Mike Krzyzewski

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Aug. 23, 2014 (NEW YORK) – USA Basketball National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo announced Friday night the 12 players who will represent the United States at the 2014 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup that is being held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The player announcement followed the USA's112-86 exhibition victory over Puerto Rico Friday evening at Madison Square Garden.

Named as members of the official 2014 USA Basketball World Cup Team were: DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors).

“Since taking over the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2005, this was without doubt the most difficult selection process we’ve gone through,” said Colangelo. “I can’t stress enough the outstanding effort and commitment that has been given by each finalist. I also want to make it clear that this is not just about talent – each player is incredibly talented and each player offered us unique skills. In the end it was about assembling the best team, selecting guys who we felt would be able to best play the kind of style we envision this team playing.”

“The first thing is we are very pleased with the overall effort of every player who was a part of the process,” said Mike Krzyzewski, USA head coach and Duke University’s Naismith Hall of Fame mentor. “To select twelve was difficult, because our pool is so good. As we go forward, we not only go forward as twelve, we go forward as a pool for USA Basketball. As a staff we want to thank the players who are not going forward.

“I’m excited about the 12 players selected and feel we have excellent versatility and the makings of a really good defensive team.”

Rounding out Krzyzewski’s USA National Team coaching staff as assistant coaches are USA Basketball and Syracuse University and Naismith Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams. 

The USA will complete its pre-World Cup exhibition tour on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Training Aug. 24-25, the U.S. will close out its exhibition tour on Aug. 26 facing Slovenia at Gran Canaria Arena. The USA team will complete its training for the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup Aug. 28-29 in Bilbao, Spain, the site of its World Cup preliminary round games.

Since the first FIBA World Championship was held in 1950, the USA has won 11 medals – four gold medals, three silver medals and four bronze medals – while compiling an all time 114-27 win-loss record. Led By Krzyzewski, the Americans are defending World Champions having claim gold in Istanbul with a 9-0 record.

The 2014 World Cup, featuring a total of 24 national teams, is scheduled to be held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The USA will play its preliminary round games in Bilbao, after being drawn into Group C along with teams from the Dominican Republic, Finland, New Zealand, Turkey and Ukraine.

The USA opens the 2014 World Cup on Aug. 30 against Finland, and then faces Turkey on Aug. 31 in a rematch of the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal game, a contest in which the USA claimed an 81-64 victory. Following a day off on Sept. 1, the USA resumes play Sept. 2 facing New Zealand. The U.S. will go against the Dominican Republic on Sept. 3 and will conclude its preliminary play on Sept. 4 facing Ukraine. 

Each team at the 2014 World Cup will play the other teams in its preliminary group, and the top four finishing teams from each of the four preliminary round groups will then qualify for the round of 16. Winners of the round of 16 games will advance to the quarterfinals, while losers are eliminated. Winners of the quarterfinals games will advance to the medal round semifinals, while the quarterfinals losers are eliminated from the competition. Winners of the semifinals will advance to the Sept. 14 gold medal game, while semifinals losers will meet in the bronze medal game on Sept. 13.  The games from the round of 16 to the semifinals will be played in Barcelona and Madrid, and the bronze and gold medal games will be held in Madrid.

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Rose among 12 named to 2014 USA World Cup Team

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Rose, Team USA defeat Brazil 95-78 (08.16.2014)

Derrick Rose finished with seven points to go with four rebounds and Team USA defeated Brazil 95-78 in an exhibition game at the United Center on Saturday night. 

“I felt good,” said Rose following the game. “I wasn’t trying to rush anything and I played my normal way of playing basketball like I’ve been playing these past couple of weeks during the tryouts. That’s playing hard on defense and taking shots when I have shots and letting the game come to me.” 

Rose, who started along with Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kenneth Faried and Anthony Davis, connected on one of two free throws in the early going. He left the game for a portion of the second quarter after sustaining a minor cut above his eye. 

While it looked as if Rose may not return to action in the second quarter, USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski reinserted him into the game with 4.6 seconds left in the first half. The Bulls star took the ball the entire length of the court and banked in a runner to give Team USA a 45-37 lead at intermission. 

