Leslie McDonald averaged 12.8 ppg. and 2.4 rpg. to aid the 2007 USA Youth Development Festival Red Team to an unblemished 5-0 slate and a gold medal. (Photo: Steven Maikoski)

Updated July 1, 2008 * Washington, D.C.

Headlined by five returning USA Basketball veterans, including one starter from the Nike Hoop Summit Junior National Select Team, 18 of the nation's top-18-and-younger prep sensations are set to attend the 2008 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team Trials, July 1-3 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The athletes, born on or after Jan. 1, 1990, will compete for one of 12 roster spots on the 2008 USA Men's U18 National Team. Athlete selections for the USA Basketball Trials were made by the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.

Following trials, the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee is expected to announce finalists for the 12-member USA U18 National Team roster. The selected finalists will remain in Washington for the

July 4-10 training camp. The USA squad will then depart for the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which will be held July 14-18 in Formosa, Argentina.

Malcolm Lee (John W. North H.S. / Riverside, CA) returns in an attempt to make his second USA Basketball squad. Most recently Lee helped lead the USA to a 98-78 victory over the World Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit in April and helped force 25 World turnovers and 18 USA steals.

Lee first showcased his talent in a USA Basketball uniform at the 2007 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival, held in Colorado Springs, Colo. Also returning from the Festival are: Leslie McDonald (Briarcrest H.S. / Memphis, TN); Reeves Nelson (Modesto Christian H.S. / Modesto, CA); Travis Releford (Bishop Miege H.S. / Shawnee Mission, KS) and Lance Stephenson (Abraham Lincoln H.S. / Brooklyn, NY).

Rounding out the trials roster are USA Basketball newcomers: Dominic Cheek (St. Anthony H.S. / Jersey City, NJ); JaMychal Green (St. Jude H.S. / Montgomery, AL); Kenny Hall (Redan H.S. / Stone Mountain, GA); Matt Humphrey (Hales Franciscian H.S. / Chicago, IL); Ryan Kelly (Ravenscroft H.S. / Raleigh, NC); Mason Plumlee (Christ H.S. / Arden, NC); Ari Stewart (Wheeler H.S. / Marietta, GA); Hollis Thompson (Loyola H.S. / Los Angeles, CA); Kemba Walker (Rice H.S. / New York, N.Y.); Maalik Wayns (Roman Catholic H.S. / Philadelphia, PA); David Wear (Mater Dei H.S. / Santa Ana, CA); Travis Wear (Mater Dei H.S. / Santa Ana, CA) and Wesley Witherspoon (Berkman H.S. / Lilburn, GA).

Davidson College head coach Bob McKillop will lead the USA�s 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship For Men Team, while Virginia Commonwealth University's head coach Anthony Grant and Georgetown University's head coach John Thompson III will serve as assistant coaches. Collegiate head coaches Steve Donahue, Cornell University; Kevin McCarthy, the State University of the New York at Cobleskil; Joe Niland, the University of Mobile; and Gary Stewart, the University of California at Davis will serve as court coaches at the 2008 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team Trials

The USA U18 Trials session will be held July 1-3 at the Washington Wizards practice facility inside the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The first trials session will begin at 5:00 p.m. (all times EDT) on Tuesday, July 1.On Wednesday, July 2, trials sessions will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The final pair of trials sessions is scheduled for Thursday, July 3, at 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

2008 USA U18 Championship Team
The 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship will qualify the top four finishing teams for the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship, slated to be held July 2-12 in New Zealand.

The FIBA Americas U18 Championship format divides the eight teams into two preliminary round groups consisting of four teams each. Preliminary round play will be held July 14, 15 and 16, and each team will play the other three teams in its preliminary group. The two top finishing teams in each preliminary round group will then advance to the Thursday, July 17 medal round semifinals and compete for 1st-4th places. Teams placing third and fourth in each preliminary round group will advance to the consolation semifinals and play for 5th-8th places. The FIBA Americas U18 Championship Finals will be contested Friday, July 18.

Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifier, the tournament was held every four years between 1990-2006. FIBA changed its calendar, however, and the tournament will now be conducted every other year, followed in the next summer by the FIBA U19 World Championship.

USA men's teams boast of a sensational 29-1 overall record in the U18/junior qualifiers and won gold in 1990, 1994, 1998, and most recently in 2006, when the United States played host to the U18 Championship For Men for the first time in San Antonio, Texas. The USA men's team also captured the bronze in 2002. Hosts of prior U18 championships are: San Antonio, Texas in 2006; Isle de Margarita, Venezuela in 2002; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic in 1998; Santa Rosa, Argentina in 1994; and Montevideo, Uruguay in 1990.

Some top players to have represented the United States in the past U18 tournaments include Shareef Abdur-Rahim (1994); Carmelo Anthony (2002); Jerryd Bayless (2006); Michael Beasley (2006); Chris Bosh (2002); Dee Brown (2002); Nick Collison (1998); Grant Hill (1990); Alan Houston (1990); Andre Iguodala (2002); Stephon Marbury (1994); Mike Miller (1998); Quentin Richardson (1998); Kyle Singler (2006); and Deron Williams (2002).

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