NBA Youth Trying Out For Team U.S.A. in Vegas

  Russell Westbrook The U.S.A. basketball mini-camp of the NBA’s up and coming stars got off to a great start in Vegas yesterday afternoon. The schedule is one practice Thursday, a scrimmage Friday, and a game Saturday that is open to the public. Eight players from last year's Olympic team have verbally committed to play in the 2010 World Championships in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London. That list is as follows: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Deron Williams, the last of whom was in attendance here at Valley High School. Thus, 20 players, mostly under the age of 23, are fighting for 3-5 roster spots on team U.S.A.

Players were split into four teams of five. The Blue Team: D.J. Augustin, Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young, Paul Millsap, and Brook Lopez. The Yellow Team: Derrick Rose, Ronny Brewer, Kyle Korver, Jeff Green, and JaVale McGee. The Red Team: Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay, Anthony Randolph, and Kevin Love. The White Team: Devin Harris, O.J. Mayo, Kevin Durant, Josh Smith, and Greg Oden. Several players pulled out of the competition, including Glen Davis, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Trevor Ariza, Jerryd Bayless, David Lee, Danny Granger, and Blake Griffin.

The mood was light as the youngsters arrived. They shot around, were lead through stretches as a group, and then warmed up with a diamond passing drill. The coaching staff, lead by Jay Triano, Head Coach for the Toronto Raptors ran a 5 on 0 fast break drill that ended with strong high flying dunks. This got each player excited to see who could one-up the other, where JaVale McGee, Anthony Randolph and Andre Iguodala impressed the most.

This built into another fast bread drill with three simple sets described by the coaching staff, to see how quickly the players learned on the fly and adjusted to the coaches’ play calls. This was followed by a 3 on 0 drill based on fundamentals – shot fakes, jab steps, and ending with mid range jump shots that were all expected to go in. The same drill was adjusted so as players drove baseline, passed across the baseline, before another pass out to the top of the key for twenty foot jump shots. Each missed shot was followed by groans from several players. They’re all trying to be at the top of their game here, and the practice got more competitive as it progressed.

Greg Oden The next drill was designed for the defense, and was 5 on 5 live action in the half court. Coach Triano wanted wing defenders to deny their man the ball, basically overplaying them on the perimeter and inviting penetration from the top of the key. “The reason the US was successful recently was because the defense didn’t let them run their stuff – they denied ball rotation on the wings,” said coach Triano, touching on the mainstay of European basketball. This drill got more hustle out of the players and bodies started flying with all the contact and above-the-rim action. As the intensity rose, Russell Westbrook showed his athleticism of D.J. Augustine and Devin Harris, Rudy Gay struggled with consistency on his jump shot but looked okay in general, and Greg Oden made a nice block on Derrick Rose a drive to the lane. Jeff Green looked great, showing a nice stroke with intelligent and athletic all-around play. The players were cheering or each other and working hard.

The practice changed gears then to a continuous 2 on 1 and 3 on 2 drill where the tempo was pushed full court. At this time, Derrick Rose went to the trainer for back pain from a fall earlier in practice, and was out for twenty minutes or so. Monster dunks were thrown down by Josh Smith and Anthony Randolph, who was fresh after dominating the summer league here in Vegas last week. Excellent ball fakes by Thaddeus Young and Kevin Love freed them for easy buckets on different plays, yet they both looked a little bit overmatched in this environment.

Coach Triano moved on to a 2 on 1 drill that ended in 5 on 5 play as two players were inserted each trip down the floor. Then came the main part of the practice, 5 on 5 scrimmage up to 6 points, with referees. Many players got a chance to show their skills here, as every lay-up and dunk attempt was contested by the likes of Oden, McGee, Millsap, Durant, Jeff Green, Brook Lopez and Josh Smith. Portland Trailblazers GM Kevin Pritchard, who was sitting nearby remarked, “this is the best that Greg’s looked in a long time.” Oden’s Gm is right. His foot speed and defensive presence are back to Greg’s regular form.

O.J. Mayo moved the ball well, and didn’t look to score too often as he was a bit undersized here. Kyle Korver looked out of his element, as did Ronnie Brewer, and Eric Gordon. Derrick Rose showed his quickness, even against these lighting quick players, yet the player who shined the most was definitely Kevin Durant, who was hitting deep shots with ease, and took the ball strong to the basket finishing with his incredible length.

In this environment, even young guys who didn’t necessarily play outstandingly like Millsap, Brewer, Korver, Augustine, and Harris got a chance to be a part of U.S.A. basketball’s effort to develop their top Americans for international competition. Simply playing with each other was a treat, you could tell, because this coaching staff and competition level is almost unparalleled. The balls they used were Molten, the brand used by FIBA, and the international lane was drawn onto Valley High’s hardwood – all in the interest of simulating the experience of playing abroad. No matter which 3-5 players here make the cut to represent the American team of 12, the even shows that U.S.A. basketball is serious about player development and fostering a sense of pride for our country.

Check back to Hoops Daily for updates from Friday and Saturday’s U.S.A. basketball events.