“Derrick has been magnificent since we started training camp,” said Krzyzewski. “He has never held back and really is one of the greatest guys in the whole world. I’m ecstatic for him and his play right at the end of the half, it really gave us some momentum. We started the second half that way too as a result of that play.” 

Team USA was led by Anthony Davis, who recorded 20 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. James Harden scored 18 to go with five rebounds and five assists. 

“I’m pleased with our team,” said Krzyzewski. “We’ve had a lot of interruptions and the one thing that hasn’t been interrupted has been effort. Our guys have played hard in every practice. They’re a really good group. To play an organized team, an outstanding team like Brazil like this tonight, was really encouraging for us.” 

Up next for Rose and USA Basketball is a pair of exhibition games this week at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 

“I’ve been preparing for this for a long time,” said Rose. “Probably if this was a couple weeks ago, I would have been emotional. But right now, it feels great. We won the game. That’s the only thing I can be happy about. We won and we didn’t lose. If we would have lost, my whole attitude would be different. I’ll just take this win, go to New York [on Sunday] and try to keep this going.” 

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, an assistant for USA Basketball, was among many in the capacity crowd at the United Center who was happy to see Rose on the floor again. 

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the way he played,” said Thibodeau.

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Rose, Team USA defeat Brazil 95-78

The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or its Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.

By Sam Smith | 08.15.2014 | 9:00 p.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

It’s time for professional basketball again at the United Center, 8 p.m. CT on Saturday with Derrick Rose and USA Basketball.

And perhaps the question is not so much about Rose’s health or welfare or game, but whether Rose can save USA Basketball.

“Compared to the two Olympic teams (I coached in 2008 and 2012), it’s vastly different as far as experience goes,” said USA Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski as the team prepares for the Basketball World Cup in Spain starting later this month. “It’s similar to (the world championships in) 2010 in that you had a lot of emerging players, emerging stars. Anthony Davis is an emerging star. Kyrie (Irving) is ready to do that. Derrick has some that and hopefully wants to do it again. James (Harden) and (Stephen) Curry; they’re ready, I think, to take it to another level, also. We’re more capable of getting beat than we would be in London or Beijing. We don’t have veterans and we’re not as big.”

So as the US basketball reputation again goes on display on the international stage, it’s Rose, who has missed most of the last two seasons, who is the veteran in terms of high level experience with this USA Basketball team.

Of the 16 players currently on the roster that has to be reduced to 12 before the tournament begins August 30, Rose has played in the most All-Star games, three. Nine of the 16 have never been in an NBA All-Star game and four others just once. Rose is the only league MVP and along with Harden, Curry, Davis and Rudy Gay the only players on previous USA gold medal teams.  

This is no walkover anymore for USA Basketball teams. And they get their first good look Saturday against Brazil, which is among the favorites to win the gold medal with a big lineup that includes NBA players Nene, Tiago Splitter and Anderson Varejao and Leandro Barbosa and top international guard Marcelo Huertas.

So it’s coming down for USA Basketball as less exhibition than a fast track to trying to become a team.

Toward that end, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is taking an active role with the defense since being small and guard oriented, the USA game plan is to pressure the ball and run. Which can be problematic given the lack of size with most of the top big men, like Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge dropping out and Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard electing not to participate along with LeBron James. Thus the USA team experienced a big loss last week when Kevin Durant dropped out and Paul George was injured at the end of training in Las Vegas. The team then began working in more post plays for DeMarcus Cousins, who then got hurt in practice Thursday and is unavailable until the exhibition games in New York next week.

“We’ve been doing a lot of reacting to body blows,” said Krzyzewski, who obviously was miffed by Durant’s late withdrawal after his commitment and participating in Las Vegas. “The fact we’ve done this for a long period of time gives us a chance maybe to react a little bit better. Coaching the U.S. is a little bit different. You have to have quick reaction because the life of our team is one month. When a guy is injured, even if you get him back you may lose him for 20 percent of the time you have him. There’s no day to day; there’s not that many days.”

So, suddenly, Rose in not working his way back surrounded by league MVP Durant and top, veteran big men and instead becomes a crucial component for USA Basketball and a veteran being relied upon by the coaching staff and younger players.

