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2014 Nike Hoop Summit International Roster Breakdown

2014 Nike Hoop Summit International Roster Breakdown
Mar 31, 2014, 02:08 pm
The Nike Hoop Summit World team was officially announced today, complimenting the USA roster which was announced in January. The game is scheduled for Saturday, April 12th at the Rose Garden, in Portland, Oregon.

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Nike Hoop Summit Official Website


PLAYERPOSHGT/WGTDOBHIGH SCHOOL / COLLEGEHOMETOWN
Cliff AlexanderF6-9 / 23011/16/1995Curie Metropolitan H.S. / KansasChicago, IL
Joel Berry IIG6-1 / 1854/1/1995Lake Highland Prep School / North CarolinaApopka, FL
James Blackmon, Jr.G6-2 / 1754/24/1995Marian H.S. / IndianaFort Wayne, IN
Stanley JohnsonF6-7 / 2265/29/1996Mater Dei H.S. / ArizonaFullerton, CA
Tyus JonesG6-0 / 1715/10/1996Apple Valley H.S. / DukeApple Valley, MN
Jahlil OkaforC6-10 / 26012/15/1995Whitney Young H.S. / DukeChicago, IL
Kelly OubreF6-7 / 19012/9/1995Findlay Prep (NV) / KansasFort Bend, TX
Theo PinsonF6-6 / 18511/5/1995Wesleyan Christian Academy / North CarolinaGreensboro, NC
Myles TurnerC6-11 / 2403/24/1996Trinity H.S. / UndecidedBedford, TX
Justise WinslowF6-6 / 2103/26/1996St. John's School / DukeHouston, TX
Reid TravisC6-7 / 21511/25/1995DeLaSalle H.S. / StanfordMinneapolis, MN
HEAD COACH: Mike Jones, DeMatha Catholic High School, MD
ASSISTANT COACH: Cory Alexander, Boo Williams AAU, VA


PLAYERPOSHGT/WGTDATE OF BIRTHTEAMCOUNTRY
James BirsenF6-9 / 2024/6/1995Fenerbache ÜlkerTurkey
Clint CapelaC6-10 / 2115/18/1994ES Chalon-sur-SaoneSwitzerland
Brandone FrancisG6-5 / 2059/10/1994Arlington Country Day School, Fla./FloridaDominican Republic
Damien InglisF6-7 / 2105/20/1995Chorale de Roanne BasketFrance
Nikola JokicF6-10 / 2102/19/1995KK Mega VizuraSerbia
Trey LylesC6-9 / 22811/5/1995Arsenal Technical H.S., Ind./Kentucky Canada
Emmanuel MudiayG6-4 / 1873/5/1996Prime Prep, Texas/Southern MethodistDR Congo
Jamal MurrayG6-4 / 1902/23/1997Athlete InstituteCanada
Gao ShangG6'6 / 2008/10/1994Guangdong Southern TigersChina
Karl Towns, Jr.C7-0 / 24311/15/1995St. Joseph H.S., N.J./KentuckyDominican Republic
HEAD COACH: Roy Rana (Canada) – 4th Nike Hoop Summit
ASSISTANT COACH: Marin Sedlacek (Serbia) – 14th Nike Hoop Summit


The 2014 World Select Team has a distinct American flavor to it featuring five players currently playing for North American high schools; Karl Towns, Emmanuel Mudiay, Trey Lyles, and Brandone Francis in the USA and Jamal Murray in Canada. This team also lacks uniquely experienced young players from outside the United States like Sergey Karasev who, coming into the game, already had Olympic experience and was his team's first option offensively. Karasev was more the exception than the rule and this team is still very, very interesting on paper.

This year's team will face a unique challenge, as the US squad appear to be taking the game more seriously this season. They are bringing in their players a day earlier and are scheduled to scrimmage twice instead of just once. This year's World Select Team is a strong group from a historical perspective, but is not as talented as last year's, which featured three international players selected in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft, three of the top-5 players in our current top-100, and cruised to victory (boxscore). Regardless, this year's World squad will need to step up to defeat a more motivated, organized US team.

The World roster is highlighted by three top-10 recruits in the 2014 high school class, Emmanuel Mudiay, Trey Lyles, and Karl Towns, who is making his second Nike Hoop Summit appearance. Towns, a Kentucky commit who reclassified from the 2015 high school class scored 7 points in 16 minutes in last year's game, helping that group of young international talents to a 112-98 victory.

The 7-0 Towns will play a bigger role for the World Select Team this year. An extremely skilled big man who can score around the rim and step out and hit shots, Towns played 8 games for the Dominican Republic in the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship last summer for the coach he'll play for at the college level, John Calipari. He isn't a great defender, and still has room to improve his body, but is an extremely high level prospect for next season regardless.

