Two Added To 2012 USA Men's Select Team

June 6, 2012 • Colorado Springs, Colorado 

• 2012 USA Men's Select Team Roster

2011 USA Pan American Games bronze medalists Greg Stiemsma (Boston Celtics) and Lance Thomas (New Orleans Hornets) have been added to the 2012 USA Men’s Select Team roster that will train against the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team during its July 6-12 training camp in Las Vegas, Nev. USA Basketball also announced that Ryan Anderson (Orlando Magic / California) has withdrawn from the USA Select squad, leaving 14 confirmed players on the roster.

“We made a commitment back in October that we would select two players from the 2011 USA Pan American Games Team and invite them to be part of the 2012 USA Select Team,” explained Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman. “Greg (Stiemsma) and Lance (Thomas) were valuable contributors to the USA’s bronze medal showing at the 2011 Pan American Games and both earned their way on to NBA rosters this season and demonstrated they can contribute at that level. I’m pleased to have both players join the USA Select Team.”

Stiemsma, a 6-11, 260 pound center, started in all five USA games at the Pan American Games and averaged 3.8 ppg., 2.8 rpg., and a team best 2.2 bpg. He played in 55 regular season games with the Boston Celtics in 2011-12 and averaged 2.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg. and 1.6 bpg., which ranked 17th in the NBA overall and was second among rookies. During Boston’s run in the 2012 NBA Playoffs, Stiemsma (as of 6/6/12) has played in 17 games, and is averaging 1.6 ppg., 2.4 rpg. and 0.6 bpg. Stiemsma in four outings with the NBA D-Leaguer Sioux Falls Skyforce averaged 9.0 ppg., 10.8 rpg. and 4.5 bpg.

Thomas came off the bench for the USA at the Pan American Games and in five games averaged 8.2 ppg. and 7.6 rpg. In the USA’s opening game victory over the Dominican Republic, he posted team highs of 15 points, 16 rebounds and three assists. Thomas played in 42 games this past season for the New Orleans Hornets and averaged 4.0 ppg. and 3.0 rpg. His rebounds per game average ranked 27th among NBA rookies.

Thomas, who started the year playing for the NBA Development League Austin Toros, was signed for two, 10-day contracts, then the remainder of the season by New Orleans. As a member of the Toros he averaged 15.2 ppg., 7.7 rpg. and 1.6 apg.

Named earlier as members of the 2012 USA Basketball Select squad were: DeJuan Blair (San Antonio Spurs / Pittsburgh); DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings / Kentucky); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors / USC); Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz / Georgia Tech); Paul George (Indiana Pacers / Fresno State); Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls / USC); Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz / Butler); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers / Duke); Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs / San Diego State); Jeremy Lin (New York Knicks / Harvard); Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors / Washington State); and John Wall (Washington Wizards / Kentucky).

Serving as co-head coaches of the USA Select Team are 2010 USA Basketball World Championship assistant coach Jay Triano and longtime Syracuse University assistant coach Mike Hopkins. Triano, who served for three seasons (2008-09 through 2010-11) as head coach of the Toronto Raptors, helped coach the 2007 and 2008 USA Select Teams. Hopkins, who recently completed his 15th season as an assistant for the Orange, has served as a court coach at the USA Basketball National Team training camps in 2006 and 2010, and was a court coach at USA Basketball’s 2000 U20 National Team and 2001 U21 World Championship Team trials.

Members of the USA Select Team will assemble in Las Vegas and conduct a training session July 5, then train with the USA National Team July 6-11 (12:00-3:00 p.m. PDT). All practices will take place at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center.

The USA National Team will open its 2012 training with a July 6-12 training camp in Las Vegas, Nev., that concludes with the July 12 (6:00 p.m. local time) USA Basketball Showcase that features the USA facing the Dominican Republic at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. Tickets for the exhibition game can be purchased by calling 702-739-FANS or online at http://www.UNLVtickets.com/eventInfo/spe/310/usa-basketball/.

Since the development of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team program in 2006, USA Basketball has selected and utilized three USA Select teams to help the USA National teams prepare for its major international competitions.

The first USA Select Team was used in 2007 and featured up and coming players like Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson, David Lee and J.J. Redick. The Select squad returned in 2008 and this time featured future NBA All-Stars like Aldridge, Durant, Iguodala, Love, Rose, and Westbrook. In 2010 and to help prepare the USA for the FIBA World Championship, a 20-member Select Team was assembled and was comprised by top returning collegiate players. Among players on the 2010 roster were Temple’s Lavoy Allen, BYU guard Jimmer Fredette; Syracuse guard Scoop Jardine, Wisconsin center Jon Leuer, Butler guard Shelvin Mack, Duke’s Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, Florida State forward Chris Singleton, UConn’s Kemba Walker and others.

In addition to Stiemsma and Thomas owning USA Basketball experience from the 2011 Pan American Games, 2012 Select Team members possessing prior USA Basketball include Hayward and Thompson who were part of the 2009 USA’s gold medalist U19 World Championship Team; Cousins (2009), DeRozan (2008), Irving (2010) and Wall (2009) were members of USA Junior National Select teams that competed in the Nike Hoop Summit. Additionally, Irving (2010) and Thomas (2006) were members of USA U18 National Teams, while Cousins (2007) and Thomas (2005) participated in USA Basketball’s Youth Development Festival.

Former Duke standout Irving earned the NBA’s Rookie of the Year honors this season, while Wall finished second in the voting for last season’s Rookie of the Year. Wall was named 2010-11 All-Rookie first team, and Favors and George collected All-Rookie second team honors. Gibson was an All-Rookie first team pick in 2009-10 and Blair claimed second team honors.

The 2012 Select Team features five players who completed their rookie NBA season in 2011-12, six who wrapped up their second NBA season and three third-year players.

Finalists for the 2012 USA National Team include: LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers); Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks); Chauncey Billups (Los Angeles Clippers); Chris Bosh (Miami Heat); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks); Anthony Davis (University of Kentucky); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); LeBron James (Miami Heat); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder); and Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets).

Four of the 22 named finalists have been lost to injuries. Aldridge, Billups, Howard and Rose have all suffered injuries that will prevent them from being able to play this summer.

The 2012 USA coaching staff is led by USA head coach and Duke University Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski. Back in 2012 as USA assistant coaches are Syracuse University and Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, and former NBA head coaches Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan.

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.

Since 2008, USA Basketball men’s and women’s teams have compiled a sterling 134-6 win-loss record in FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions. USA teams are the current men’s and women’s champions of the Olympics and the FIBA World Championships; FIBA women’s U19 world champions; the men’s and women’s title holders for the FIBA U17 World Championships; and the men’s and women’s U18 and U16 FIBA Americas champions. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA's world ranking categories, including combined, men's, women's, boys and girls.