“This is my chance to actually become a better leader, being more vocal in the locker room, being more vocal on the floor,” said Rose after a second day of Chicago scrimmages at Quest MultiSport. “(Saturday) starts all that. It’s a huge journey for me. I’m not trying to shy away from that. I think it’s going to help me with becoming a leader with the Bulls next season. It will help me, I have to say, have a better relationship with my teammates. I always have a good relationship, but being vocal and always talking to them it should be even better. So I’m excited about it.

“I normally lead by example, coming in the gym, shooting a lot, staying in the gym,” Rose explained. “I’ve been a gym rat. The teams I’ve been on previous to coming in the NBA, you see a person working out you want to do the same thing or you feel bad about yourself. That’s how I usually lead by example.  

“Every year you have to add something to your game. You’re going to reach that peak where you can damn near do anything you want to do on the floor. The game then becomes mental and right now that mental part is the part of the game I’m missing, that leadership, being on the court, getting guys together and letting guys know it’s us against everyone when we’re on the court,” said Rose.  “I just want to try a different approach, continue to do it and find the right recipe to win the championship.”

That’s an NBA June goal, though Rose is obviously concentrating on the USA Basketball goal for now.

“My game is totally different,” Rose said. “When I came back last time (from injury), I was just trying to get in a groove. My confidence is high right now. Even playing in the game (Saturday), I think you’ll see by the way I attack the players defensively, by the way I play offensively, not rushing anything, taking my time on pick and rolls, letting the play develop. When I was out there when I was younger, I used to be just running crazy because I didn’t know how fast I was or I was just using it (speed) for no reason, just mindless. Now I know I have other skills I’m working on. I can really control the game and control what I’m doing when I’m out there instead of just playing.”

Rose and his teammates also have been around Chicago this week for USA Basketball and Nike, and Rose said it’s been additional motivation from the community reaction.

“I’m looking forward to it (the Bulls season), to tell you the truth,” Rose said. “The feeling is really coming from the love I’ve been getting from the fans. I think the fans are way more excited than I think the players are. And that’s one reason I think the turnout may be big (Saturday) because the Bulls fans want to see some basketball. We have a great roster; they believe in the roster. It’s great. Restaurants, gas stations, people pulling up on the side of (my) car blowing their horns, trying to get me to roll my window down, waiters, waitresses saying they’re excited, saying stuff that is going to lift your spirits, saying it’s our year, stuff like that. As a player and someone who has dedicated their whole life to this franchise and this sport it means a lot.”

Still, it comes down to basketball. And this will be a tough one for the USA team with Spain the tournament favorite with the Gasol brothers, Serge Ibaka and playing at home and veteran groups like Saturday’s opponent, Brazil.

The U.S. team, if allowed, will play an entertaining game with fast breaks and aggressive defense igniting the offense, a version of the way the Miami Heat played. Though without LeBron James makes it more difficult. Durant, too.  

“Kevin, obviously that’s a guy when things break down you can just give him the ball and he’ll get a good shot up there and probably make it,” said Kyle Korver. “Obviously, we’d love to have the MVP of the NBA on our team. But there are a lot of guys who are accustomed to having the ball in their hands all the time and there are a lot of playmakers. We’ll miss those guys for sure, but I think we have a lot to work with here.  Our guard play is amazing. That’s going to be the strength of our team now. And a lot of what we do is going to be predicated off our guard play. I don’t think we’re going to get to the end of the shot clock much.

“We’re game planning for teams trying to slow it down against us,” added Korver. “We don’t have anyone who is going to have the ball the whole time on offense and take up that energy. So you have more energy to spend on the defensive end. And because we’re smaller, we’re going to try to get steals, trap, pick up the pace of the game. I think everyone has bought into that from the get go.  A super fun game. You go in there, play 100 miles an hour on defense, play for four or five minutes and a new group comes in and you try to keep it going., It’s like (hockey) line changes and that’s the way we’ve been practicing. One group, five minutes, next for five minutes. Coach was saying only three guys averaged more than 20 minutes per game (in the 2012 Olympics) and it was barely more than 20 minutes per game. This is the way we’re going to play. You go out there, you give everything you have on every single possession. And then you’re tired you come out and we’re just going to keep it going.”

It’s a plan, and suddenly a lot depends on Rose, the fourth oldest of the 16 players currently on the roster.

