Tickets Are On Sale Now For USA Men’s National Team Game Versus
Dominican Republic In Las Vegas
USA To Open 2012 National Team Tour Facing Dominican Republic
On July 12 At UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center
Tickets for the July 12 USA Basketball Showcase that features the USA Men’s National Team versus the Dominican Republic National Team in an exhibition game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., are on sale now, USA Basketball and Las Vegas Events announced today at a press conference at the Wynn Las Vegas. Tickets for the 2012 USA Basketball Showcase are priced $30, $45, $65, $80 and $95 for plaza seats; $10 and $20 for balcony seats, and can now be purchased by calling 702-739-FANS or online at www.UNLVtickets.com.
The USA National Team opens its 2012 training with a July 6-12 training camp in Las Vegas that concludes with its first exhibition game of the 2012 tour on July 12 at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center. The USA’s Las Vegas training camp will feature the to be announced 2012 USA 12-man roster that will be selected from the 20 USA Basketball National Team finalists announced on Jan. 16.
“For the sixth time in the last seven summers the USA Basketball Men’s National Team will conduct its training camp in Las Vegas and this year’s training will be concluded with what I know will be a memorable USA-Dominican Republic exhibition game at the Thomas & Mack Center,” stated Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman.
“The 2012 USA National Team promises to be one of the most internationally experienced squads we’ve ever assembled and the game versus the Dominican Republic will be a competitive contest against one of the Americas Zone’s top teams. We’re looking forward to opening our 2012 USA Basketball National Team tour in Las Vegas and we look forward to again playing in front of an excited and capacity crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center.”
“We are proud of the ongoing partnership with USA Basketball that we have had since 2006,” said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events. “As the host city to the training camp and USA Basketball Showcase, it provides us with an opportunity to highlight the destination and support the overall mission of USA Basketball. The USA Basketball Showcase will again serve as a tremendous culmination to this year’s training camp and will provide basketball fans with an opportunity to see America’s best at the Thomas & Mack Center.”
The July 12 USA-Dominican Republic exhibition game will be the first exhibition game between the two national teams and just the third meeting ever between a USA team comprised of NBA players and a Dominican Republic National Team. The first matchup between the two nations occurred in 1999 at the FIBA Americas Championship (Olympic Qualifying Tournament) and the U.S. squad rolled to a convincing 107-71 victory. Four years later, during the 2003 FIBA Americas Championship (Olympic Qualifying Tournament), the two squads clashed and the U.S. came away with a 111-73 win.
The Dominican Republic is currently ranked #25 in the world by FIBA. Under coach John Calipari, who led the University of Kentucky to the 2012 NCAA championship, the Dominican Republic placed third in the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship after downing Puerto Rico 103-89 in the bronze medal contest. They were led to the bronze showing by Atlanta Hawks forward-center Al Horford, 19.0 ppg. and 9.2 rpg.; international veteran forward Jack Martinez, 14.5 ppg., 12.1 rpg.; Sacramento Kings forward-guard Francisco Garcia, 11.0 ppg.; and Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, 6.8 ppg. and 3.1 rpg.
Following the USA’s training and exhibition contest in Las Vegas, the USA will move on to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., to train July 13-15 and play an exhibition contest versus Brazil at the Verizon Center on July 16 (8 p.m. local time). The game will be part of a doubleheader with the USA Basketball Women’s National Team who will face Brazil’s National Women’s Team (5:30 p.m. local time). The USA men will continue their preparations July 17-18 in Manchester, England, and on July 19 (7:30 p.m. local time) will play Great Britain at the Manchester Arena. The USA women will square off against the Great Britain women at the Manchester Arena on July 18 (7:30 p.m. local time). Tickets for both the USA men’s and women’s national team games against their respective Great Britain counterparts will be available starting March 6. Tickets are available by calling +44 (0) 844 847 8000 or at www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
Twenty years after the USA Dream Team made its debut in Barcelona, Spain, the U.S. returns and will conclude its tour with a pair of exhibition games against FIBA’s No. 2 and No. 3 ranked world powers. Facing No. 3 ranked Argentina on July 22 (9:30 p.m. local time) at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, the USA will close out its exhibition tour against FIBA’s No. 2 ranked power Spain on July 24 (9:30 p.m. local time) at the Palau Sant Jordi. Tickets for the games in Barcelona are available at www.entradas.com/entradas/comprar-entradas-torneo-usa-espana-argentina.
“This tour will be a very challenging schedule of five exhibition games that will each be played in outstanding environments and will be memorable for all basketball fans. The team’s training and these games will be absolutely critical in our preparation and we know that each of the teams will pose significant and unique challenges,” said USA and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski when the national team’s schedule was announced Feb. 24.
2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team
Ten members of the 2010 USA World Championship gold medal winning team, eight 2008 Olympic gold medalists, and two national team players were among the 20 players named on Jan. 16 by USA Basketball as finalists for the USA Men’s National Team.
Named a finalist for the 2012 USA National Team were: 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); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); 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).
The USA Basketball Men’s National Team Program in 2010-12 is again headed by Colangelo, who has served as managing director of the USA Men’s National Team since 2005.
