LA Clippers' Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Jordan to participate in USA Basketball minicamp

USA Basketball has announced that a talent-laden group of 34 American players, including current Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, and Chris Paul, are expected to attend the August 11-13 USA Basketball Men’s National Team minicamp in Las Vegas.

“With this being a summer where we do not have an official competition that we need to prepare for, this year’s minicamp is an opportunity to continue and expand the brotherhood and camaraderie that has been built,” said Jerry Colangelo, who has served as managing director of the USA National Team since 2005. “It will be a celebration of all that we've accomplished with USA Basketball since the National Team program was formed in 2006 while also looking ahead to 2016. The minicamp is going to be low key with light workouts, no contact, and the USA Basketball Showcase on August 13 will be a fun all-star type game."

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. 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).

“We’re also excited about the eight players who have been added to the National Team roster. Seven of the players have been involved in past national team training camps or have participated in past camps as a member of our select teams. All of them enjoyed outstanding NBA seasons in 2014-15 and have been on our radar for a while,” added Colangelo.

In addition, the other 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 minicamp roster includes the last two FIBA World Cup MVPs – 2014 MVP Irving and 2010 MVP Durant.

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

USA Basketball will be hoping for much better luck than in the prior Showcase when George broke his leg in a gruesome fall, causing the game to be called off.

The American men have compiled an all-time win-loss record in Olympic action of 130-5 for a spectacular .963 winning percentage. In 17 Olympics in which USA men’s teams have competed, the U.S. has captured 14 gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
       
Since the inception of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2005, USA National Teams have captured unprecedented back-to-back Olympic and FIBA World Cup gold medals, while compiling a remarkable 75-1 overall record (.987 winning percentage), including a 52-1 win-loss record in official FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions.

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com