“I didn’t have a question mark on him (Rose) being able to play because Tom (Thibodeau) said he was ready,” said Krzyzewski. “I didn’t realize he would be able to play at the level he is playing. I think he’s outstanding. Look, he’s one of the best guys in the whole world. He’s so easy to coach and wants to please. It’s very neat to see how excited he is about being here and his first game back to play in the United Center. As a Chicagoan, I’m ecstatic about him and what Tom has done for the Bulls. They’re keepers, I’ll tell you that. They’re good people.

“It hurts when you lose a player like KD because of how gifted he is offensively,” agreed Rose. “But at the same time you have guys who have come in here and worked their butts off the entire off season because they showed they deserved to be looked at, too. You have a lot of scorers and players in here you can tell they are ready to do their job. It’s rare a team will go out there and try to run with us. We know we’re going to get some games like that, Saturday a little bit, a big team that will slow the ball down and try to pound us on the inside. We’ll see how far that goes.”

Not cocky, confident, the confidence of a leader.

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Rose looking like a leader for USA Basketball

After weeks of training and scrimmaging with USA Basketball, Derrick Rose and his teammates are finally set to face some international competition. 

And while Rose is eager to do just that, it’s all the more special for him because Saturday’s exhibition game will be played at the United Center in Chicago. 

“It’s very exciting,” said Rose following Friday’s training session. “Tomorrow is the start of a new journey and it starts pretty quick. We know it’s an exhibition game but we still have to go out there and take it as seriously as possible and go over our game plan. We know that we’ve got to play as a team and share the ball. With me being on the floor, no turnovers and get the big guys open shots. 

“It’s big for me but if anything, it’s big for the city,” added Rose. “Just going to a [USA Basketball event on Thursday] and seeing how many people showed up and showed love to the pro-am game, Chicago needs that right now. I think there’s a big buzz about tomorrow’s game in the city and we need it. We need all the positivity we can get right now.” 

The significance of Rose being back in his hometown is not lost on another Chicago native, USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski. Coach K has consistently praised Rose for his efforts on and off the court, and on Friday he admitted that seeing how well he’s performed has been a pleasant surprise. 

“I didn’t realize that he’d be able to play at the level that he’s been playing,” said Krzyzewski of Rose. “I think he’s outstanding. He’s one of the best guys in the whole world. He’s so easy to coach and wants to please. 

“It’s very neat to see how excited about being here in his first game back playing in the United Center,” continued Coach K. “As a Chicagoan, I’m ecstatic about him and what Tom [Thibodeau] has done for the Bulls. They’re keepers, I’ll tell you that. They’re good people.” 

As for Saturday’s game, Rose wasn’t even sure if he was starting or not as lineups had not yet been discussed. But he stressed that he’s fine with whatever role the coaches ask him to fulfill.

“Not at all,” Rose said when asked if it mattered whether he started or came off the bench. “As long as I step on the floor and get some minutes and be able to keep knocking this rust off, I’m fine.” 

What Rose hopes to accomplish above all is a team-oriented goal. But he also acknowledged that he’ll likely come up with some personal goals between now and Saturday’s tip off.

“First, it’s to win, I’ll say that,” said Rose. “Mentally I have to keep my mind clear, go out, play hard and just see what will happen. I don’t have any goals right now that I want to achieve during the game but I know when I think about it overnight I’ll probably have some. Right now, it’s just get the victory and try to play hard.” 

As for Brazil, it boasts plenty of NBA talent such as Leandro Barbosa, Nene, Tiago Splitter and Anderson Varejao. 

Rose and a talented group of USA guards, including Stephen Curry and James Harden, will try to pick up the pace and run the floor, he said. 

“We have to pressure the ball and make them speed up the game,” Rose said of facing Brazil. “They have bigs that are experienced with big bodies. As the guards, we have to come in and help our big men rebound so we can push it and try to get easy baskets.” 

After Chicago, Rose and USA Basketball head to New York City, where they’ll play a pair of exhibition games against the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico next week. 

The team and its final roster of 12 will then travel to Gran Canaria, Spain for a final exhibition game versus Slovenia on Aug. 26.  

