Marcus Morris Named to USA Men's Select Team

Kansas basketball junior-to-be Marcus Morris was one of 20 collegians named to the USA Men’s Select Team that will train against the 2010 USA Basketball Men’s National Team during its July 19-24 training camp in Las Vegas, Nev.

Named to the 2010 USA Basketball Select squad were: Lavoy Allen (Temple University/Morrisville, Pa.); William Buford (Ohio State University / Toledo, Ohio); LaceDarius Dunn (Baylor University/Monroe, La.); Jimmer Fredette (Brigham Young University/Glens Falls, N.Y.); Scotty Hopson (University of Tennessee/Hopkinsville, Ky.); Scoop Jardine (Syracuse University/Philadelphia, Pa.); JaJuan Johnson (Purdue University / Indianapolis, Ind.); Jon Leuer (University of Wisconsin / Orono, Minn.); Shelvin Mack (Butler University / Lexington, Ky.); Marcus Morris (University of Kansas / Philadelphia, Pa.); Jacob Pullen (Kansas State University / Maywood, Ill.); John Shurna (Northwestern University / Glen Ellyn, Ill.); Kyle Singler (Duke University / Medford, Ore.); Chris Singleton (Florida State University / Canton, Ga.); Nolan Smith (Duke University / Upper Marlboro, Md.); Howard Thompkins (University of Georgia / Lithonia, Ga.); Mike Tisdale (University of Illinois / Riverton, Ill.); Kemba Walker (University of Connecticut / Bronx, N.Y.); Chris Wright (University of Dayton / Trotwood, Ohio); and Tyler Zeller (University of North Carolina / Washington, Ind.).

USA Basketball also announced that serving as co-head coaches of the USA Select Team are former USA Basketball coaches and accomplished collegiate mentors Lorenzo Romar from the University of Washington and Jay Wright from Villanova University.

“I am very excited to play against the National Team,” said Morris. “I think it is a great opportunity to see where my level of play is compared to NBA players. I also know now that people are watching me since I was invited to something of this caliber. I think this experience will make me a better player playing against older guys and guys in the NBA. I am going to try and take everything I can from this and learn as much as possible.”

Members of the USA Select Team will converge on Las Vegas and conduct a private training session July 19 (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. PDT), then train with the USA National Team July 20-23 (12:00-3:00 p.m. PDT). All practices will take place at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion.

“It is a great opportunity for 20 collegians from across America to have the chance to be coached in a highly competitive manner, and also play against some of the best players in the world,” said Kansas head coach Bill Self. “I know Marcus is excited. He had a great summer and has been working a lot on his game. He is very much looking forward to playing against many of the world’s best.”

Select Team members with prior USA Basketball include Mack, Shurna and Thompkins who were members of USA Basketball’s 2009 U19 World Championship Team that finished 9-0 in New Zealand to claim the gold medal. Additionally, Singler and Smith were teammates on the USA’s U18 Championship that captured gold at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship and they were again teammates on the 2007 USA Junior National Select Team that defeated am international select team in the Nike Hoop Summit. Hopson was a member of the victorious 2008 USA Junior National Select Team in the Nike Hoop Summit, while Walker was a member of the 2008 USA FIBA Americas U18 Championship Team that collected a silver medal. Johnson has USA Basketball experience through the 2009 USA Basketball Trials.

Both Romar and Wright have extensive international experience as USA Basketball coaches. Romar was head coach of the USA’s 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship Team that won gold, and an assistant coach with the 2003 USA Pan American Games and 1997 USA 22 & Under World Championship teams. Wright was head mentor for the USA’s 2007 Pan American Games Team and led the 2005 USA World University Games Team to a gold medal showing, and was an assistant with the 2000 USA World Championship for Young Men Qualifier.

Featuring players from 19 different colleges, Duke is the only institution to feature two players. The 20 Select Team players include eight who will be seniors in 2010-11 and 12 who will be juniors.

Eight collegiate conferences are represented, with the Big Ten listing five players, the ACC checks in with four, the Big 12 has three, while the Atlantic 10, Big East and SEC each have a pair, respectively, and the Horizon and Mountain West have one player on the roster.

USA Basketball Men’s National Team, in preparation for the Aug. 28-Sept. 12 FIBA World Championship, will open its 2010 training with a July 19-24 team training camp in Las Vegas. The USA training camp will feature daily practice sessions from 12-3 p.m. (PDT) July 20-23 at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion. The USA practices are closed to the general public. The camp will culminate with the 2010 USA Basketball Showcase, a Blue-White intra-squad game that will be held on Saturday, July 24, 7 p.m. (PDT) at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV. The USA training camp will also feature daily practice sessions from 12-3 p.m. (PDT) July 20-23 at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion. Tickets are now on sale for the 2010 USA Basketball Showcase. Tickets are priced $75, $50, $35 for plaza seats and $18 and $12 for balcony and can be purchased by calling 866-388-FANS or on line at www.UNLVtickets.com.

In addition to Boeheim, the 2009-12 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Committee includes NCAA appointees Romar, Bruce Weber (head coach, University of Illinois) and Roy Williams (head coach, University of North Carolina); and Athlete Representative Jay Williams, a member of the 2002 USA World Championship Team.

USA Basketball
Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions. For more information about USA Basketball, visit www.usabasketball.com.

2010 USA Basketball Select Team
Name Pos HT WT Yr College/Hometown
Lavoy Allen C 6-10 225 2011 Temple University/Morrisville, PA
William Buford G 6-5 190 2012 Ohio State University/Toledo, OH
LaceDarius Dunn F 6-4 205 2012 Baylor University/Monroe, LA
Jimmer Fredette G 6-2 195 2011 Brigham Young University/Glens Falls, NY
Scotty Hopson G 6-7 200 2012 University of Tennessee/Hopkinsville, KY
Scoop Jardine G 6-2 190 2012 Syracuse University/Philadelphia, PA
JaJuan Johnson F 6-10 216 2011 Purdue University/Indianapolis, IN
Jon Leuer C 6-10 230 2011 University of Wisconsin/Orono, MN
Shelvin Mack G 6-3 215 2012 Butler University/Lexington, KY
Marcus Morris F 6-8 225 2012 University of Kansas/Philadelphia, PA
Jacob Pullen G 6-0 200 2011 Kansas State University/Maywood, IL
John Shurna F 6-8 210 2012 Northwestern University/Glen Ellyn, IL
Kyle Singler F 6-8 230 2011 Duke University/Medford, OR
Chris Singleton F 6-9 227 2012 Florida State University/Canton, GA
Nolan Smith G 6-2 185 2011 Duke University/Upper Marlboro, MD
Howard Thompkins F 6-10 247 2012 University of Georgia/Lithonia, GA
Mike Tisdale C 7-1 235 2011 University of Illinois/Riverton, IL
Kemba Walker G 6-1 172 2012 University of Connecticut/Bronx, NY
Chris Wright F 6-8 226 2012 University of Dayton/Trotwood, OH
Tyler Zeller F 7-0 240 2012 University of North Carolina/Washington, IN
Coach: Lorenzo Romar, University of Washington
Coach: Jay Wright, Villanova University

For further information contact Craig Miller, Caroline Williams, Jenny Maag or Pat Mitsch at USA Basketball (719) 590-4800.
*The complete release is available on USA Basketball’s World Wide Web homepage – http://www.usabasketball.com.