Band of Brothers

Brittany McCall
July 2, 2008 � Washington, D.C.

When choosing which number to wear on his jersey, David Wear needn�t look any further than the beginning. Born in the ninth month of the year, his favorite player of all-time wore number 32, his father, 51. So for some, it may come as somewhat of a shock that this California native chose to bear the number 12 across his back; but for David it makes perfect sense. An identical twin, David was born before his brother, Travis. �I am one of two,� he said. Seventeen years later the Wear brothers are still one of two, but the question on everyone�s mind is, does each brother have what it takes to be one of 12?

The twin tandem reported to the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, along with 18 other U.S. hopefuls who will be competing for one of 12 roster spots on the 2008 USA Basketball Men�s U18 National Team. After the selection of finalists on Thursday, the team will train for another week before traveling to Formosa, Argentina, for the July 14-18 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Men.  

If all goes well at trials, the Wear brothers may prove to be a two-for-one deal for the red, white and blue: one like expression for two stellar athletes.

Since the Wear brothers were old enough to dribble a basketball on their driveway at age three, basketball has been synonymous with family. Their father, David Wear Sr., a former professional basketball player of the European league, inspired a love and understanding for the game that would only grow throughout the years. It is no surprise that both brothers named their father as their greatest motivator, both in basketball and in the greater game of life.

�My dad has committed himself to teaching my brother and me how to become better basketball players, better students and better people,� Travis said. �He is the reason why we are here today.� Clearly, the Wear brothers shared a connection to more than just each other at birth. The game was in their blood and they grew up knowing one thing: they were born to hoop.

For over a decade on the hardwood, the Wear brothers have proven to be more than just a mirror image on the court. One of two, each is the other�s biggest supporter. They are also one another�s greatest challenger. �It�s a great opportunity to be invited to trials,� David said. �You�re playing against the best of the best and when I see my brother out there on the court with me, it�s a reminder that I get to practice with and play against the best of the best every day, even at home.�

The Monarchs of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif., have also been fortunate to share that same privilege for the last three seasons. In 109 contests, the Wear brothers have led the Red and White to a striking 101-8 record and a pair of Southern California and California state championships. They will return for their senior campaign next year, and vie to defend their crown in 2009. However, the tradition will not end there.

Together in stride, the Wear brothers are set to attend the University of North Carolina, having made a verbal commitment to join the Tar Heels in the fall of 2009, where they will accompany fellow USA Basketball U18 trials member, Leslie McDonald of Memphis, Tenn.

�I think we always had it in our minds that we wanted to play basketball together at the collegiate level,� Travis said. �But the opportunity to play together at North Carolina is a dream come true. I feel blessed to have that dream finally realized and it is an experience I look forward to sharing with my brother.�

In addition to sharing the same history on the hardwood, the Wear brothers also have similar styles of play. When asked separately how they would describe their court personalities, each twin naturally replied with the same answer: hard-working. �I hustle up and down the court,� David said. I don�t let missed shots, bad possessions or stuff like that get to my head. I work hard all of the time, and Travis works just as hard as I do, if not harder.�

Of himself, Travis said, �I may not be the strongest or most athletic player on the court, but I run the floor, crash the boards and play hard. That is how I get baskets and fulfill my role.�

However, despite the similarities, keep in mind the Wear brothers are twins, not clones, and when laced up, their differences seem to balance each other�s court demeanors as much as their similarities aid in showcasing their athleticism and talent.

�My brother is definitely more aggressive,� Travis said of David. �He likes to attack and he has a tendency to muscle his way in to the bucket more than I do. But while he may be the more aggressive player, I would say that I am more poised on the court.�

David would agree that he is more aggressive, which is why he explains, he would win in a one-on-one matchup against his other half. �The outcome would depend on who gets madder,� David said.

On the other hand, in the true nature of sibling rivalry, Travis said he would prove victorious. �I can get into his head and he wouldn�t be able to handle me,� he said through a smile.

Standing at 6-9, and weighing in at 206 lbs., both Wear brothers are hard to handle. Like their idol, 1992 Olympic gold medalist and Dream Team member Earvin �Magic� Johnson, David and Travis value the importance of being a versatile threat on the court. �My dad first taught me how to play outside and he said my inside game would come in time,� David said. �Like Magic, I try to play outside and work to improve that part of my game, especially my ball handling. I don�t want to be limited to just the post position because of my height. I want to have every aspect of the game at my advantage.�  

Versatility is just one of the many attributes the Wear brothers have brought to trials. But will it be enough? With a high school career colored in red and white and a destined collegiate career marked in blue, have the Wear brothers earned the privilege to blend the shades of their past and future in the present and attain the greatest honor of representing their country?

No matter the outcome, when trials have ended, the Wear brothers will still have each other. Beginning as one of two they now have the opportunity to belong to a higher brotherhood as they compete for a USA jersey and the chance to be one of 12; perhaps then will they understand what it means to be one for all.