The FIBA Basketball World Cup will take place in a variety of venues in Spain beginning on Aug. 30. The final will take place on Sept. 14 in Madrid.

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Rose excited to take United Center floor

As USA Basketball training camp got underway in Las Vegas last week, no one knew exactly what to expect from Derrick Rose in his return to action. 

Perhaps except for Rose himself. According to USA National Team head coach Mike Krzyzewski, Rose was determined to make a statement early. And he did just that. 

“There was a buzz right away,” Krzyzewski said on a conference call Tuesday afternoon. “He was basically saying, ‘Look, I’m not just back. I’m back at a level that’s elite.’ Being with the other elite guards helps you. And Derrick maintained that the entire week. We could not be happier about that particular situation.” 

Next up for Rose and the other 15 finalists for the 2014 USA Basketball Men's World Cup Team roster is a stop in Chicago, where the team will train late next week before hosting Brazil in an exhibition game at the United Center on Aug. 16. In Brazil, USA will go up against “one of the favorites, one of the really strong teams in the World Cup,” according to Krzyzewski. 

But first, USA Basketball must continue to adjust to the loss of Paul George. The Indiana Pacers star suffered a right leg, open tibia-fibula fracture during Friday’s showcase in Las Vegas, an injury which will likely cause him to miss the entire 2014-15 NBA season. 

Krzyzewski acknowledged that George likely would have been a started for this year’s national team, citing his versatility to play either at small forward or power forward and calling him “one of the great defensive players in the league.” 

Though George’s injury was a devastating blow to all involved, Krzyzewski is confident the group will be able to regain its intensity.

“I don’t think they’ll need motivation,” said Krzyzewski of his team. “I think they’ll be ready and they’ll want to do something to honor Paul. I think they’ll be ready to go. The reactions I’ve gotten from players is that they’re anxious to get going. Obviously they feel very, very badly about Paul. He’s part of our group, he’s part of our brotherhood.” 

Without George, the team will possess a smaller group of perimeter players, thus Krzyzewski is looking for versatility from a talented group of guards that includes Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard in addition to Rose. 

“Certainly we’re heavy with outstanding talent at the guard spot, the 1 and the 2,” Krzyzewski stated. “So guys have to be ready to play both. We’re not going to be able to keep all the guys.” 

As USA Basketball works towards a final roster of 12 players, Krzyzewski explained that a core of “seven to nine” players will be formed, similar to its last three competitions. The additional three to four players who will round out the team will be selected on how well they fit in and complement that core. 

Krzyzewski also noted that only three players – Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Chris Paul—averaged over 20 minutes per game in the 2012 Summer Olympics. He foresees a similar distribution of playing time this summer. 

For now, though, Krzyzewski hopes to build on what was a successful first week prior to the George injury. 

“I thought the week was outstanding and the effort was terrific,” said Krzyzewski. “We actually practiced harder I think than we have in any of the three previous camps. Although we went hard then, but not as hard as this week. The camaraderie that we saw develop amongst the players was outstanding. So we’re looking forward to Chicago.” 

Rose in particular will certainly receive a warm welcome when he steps back on the court in his home arena. After an impressive showing in Friday’s showcase in which he scored on three athletic plays early—two fast break layups in which he sped by opposing defenders and a two-handed dunk that illustrated his explosiveness was back—Krzyzewski praised Rose for his performance over the five-day period. 

“Derrick was sensational the whole week,” said Krzyzewski. “He really did that every day with how fast and strong and decisive he was. He really created an air of excitement for the team. We all were anxious to see who he was right now. And who he is is very, very good. We’re ecstatic about it and so happy for him. 

“It takes an exceptional person which is why we’re talking about Derrick,” Krzyzewski later added of how far Rose has come. “I think he’s exceptional in every way. He went right at it. The first defensive exchange in the camp, he was all over the ball-handler, moving his feet, attacking him.” 

As far as coming home, Rose is hardly the only member of the USA Basketball family with ties to Chicago. 

“We’ll be playing about a mile and a half from where I grew up,” Krzyzewski. “What an honor for me to bring the USA Team and be able to coach it in the United Center. It’s a homecoming for Anthony Davis and also Derrick Rose in addition to [USA Men's National Team managing director] Jerry [Colangelo]. Chicago is our town.”