Featuring a coaching staff headed by Hall of Fame mentor Krzyzewski, serving again 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 initiated its historic men’s national team program in 2005 and capped the 2005-2008 quad competitions with a magnificent gold medal run. Since Colangelo and Krzyzewski became involved in the USA National Team, the U.S. has compiled a sterling 49-1 record (.980 winning percentage), and just as importantly reestablished the USA national team and its members as positive ambassadors for the United States and the sport.
In 2010, Colangelo and Krzyzewski assembled a USA World Championship squad that finished 9-0 and captured gold in Istanbul, Turkey. It was the USA’s first gold medal finish at the FIBA World Championship since 1994.
Since first fielding a USA Basketball team of legendary NBA stars in 1992, USA Basketball National Teams comprised of NBA players have claimed gold medals in 11 of 14 major international basketball competitions, while compiling an impressive 109-7 overall record (.940 winning percentage) in those competitions and a record of 37-1 (.974 winning percentage) in exhibition games.
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. For further information about USA Basketball, go to the official Web site of USA Basketball at www.usabasketball.com and connect with us on facebook.com/usabasketball, twitter.com/usabasketball and www.youtube.com/therealusabasketball.
2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team Schedule
July 5-12 Las Vegas Training / Exhibition – Las Vegas, Nevada
July 6-11 (12-3 p.m.) USA Team Training University of Nevada-Las Vegas
July 12 (6 p.m.) USA vs. Dominican Republic Thomas & Mack Center, UNLV,
Exhibition Game Las Vegas, Nevada
July 13-16 USA Training / Exhibition – Washington, D.C.
July 13-15 USA Team Training Washington, D.C.
July 16 (5:30 p.m.) USA Women vs. Brazil Exhibition Game Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
July 16 (8 p.m.) USA Men vs. Brazil Exhibition Game Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.
July 17-19 USA Training / Exhibition Games – Manchester, England
July 17-18 USA Team Training Manchester, England
July 18 (7:30 p.m.) USA Women vs. Great Britain Exhibition Game Manchester Arena, Manchester, England
July 19 (7:30 p.m.) USA Men vs. Great Britain Exhibition Game Manchester Arena, Manchester, England
July 20-25 USA Training / Exhibition Games – Barcelona, Spain
July 20-21 USA Team Training Barcelona, Spain
July 22 (9:30 p.m.) USA vs. Argentina Exhibition Game Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
July 23 USA Team Training Barcelona, Spain
July 24 (9:30 p.m.) USA vs. Spain Exhibition Game Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain
July 25 USA Team Training Barcelona, Spain
*All times listed are local times.
2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team Finalists
NAME POS HGT WGT DOB CURRENT TEAM / COLLEGE or HIGH SCHOOL
LaMarcus Aldridge F/C 6-11 240 7/19/85 Portland Trail Blazers / University of Texas
Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 230 5/29/84 New York Knicks / Syracuse University
Chauncey Billups G 6-3 202 9/25/76 Los Angeles Clippers / University of Colorado
Chris Bosh F 6-10 230 3/24/84 Miami Heat / Georgia Tech
Kobe Bryant G 6-6 205 8/23/78 Los Angeles Lakers / Lower Merion H.S. (PA)
Tyson Chandler C 7-1 235 10/02/82 New York Knicks / Dominguez H.S. (CA)
Kevin Durant G 6-9 230 9/29/88 Oklahoma City Thunder / University of Texas
Rudy Gay F 6-8 230 8/17/86 Memphis Grizzlies / University of Connecticut
Eric Gordon G 6-3 222 12/25/88 New Orleans Hornets / Indiana University
Blake Griffin F 6-10 251 3/16/89 Los Angeles Clippers / University of Oklahoma
Dwight Howard F/C 6-11 265 12/08/85 Orlando Magic / Southwest Atlanta Christian Acd. (GA)
Andre Iguodala G/F 6-6 207 1/28/84 Philadelphia 76ers / University of Arizona
LeBron James F 6-8 250 12/30/84 Miami Heat / St. Vincent-St. Mary H.S. (OH)
Kevin Love F 6-10 260 9/07/88 Minnesota Timberwolves / UCLA
Lamar Odom F 6-10 230 11/06/79 Dallas Mavericks / University of Rhode Island
Chris Paul G 6-0 175 5/06/85 Los Angeles Clippers / Wake Forest University
Derrick Rose G 6-3 190 10/04/88 Chicago Bulls / University of Memphis
Dwyane Wade G 6-4 220 1/17/82 Miami Heat / Marquette University
Russell Westbrook G 6-3 187 11/12/88 Oklahoma City Thunder / UCLA
Deron Williams G 6-3 207 7/26/84 New Jersey Nets / University of Illinois
Managing Director: Jerry Colangelo
Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University
Assistant Coach: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University
Assistant Coach: Mike D’Antoni
Assistant Coach: Nate McMillan
For further information contact Craig Miller, Caroline Williams, Jenny Maag or Cole Mickelson at USA Basketball (719) 590-4800.
*This release is also available on USA Basketball’s World Wide Web homepage – http://www.usabasketball.com.
