COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Coach Don Showalter and the Red, White and Blue Boys are at it again.
That’s because the eighth annual USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team October Minicamp will include 14 gold medalists among 56 of the nation’s top high school players on Oct. 8-9, at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The minicamp is designed to familiarize players with USA Basketball and to help USA Basketball field competitive, experienced teams for upcoming competitions.
Seventeen players are slated to graduate high school in 2017 and are eligible for the 2017 USA Nike Hoop Summit Team and the 2017 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team; seven players born in 2000 are eligible for the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team; and 32 players born in 2001 or 2002 are eligible for the 2017 USA Basketball Men’s U16 National Team and the 2018 USA Basketball Men’s U17 World Championship Team.
“We have seen how beneficial the minicamp has been for everyone involved over the past seven additions, and we look forward to another successful event in 2016,” said Sean Ford, USA Basketball Men’s National Team Director and chair of the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team Committee, which is responsible for selecting rosters for the annual Nike Hoop Summit and the U16 and U17 national teams.
As it has been since the inaugural camp in 2009, the minicamp will be led by Showalter (USA Basketball Youth Division Director of Coach Development), who has led USA Basketball U16 and U17 teams to eight straight gold medals. Under Showalter, USA teams have won four straight FIBA U17 World Championships (2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016) and four consecutive FIBA Americas U16 Championships (2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015) while compiling a remarkable 50-0 overall record.
“The minicamp is the first introduction to USA Basketball for these U16 players,” legendary coach Showalter said. “The success we have enjoyed at the U16 and U17 level starts with this training camp. It is a great opportunity for players to learn some of our system and for the coaching staff to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the team. The addition of the Hoop Summit and U18 player pool makes this minicamp extremely competitive and greatly helps to evaluate young talent.”
Showalter will be assisted during the minicamp by five court coaches, including Jay Blossom (Webster Groves H.S., Mo.), Corey Frazier (St. Louis Eagles AAU, Mo.), Mike Jones (DeMatha Catholic H.S., Md.), Miles Simon (California Supreme AAU) and Terrance Williams (ProScholars Athletics Cardinals AAU, N.Y.).
The 17 players eligible for the 2017 Nike Hoop Summit and 2017 USA U19 team include 14 gold medalists.
Wendell Carter Jr. (Pace Academy/Fairburn, Ga.); Kevin Knox II (Tampa Catholic H.S./Riverview, Fla.); and Gary Trent Jr, (Prolific Prep, Calif./Burnsville, Minn.) are two-time gold medalists who won titles at the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship.
Returning from the gold-medal winning 2016 USA U18 Championship Team are: Mohamed Bamba(Westtown School, Pa./New York, N.Y.); Matt Coleman (Oak Hill Academy/Norfolk, Va.); Hamidou Diallo (Putnam Science Academy, Conn./Corona, N.Y.); Quade Green (Neumann-Goretti H.S./Philadelphia, Pa.); Michael Porter Jr. (Father Tolton Catholic/Columbia, Mo.); P.J. Washington (Findlay Prep/Henderson, Nev.); and Trae Young (Norman North H.S./Norman, Okla.).
Jaren Jackson Jr. (La Lumiere School/Carmel, Ind.); Collin Sexton (Pebblebrook H.S./Mableton, Ga.); and Austin Wiley (Spain Park H.S./Hoover, Ala.) won gold at the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship, while Jarred Vanderbilt (Victory Prep/Houston, Texas) won his gold at the 2015 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
Rounding out the Nike Hoop Summit and 2017 U19 hopefuls are: Trevon Duval (Advanced Prep International, Texas/New Castle, Del.); Mitchell Robinson (Chalmette H.S./Meraux, La.); and Lonnie Walker (Reading HS/Reading, Pa.).
Eligible for the 2018 USA U18 national team are: Cole Anthony (Archbishop Molloy H.S./New York, N.Y.); Bryan Antoine (Ranney School/Tinton Falls, N.J.); Christian Brown (A.C. Flora H.S./Hopkins, S.C.); Matthew Hurt (John Marshall H.S./Rochester, Minn.); Scottie Lewis (Ranney School/Hazlet, N.J.); Onyeka Okongwu (Chino Hills H.S./Chino, Calif.); and Trendon Watford(Mountain Brook H.S./Mountain Brook, Ala.).
The 32 hopefuls for the 2017 U16 national team include:
Vernon Carey Jr. (University School/Southwest Ranches, Fla.); Zachary Dieterich-Harvey (Hayden H.S./Topeka, Kan.); Eric Dixon (Abington H.S./Willow Grove, Pa.); Juwan Gary (Gray Collegiate Academy/Columbia, S.C.); De’Vion Harmon (Guyer H.S./Corinth, Texas); Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Adolfo Camarillo H.S./Camarillo, Calif.); Wendell Moore Jr. (Cox Mill H.S./Charlotte, N.C.); Joshua Nickelberry (Trinity Christian School/Eastover, N.C.); Isaac Okoro (McEachern H.S./Powder Springs, Ga.); Quinn Slazinski(Westbury Christian School/Sugar Land, Texas); Isaiah Stewart (McQuaid Jesuit H.S./Rochester, N.Y.); Romeo Weems (New Haven H.S./New Haven, Mich.); James Wiseman (The Ensworth School/Nashville, Tenn.); Jabri Abdur-Rahim (Seton Hall Prep/Short Hills, N.J.); Posh Alexander(Our Saviour Lutheran/Brooklyn, N.Y.).
Dudley Blackwell (Westminster Academy/Miramar, Fla.); Gregory Brown III (Vandegrift H.S./Austin, Texas); Jy’are Davis (Sanford School/Newark, Del.); Gerald Doakes (Jacksonville Lighthouse/Jacksonville, Ark.); Xavier Foster (Oskaloosa H.S./Oskaloosa, Iowa); Jalen Green (San Joaquin Memorial H.S./Fresno, Calif.); Lynn Greer III(Roman Catholic H.S./Philadelphia, Pa.); R.J. Hampton (Little Elm H.S./Little Elm, Texas); Elijah Hutchins-Everett (DePaul Catholic H.S./Wayne, N.J.); Justin Lewis (Calvert Hall College H.S./Baltimore, Md.); Nico Mannion (Pinnacle H.S./Scottsdale, Ariz.); Carson McCorkle(Broughton H.S./Raleigh, N.C.); Shemar Morrow (La Mirada H.S./Sacramento, Calif.); Jeremy Roach (Paul VI Catholic H.S./Leesburg, Va.); Jaden Springer (Rocky River H.S./Charlotte, N.C.); Nate Tabor (Sacred Heart H.S./Waterbury, Conn.); and Isaiah Todd (John Marshall H.S./Richmond, Va.).
Along with the 17 players from the class of 2017, 20 will graduate high school in 2019 and 19 are from the class of 2020.
Senior Writer and national analyst for Blue Media and compiles the Blue Star Elite 25 national boys and girls high school basketball and football rankings during the season. Lawlor, an award-winning writer, is a voting committee member and advisor for several national high school events, including the McDonald’s All-American Games. He previously wrote for USA TODAY and ESPN.com, where he was the national preps writer, while compiling the national rankings in four sports.