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Rose making a statement with USA Basketball

USA Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski has seen what Bulls guard Derrick Rose can do on the basketball court. 

Four years ago, Rose was a key member of the USA men’s team that won the FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey. 

This summer, when Rose is among 19 players from which the 2014 USA World Cup Team will be selected, Krzyzewski hopes Rose will show he is returning to form.

“Well, we’d like to see him play like the Derrick of old, because he is one of the best players in the world, an MVP in the NBA,” said Krzyzewski in a conference call on Monday morning. “What we’ve heard is that he’s in great shape.” 

Rose has been working out in Chicago most of the summer and last week, he practiced with the Bulls summer league team before it left for Las Vegas. 

“We’ll see how he’s going to do in five-on-five and we’ll have four days to see that,” Krzyzewski said. “On the fifth day, we’ll have the intrasquad game. Hopefully he’s going to be in top shape. 

“Derrick’s great, a great guy,” Krzyzewski continued. “I know he loved representing his country in Istanbul in being one of our starting guards. Hopefully this will be a launching pad for him to have a great NBA season.” 

USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo called it a “fluid” roster, explaining it could be reduced to “up to 15 players” following the team’s stay in Vegas, which will consist of training camp from July 28-31 and an exhibition game on August 1. 

Three more exhibition games in the United States are scheduled, including one on August 16 versus Brazil at the United Center in Chicago. 

Colangelo explained that it is possible that the final roster of 12 may not be determined until after the exhibition game on August 22 against Puerto Rico at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The team will depart for Spain the following day. 

Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving and Portland’s Damian Lillard are the other point guards vying for a spot. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook withdrew from the USA Basketball player pool last week. 

Krzyzewski also said he spoke with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau this past weekend. Along with Jim Boeheim of Syracuse University and Monty Williams from the New Orleans Pelicans, Thibodeau is an assistant coach for USA Basketball. 

“As a staff, we try to stay close together, not just on one player, but a number of things. We're lucky to have Tom with us,” said Krzyzewski. 

The FIBA Basketball World Cup will begin August 30 in Spain.

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Krzyzewski optimistic about Rose, USA Basketball

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 14, 2014) – Featuring 19 players, including two players who are new additions to the 2014-16 USA Basketball National Team roster, USA Basketball Chairman and National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo today announced this summer’s USA Basketball Men’s National Team from which the 2014 USA World Cup Team will be selected.

Added to the 2014-16 USA National Team roster and participating in the July-28-Aug. 1 USA National Team training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada, are NBA standouts DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors) and Chandler Parsons (Dallas Mavericks).

Previously named USA National Team members who are confirmed to participate in the 2014 Las Vegas training camp include: Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards); DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Paul George (Indiana Pacers); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks); Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors).

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 USA Basketball and Syracuse University and Naismith Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Chicago Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams.

All 19 players boast of prior USA Basketball experience and the group includes four members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team that brought home gold, and five members of the 2010 USA World Championship Team that also claimed gold.

"First off, I’m very pleased about the 19 players who are now confirmed to participate in the 2014 USA National Team training camp in Las Vegas.  This group possesses outstanding individual talents, while also boasting of excellent versatility and varying amounts of USA Basketball experience,” said Colangelo, who has seen USA National teams compile a 62-1 record since taking charge of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2005.  “I am also pleased about the addition of DeMar DeRozan and Chandler Parsons to the USA National Team and to the 2014 training camp. Both played well in last summer’s USA Basketball National Team mini-camp and went on to record outstanding NBA seasons.

“The Las Vegas training camp will be the start of our preparations for the World Cup, so this is a critical time for putting in place the foundation required for this USA Basketball team to be successful like its recent predecessors.  This USA team will have a special opportunity to become the first USA team to repeat as world champions.”

USA mentor Krzyzewski, who as the USA National Team head coach has compiled a remarkable 43-1 record in official FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions since 2006 and compiled a 19-0 mark in exhibition games, is also impressed by the collection of talents that will compete for a position on the 2014 USA World Cup Team.

