camp in Las Vegas. This group possesses outstanding individual talents, while also boasting of excellent versatility and varying amounts of USA Basketball experience,” said Colangelo, who has seen USA National teams compile a 62-1 record since taking charge of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2005. “I am also pleased about the addition of DeMar DeRozan and Chandler Parsons to the USA National Team and to the 2014 training camp. Both played well in last summer’s USA Basketball National Team mini-camp and went on to record outstanding NBA seasons.

“The Las Vegas training camp will be the start of our preparations for the World Cup, so this is a critical time for putting in place the foundation required for this USA Basketball team to be successful like its recent predecessors. This USA team will have a special opportunity to become the first USA team to repeat as world champions.”

USA mentor Krzyzewski, who as the USA National Team head coach has compiled a remarkable 43-1 record in official FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions since 2006 and compiled a 19-0 mark in exhibition games, is also impressed by the collection of talents that will compete for a position on the 2014 USA World Cup Team.

“The advantage of having a national team program like we’ve developed since Jerry took over in 2005 is the incredible depth of talent we can draw from. The commitment we receive from our players continues to amaze me and the fact that all of the players who will be in Las Vegas all have prior USA Basketball experience shows that the USA Basketball pipeline is working. The prior experience these guys have will help us with our continuity and jelling as a team as well.

“Looking at the roster of players who will be participating in the training camp I’m impressed by the success they had this past season and by what they have achieved in their careers. It’s valuable to have some veteran leadership who has won gold at the highest levels internationally. The list also includes some of the most exciting young players who could definitely contribute to this team. Myself and the entire coaching staff are excited to get things underway and as we’ve done each summer our team will strive to represent the United States with respect and a commitment to excellence that hopefully will make every American proud,” said Coach K.

2014 USA Basketball Men’s National Team Notes:

• • The 19 NBA players represent 18 NBA teams, with only one team featuring a pair of players – the Golden State Warriors (Curry and Thompson).

• Four players were members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic gold medal team (Davis, Durant, Harden and Love).

• Four players were members of the 2010 USA World Championship team that finished first (Curry, Durant, Love and Rose).

• Two players were members of both the 2012 U.S. Olympic and 2010 USA World Championship gold medalist teams (Durant and Love).

• Eleven players attended the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s National Team mini-camp (Beal, Cousins, Davis, DeRozan, Drummond, George, Hayward, Irving, Lillard, Parsons and Thompson).

• Seven players were part of the 2012 USA Select Team that trained against the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team (Cousins, DeRozan, George, Hayward, Irving, Leonard and Thompson).

• All 19 players attended at least one year of college before entering the NBA.

• Ten players were selected as 2014 NBA All-Stars (Curry, Davis, DeRozan, Durant, George, Griffin, Harden, Irving, Lillard and Love).

• Two players were named 2013-14 All-NBA first team (Durant, Harden), three were second team selections (Curry, Griffin, Love) and three were named All-NBA third team (Aldridge, George, Lillard).

• One player was selected 2013-14 NBA All-Defensive first team (George).

• The 2014 USA National Team roster includes 11 of the NBA’s top 16 scorers in 2013-14 – Durant (1st-32.0 ppg.); Love (4th-26.1 ppg.); Harden (5th-25.4 ppg.); Griffin (6th-24.1 ppg.), Curry (7th-24.0 ppg.), Cousins (9th-22.7 ppg.), DeRozan (10th-22.7 ppg.), George (12th-21.7 ppg.), Irving (14th-20. ppg.), Davis (15th-20.8 ppg.), and Lillard (16th-20.7 ppg.).

• The MNT roster also includes the NBA’s four of the top 10 rebounders –Drummond (2nd-13.2 rpg.), Love (3rd-12.5 rpg.), Cousins (5th-11.7 rpg.), and Davis (10th-10.0 rpg.).

• Additionally, Curry (8.5 apg.) ranked fifth in assists; George (1.9 spg.) listed fifth in steals; and Davis (2.8 bpg.) led the NBA in blocked shots.

Following the Las Vegas camp, which concludes with the 2014 USA Basketball Showcase, a USA Blue versus USA White exhibition game on Aug. 1 at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center, the selected team finalists will have a 12-day break. The U.S. team will reassemble in Chicago, Illinois, and train Aug. 14-15, then play an exhibition contest versus Brazil at the United Center on Aug. 16. The American squad will continue its World Cup preparations Aug. 17-22 in New York, New York, and play a pair of exhibition games at Madison Square Garden, the first on Aug. 20 against Dominican Republic, and the second versus Puerto Rico on Aug. 22. The USA will complete its pre-World Cup tour Aug. 24-26 on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Training Aug. 24-25, the U.S. will close out its exhibition tour on Aug. 26 facing Slovenia at Gran Canaria Arena.

The 2014 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) World Cup, featuring a total of 24 national teams, is scheduled to be held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The USA World Cup Team will play its preliminary round games in Bilbao, Spain, after being drawn into Group C along with teams from the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Turkey and Ukraine.

The USA opens the 2014 World Cup preliminary round play on Aug. 30 against Finland, and then faces Turkey on Aug. 31 in a rematch of the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal game, a contest in which the USA claimed an 81-64 victory. Following a day off on Sept. 1, the USA resumes play Sept. 2 facing New Zealand. The U.S. will go against the Dominican Republic on Sept. 3, and will conclude its preliminary play on Sept. 4 facing Ukraine.

Each team at the 2014 World Cup will play the other teams in its preliminary group, and the top four finishing teams from each of the four preliminary round groups will then qualify for the round of 16. Winners of the round of 16 games will advance to the quarterfinals, while losers are eliminated. Winners of the quarterfinals games will advance to the medal round semifinals, while the quarterfinals losers are eliminated from the competition. Winners of the semifinals will advance to the Sept. 14 gold medal game, while semifinals losers will meet in the bronze medal game on Sept. 13. The games from the round of 16 to the semifinals will be played in Barcelona and Madrid, and the bronze and gold medal games will be held in Madrid.

USA basketball

USA Basketball Announces Lloyd Pierce as 2019-20 USA Men’s National Team Assistant Coach

USA Basketball Announces 16 Finalists Selected For Next Round Of USA Men's National Team Training

Kyle Korver Beats Klay Thompson In Three-Point Contest

Korver Confirmed For Team USA Training Camp