Team USA – Three NBA champions selected among 15 for Las Vegas retreat

NBA champions Patrick McCaw, Norris Cole and Jody Meeks are among 15 players called by USA Basketball to retire from the FIBA ​​AmeriCup tournament.

Camp begins Tuesday in Las Vegas. The AmeriCup, FIBA’s regional version of the Americas Championship, was last held in 2017 and will take place in Brazil from September 2 to 11.

Norris Cole Won two rings as a member of the Miami Heat. Patrick McCaw Played in three championships — two with Golden State and another with Toronto — during Jody Meeks It was with the Raptors that they won the title in 2019.

Also invited to camp: Cylon Cheatham, Gary Clark Jr., Derek Culver, Will Davis II, Orlando Johnson, Anthony Lamb, Frank Mason III, Jeremy Fargo, Elijah Pemberton, Kendall Smith, Craig Wall and Stephen Zimmerman.

Of the 15 invited, 11 played in the NBA. Meeks (539 games), Cole (360), McCaw (199), Clark (170), and Johnson and Mason III (103 each) have the most NBA experience among those on the training camp roster.

“Our goal is always to assemble a roster of athletes ready to play international style basketball at the highest level,” said USA Basketball Men’s National Team Director Sean Ford. “These players have a combination of USA Basketball and professional experience that will help us achieve this.”

Alex Jensen will coach the AmeriCup team with assistance from Mike Williams, Steve Wojciechowski and Nathan Peavy.

The United States is the reigning champion of the AmeriCup and has won the event a total of seven times, more than any other country. They face Mexico on September 2nd, Venezuela on September 4th and Panama on September 5th in the group stage.

There are 12 countries that qualify for the AmeriCup and are divided into three different four-group groups. The top two teams in each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals on September 8. The semi-finals will be held on September 10 and the championship on September 11.