“The advantage of having a national team program like we’ve developed since Jerry took over in 2005 is the incredible depth of talent we can draw from.  The commitment we receive from our players continues to amaze me and the fact that all of the players who will be in Las Vegas all have prior USA Basketball experience shows that the USA Basketball pipeline is working. The prior experience these guys have will help us with our continuity and jelling as a team as well.

“Looking at the roster of players who will be participating in the training camp I’m impressed by the success they had this past season and by what they have achieved in their careers. It’s valuable to have some veteran leadership who has won gold at the highest levels internationally. The list also includes some of the most exciting young players who could definitely contribute to this team. Myself and the entire coaching staff are excited to get things underway and as we’ve done each summer our team will strive to represent the United States with respect and a commitment to excellence that hopefully will make every American proud,” said Coach K.

2014 USA Basketball Men’s National Team Notes:

Following the Las Vegas camp, which concludes with the 2014 USA Basketball Showcase, a USA Blue versus USA White exhibition game on Aug. 1 at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center, the selected team finalists will have a 12-day break. The U.S. team will reassemble in Chicago, Illinois, and train Aug. 14-15, then play an exhibition contest versus Brazil at the United Center on Aug. 16. The American squad will continue its World Cup preparations Aug. 17-22 in New York, New York, and play a pair of exhibition games at Madison Square Garden, the first on Aug. 20 against Dominican Republic, and the second versus Puerto Rico on Aug. 22. The USA will complete its pre-World Cup tour Aug. 24-26 on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Training Aug. 24-25, the U.S. will close out its exhibition tour on Aug. 26 facing Slovenia at Gran Canaria Arena.

The 2014 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) World Cup, featuring a total of 24 national teams, is scheduled to be held Aug. 30-Sept. 14 in Spain. The USA World Cup Team will play its preliminary round games in Bilbao, Spain, after being drawn into Group C along with teams from the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Turkey and Ukraine.

The USA opens the 2014 World Cup preliminary round play on Aug. 30 against Finland, and then faces Turkey on Aug. 31 in a rematch of the 2010 FIBA World Championship gold medal game, a contest in which the USA claimed an 81-64 victory. Following a day off on Sept. 1, the USA resumes play Sept. 2 facing New Zealand. The U.S. will go against the Dominican Republic on Sept. 3, and will conclude its preliminary play on Sept. 4 facing Ukraine.

Each team at the 2014 World Cup will play the other teams in its preliminary group, and the top four finishing teams from each of the four preliminary round groups will then qualify for the round of 16. Winners of the round of 16 games will advance to the quarterfinals, while losers are eliminated. Winners of the quarterfinals games will advance to the medal round semifinals, while the quarterfinals losers are eliminated from the competition. Winners of the semifinals will advance to the Sept. 14 gold medal game, while semifinals losers will meet in the bronze medal game on Sept. 13.  The games from the round of 16 to the semifinals will be played in Barcelona and Madrid, and the bronze and gold medal games will be held in Madrid.

Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Basketball, chaired by Colangelo, 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 U.S. 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 competitions, as well as for some national competitions, and for the development of youth basketball initiatives that address player development, coach education and safety.

During the 2009-12 quadrennium, 1,273 male and female players and 235 coaches participated in USA Basketball, including USA Basketball teams and trials, and USA Basketball 3x3 FIBA championships.

USA Basketball men's and women's teams between 2009-12 compiled an impressive 262-35 win-loss record in FIBA and FIBA Americas competitions, the Pan American Games, the World University Games, the Nike Hoop Summit and in exhibition games.

USA teams are the current men's and women's champions in the Olympics; men's and women's FIBA World Championships (Basketball World Cup); men’s and women’s FIBA U19 and U17 World Championships; men's and women's U18 and U16 FIBA Americas Championships; the FIBA 3x3 Women's World Championship; and the FIBA 3x3 Women's U18 World Championship. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA's world-ranking categories, including combined, men's, women's, boys and girls.

For further information about USA Basketball, go to the official Web site of USA Basketball at usab.com and connect with us on facebook.com/usabasketball, twitter.com/usabasketball, plus.google.com/+usabasketball and youtube.com/usab.

rose-among-19-players-on-usa-basketball-roster-for-2014-mens-national-team-training-camp

Rose among 19 players on USA Basketball roster for 2014 men's national team training camp

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