COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.– There may not be any unstoppable players like Jahlil Okafor, Brad Beal, Aaron Gordon or Malik Newman on USA Basketball’s U16 team that will participate in this month’s FIBA Americas tournament in Argentina.
But there is at least one heartwarming story. Jaylen Nowell is a young 6-4 star guard from Seattle’s Garfield High who averaged 23.5 points as a sophomore to help his team capture the Washington Class 3A KingCo state championship with a 23-1 record. Nowell a first team 3A All State selection, hugged his father Mike, one of the coaches on the team, at the end of the end of the game. As a reward, Nowell, who had a strong EBYL season with Seattle Rotary, received an invitation to try out for the U16 team.
On May 11, just two weeks before he was set to leave, Nowell’s world was turned upside down when his father, who had just taken a job as an assistant coach on Cam Dollar’s staff at Seattle, died from a long term illness at a Seattle hospital.
Jaylen Nowell, who changed his Twitter account to “RIP Pops,” could have passed on the chance to try out for this national youth development team, but he opted to soldier on to honor his father. “My father made me promise I would attend no matter what happened,” Nowell recalled. “I had a long discussion with my family about it, but that was one promise I couldn’t break.”
Nowell’s father was a beloved figure in the city who coached AAU ball and developed future NBA guard Tony Wroten Jr. at Garfield. “I used to go to the gym to see him play in high school,” Nowell said. “I was about seven at the time. He was such an exciting player.”
Jaylen is following in his footsteps. He played with the type of inspiration that made an impression on the selection committee and was chosen as one of the 17 finalsts after four training sessions at the U.S. Olympic training Center here. The team will be cut to 12 by Tuesday.
“I think my dad would have been proud of me,” Nowell said. “That picture of the two of us hugging is my favorite.”
The list of finalists includes:
— 6-10 Jordan Brown of Woodcreek High in Roseville, Calif. (2018). Cal Hi Sports California Freshman of the Year averaged 22.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 3 blocked shots for team that advanced to CIF Nor Cal Division I championship game. Father Dion is retired from Air Force and played basketball at Louisiana-Lafayette.
— 6-10 center Wendell Carter of Pace Academy in Atlanta (2017). Averaged 21.3 ppg., 12.3 rpg and 4.1 blocks for Pace, which advanced to quarterfinals of Georgia 6A tournament. Father Wendell Carter Sr. is retired from Air Force, played basketball in Pearl River and professionally in the Dominican Republic.
— 6-8 forward Carter-Are Gordon of St. John’s Vianney High in St. Louis (2018). Averaged 24.3 ppg, 8 rpg and 1.5 blocks as a freshman for team that advanced to quarterfinals of Missouri 5A tournament.
— 6-2 guard Jaylen Hands of Mater Dei High in San Diego, Calif. (2017). Has transferred to Foothills Christian after playing two years for Mater Dei, was San Diego Metro High Player of Year in 2015.
— 6-1 guard Elijah Hardy of Bishop O’Dowd in Oakland, Calif. (2018). Cal Hi Sports All State Underclass Freshman first team after aiding team to 2015 CIF open Division State title.
— 6-1 guard Markus Howard of Findlay Prep, Henderson, Nev. (2017)
— 6-9 forward Jalen Hill of Centennial High in Corona, Calif. (2017). Averaged 6.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 1.3 blocks for team that won CIF Southern Section Regional title. Father played basketball for Kansas State.
— 6-7 forward Brandon Johns of East Lansing, Mich. High School (2018). Aided team to third place finish in Capital Arena Activities Conference Blue Division as a freshman.
— 6-2 guard Tre Jones of Apple Valley, Minn. High (2018). Younger brother of Tyus Jones, who was MOP on Duke’s national championship team. Averaged 10.0 ppg, 5 apg and 3 steals for 30-2 team that won Minnesota 4A state title.
— 6-7 forward Kevin Knox of Tampa, Fla. Catholic (2017). Two sport star who is rated as best quarterfinal in country at age level. Averaged 24.4 ppg, 10 rpg for team that reached Florida 4a-Region 3 semis and was named second team all state in his classification..
— 6-4 guard Jaylen Nowell of Garfield High in Seattle (2017). Scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the state championship game.
— 6-5 forward Charles O’Bannon Jr. of Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas (2017). Son of former UCLA star averaged 8.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.4 apg and 1.5 spg on loaded team that won Nevada Division I state championship.
— 6-4 guard Javonte Smart of Scotlandville Magnet High in Baton Rouge (2018). Louisiana 5a first team All State selection who averaged 15.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 5.2 apg, helping lead team to state title. Cousin of Keith Smart, who made game winning shot as Indiana defeated Syracuse in 1987 NCAA tournament title game.
— 6-5 guard Gary Trent Jr. of Apple Valley, Minn. High (2017). Son of former NBA veteran Gary Trent Sr. who averaged 21.5 ppg and was first team All State as a sophomore, leading his team to a 3-2 record and the Minnesota 4A state title.
— 6-9 forward Jarred Vanderbilt of Victory Prep in Houston, Tex. (2017). Averaged 26.6 ppg, 12.2 rpg. 4.1 apg and 2.1 stp in leading team to a Texas district title. Has 4.3 GPA.
— 7-3 center Connor Vanover of Arkansas Baptist High in Little Rock (2018). Towering center with face the basket game who sprouted seventh inches from 6-6 to 7-1 in nine months before eight grade season. Averaged 14.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg and 3.2 blocks, made first team 4A All State as a ninth grade starter for a team that advanced to the Arkansas state semi-finals.
— 6-5 guard Robert Woodard II from Columbus, Miss. High (2018). Max Prep Freshmen Five selection who averaged 15.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.0 stg for team that advanced to Mississippi North semi-finals.
