Aaron Gordon and Jahlil Okafor will headline this summer's USA U19 team along with Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart. The roster, which also includes high school star Justise Winslow, was announced Wednesday afternoon.
Jahlil Okafor, Aaron Gordon highlight USA U19 team
Jahlil Okafor and Aaron Gordon will lead the way for the U19 squad, which also boasts established college threats like Marcus Smart and Ryan Arcidiacono.
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The team is made up of 24 college and high school players who will compete in the 2013 U19 World Championship this summer in Prague.
Smart surprised many this spring when he announced he’d return to the Cowboys and postpone his trip to the NBA for another year. He’ll have the chance to represent his country before returning to the Big 12, where he will be an early favorite for conference Player of the Year.
But he's far from the only threat on the team. Ryan Arcidiacono had a stellar freshman season for Villanova, gaining a reputation as a guard who can catch fire from three.
Forward Brandon Ashley is coming off a strong first year at Arizona, where he posted 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. He and Gordon will team up to give the Wildcats a realistic shot at a Final Four run next year.
The undecided 2014 recruit Okafor will anchor the middle. He will be a senior next year at Whitney Young in Chicago and is considering Arizona, Duke, Syracuse and others.
The complete U19 roster can be found below. The team will begin practicing June 14, with training camp getting underway June 20. Team USA’s first game will be June 27 against Ivory Coast in the preliminary round.
USA U19 Team:
Ryan Arcidiacono, Villanova
Bryce Alford, UCLA
Brandon Ashley, Arizona
Robert Carter, Georgia Tech
Damyean Dotson, Oregon
Kris Dunn, Providence
Javan Felix, Texas
Michael Frazier, Florida
Marcus Georges-Hunt, Georgia Tech
Shaq Goodwin, Memphis
Aaron Gordon, Arizona
Jerami Grant, Syracuse
Montrezl Harrell, Louisville
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona
Jahlil Okafor, undecided
Rodney Purvis, UConn
James Robinson, Pitt
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
Jarnell Stokes, Tennessee
Rasheed Sulaimon, Duke
Devin Thomas, Wake Forest
Mike Tobey, Virginia
Nigel Williams-Goss, Washington
Justise Winslow, undecided
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