University of Connecticut Athletics
Kemba Walker Named to USA Basketball Trials Roster
5/27/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 27, 2009
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. - Headlined by four returning USA Basketball veterans, including UConn's Kemba Walker, the MVP of the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, 17 of the nation's most talented 19-and-younger basketball players have been selected to attend the 2009 USA U19 National Team Trials, held June 16-18 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The athletes, born on or after Jan. 1, 1990, will compete for one of 12 roster spots on the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team. The trials invitations were extended by the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee, chaired by NCAA representative Jim Boeheim (head coach, Syracuse University).
Following the trials, the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee is expected to announce finalists for the 12-member USA U19 World Championship Team roster. Training camp for the selected finalists will begin June 19, with the 12-member USA roster being announced prior to the teams' departure for New Zealand on June 25.
Kemba Walker (Connecticut / New York, N.Y), who was named MVP of the 2008 FIBA Americas Championship that qualified the U.S. for this year's World Championship, will return in hopes of making his second USA roster. Walker averaged 13.4 ppg., 5.0 apg., and 4.6 rpg. while leading the USA to a silver medal in the 2008 FIBA Americas.
In addition to Walker, Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest / Norcross, Ga.), Dominic Cheek (Villanova / Jersey City, N.J.), and Drew Gordon (UCLA / San Jose, Calif.) have all previously represented the USA. Cheek was a teammate of Walker in the 2008 FIBA Americas, while Aminu and Gordon played together on the 2007 Youth Developmental Festival Red Team that finished 5-0 and captured the gold medal and the 2008 USA Junior Select Team that defeated the World Select Team 98-78 in the 2008 Nike Hoop Summit.
Rounding out the 2009 USA Men's U19 World Championship Team Trials roster are newcomers: Kenny Boynton (Florida / Pompano Beach, Fla.), Darryl Bryant (West Virginia / Brooklyn, N.Y.), DeAngelo Casto (Washington State / Spokane, Wash.), Seth Curry (Duke / Charlotte, N.C.), Gordon Hayward (Butler / Brownsburg, Ind.), Darius Miller (Kentucky / Maysville, Ky.), Arnett Moultrie (UTEP / Memphis, Tenn.), Ralph Sampson III (Minnesota / Duluth, Ga.), John Shurna (Northwestern / Glen Ellyn, Ill.), Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas / Jersey City, N.J.), Howard Thompkins (Georgia / Lithonia, Ga.), Klay Thompson (Washington State / Ladera Ranch, Calif.) and Terrico White (Mississippi / Memphis, Tenn.).
Included in the roster are 15 student-athletes who recently completed their freshman year at a NCAA Division I school and two who finished their high school campaigns this year. Washington State is the lone school sending multiple representatives with Casto and Thompson.
Ten athletes listed among their NCAA conference all-freshman squads following the 2008-09 season, including three who were named their conference's freshman of the year. Curry was named Big South Conference Freshman of the Year; Hayward was named Horizon League Conference Newcomer of the Year; and White was named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year. Also named to their respective all-freshman teams were: Aminu (ACC); Casto (Pacific-10); Moultrie (Conference USA); Taylor (Big 12); Thompkins (SEC); Thompson (Pacific-10); and Walker (Big East).
Additionally, Aminu was named to the CBSSportsline.com Freshman All-America first team and to the FoxSports.com National All-Freshman team. Hayward was named to the CBSSportsline.com Freshman All-America second team and to the FoxSports.com National All-Freshmen team; and White was named to the CBSSportsline.com Freshman All-America second team.
Seven players helped seven teams reach the 2009 NCAA Tournament, including Walker, who advanced to the Final Four with Connecticut. Leading their teams to the first round were Aminu, Bryant, Hayward and Sampson III; while Gordon advanced to the second round; and Taylor advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Walker was also named to the NCAA West Regional all-tournament team.
Both high school athletes were named 2009 McDonald's All-Americans. Boynton was named to the Parade All-America first team and Cheek was named a Parade All-America third team member.
University of Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon was named head coach of the U19 World Championship team, and Chris Lowery of Southern Illinois and Matt Painter of Purdue will serve as assistant coaches.
In addition to Boeheim, the 2009-12 Men's Junior National Committee, which was formerly known as the Men's Collegiate Committee, includes NCAA appointees Lorenzo Romar (head coach, University of Washington), 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.