Towns will be joined by fellow Kentucky commit Trey Lyles up front. The 6'9 Canadian power forward is a strong, skilled big man who, based on what we've seen at McDonald's, is in perhaps the best shape of his career. Like Towns, Lyles is a high IQ player with perimeter and post skills who is not quite an elite athlete. The doesn't stop Lyles from scoring in bunches though, he ranked 3rd among all players scoring 20.3 points per game for Canada at the 2013 U19 World Championship and has extensive experience playing again the members of the US squad on the EYBL circuit with the Spiece Indy Heat.

Both Towns and Lyles are potential one-and-done-type prospects and their matchup against the US squad's highly touted front line of Cliff Alexander and Jahlil Okafor will be a very compelling battle come game day.

The 6'10 Swiss big man Clint Capela gives the World Select Team the athleticism and defensive presence up front that Lyles and Towns do not. He's having a breakout year for EuroCup team Chalon averaging 8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game in the French League using his outstanding combination of length and athleticism to make an impact on both end of the floor. This is a big chance for him to showcase his skills against other high level prospects in a high visibility setting. Our Mike Schmitz evaluated Capela with a comprehensive scouting video in late January:


Despite what the World Select Team brings to the table up front, 6-4 Emmanuel Mudiay may be the most important player on this year's roster. With Cedi Osman unable to attend at the last minute due to Dogus Balbay's injury making him indispensable to Turkish club Anadolu Efes, Mudiay is the team's only real point guard. The USA squad may look to press Mudiay to wear him down, and it will be interesting to see how the tremendously athletic Southern Methodist commit responds and what Head Coach Roy Rana does to adjust when Mudiay is resting on the bench.


6-4 Jamal Murray is the closest thing the World Select Team has to another point guard. Though he just turned 17 a few months ago, Murray was the MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic International game last April and has experience playing against this type of competition in the EYBL for CIA Bounce. A late addition to the roster, Murray is a fluid combo guard with great versatility whose passing ability and confidence could make him a candidate to fill in as this team's secondary ball handler despite his age. Murray is one of the only players to attend the Hoop Summit from a Canadian high school and the first since Kevin Pangos. He attends the Athlete Institute Basketball Academy in Toronto.

The 6-7 Damien Inglis is one of the more mature players on this roster both physically and in terms of playing experience. Averaging 15.8 minutes per game for Roanne in France, Inglis has proven to be an aggressive slasher with excellent defensive potential when we've seen him in junior competition, but plays more a spot up role at the professional level scoring 4.9 points per game. His high basketball IQ and strength with the ball have allowed him to play some point forward at the youth level, and that might come in handy for Head Coach Roy Rana at the Hoop Summit.


Inglis is not the only young wing seeing minutes at a high level the World Select Team is bringing to Portland this spring. James Birsen is a rangy small forward hailing from Turkey who has averaged 13.4 minutes, 4.7 points, and 2.4 rebounds per-game for Fenerbahce Ulker in the TBL amid 8 appearances in the Euroleague. A smooth, versatile offensive player, Birsen, like Inglis, has played some point forward at the junior level for Turkey. He's not a great athlete and can be a bit passive at times, but Birsen could be a very valuable player on this roster if his shot is falling.

6'6 Gao Shang is an intriguing wing out of China who has scored at a tremendous clip in international competition. Averaging 18.8 points per-game at last year's U-19 World Championships and 27.3 points per-game at the 2012 Nike Global Challenge, Shang's approach on the offensive end is similar to that of Marshon Brooks. He can be wild with the ball at times and doesn't always know his limitations, but is an instinctive, aggressive scorer with deep range. Though he missed much of this season with an injury, Shang averaged 4.4 points per game for Guangdong in the CBA.

The 6'10 Nikola Jokic will be an interesting player for scouts to watch. A late bloomer on the international scene, Jokic played sparingly for Serbian team Mega Vizura a year ago before strong showings at the Nike International Junior Tournament and U19 World Chamionships. Playing alongside fellow prospects Vasilije Micic and Nemanja Dangubic, Jokic has emerged as a major contributor for Mega this season despite the team facing stiffer competition playing in the Adriatic League. Averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per-game, Jokic is a throwback power forward who lacks great athleticism, but competes and can score from the inside and outside. The athleticism of the US squad will be a terrific test for Jokic, who has a lot to gain here.

Florida commit 6'5 Brandone Francis is a consensus top-30 recruit with a strong frame and good athleticism. He joined Towns competing for the Dominican Republic Senior National Team, but did not appear in the FIBA Americas Championship. A strong finisher who uses his explosiveness effectively as a slasher, Francis is an interesting prospect for the future who gives the World Select Team some power at the off guard spot.

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