Tag Archives: Jayson Tatum

Duke Basketball

Tatum, Plumlee to Compete in Shanghai

Jayson Tatum Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images)

DURHAM, N.C. –  USA Basketball has announced its final roster for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, with former Duke Blue Devils Jayson Tatum and Mason Plumlee picked for the 12-man USA squad. The World Cup begins Saturday in Shanghai, China.

Tatum, who played for Duke in 2016-17, will make his first career World Cup appearance. In a pair of tune-up games against Australia last week, Tatum scored 16 points, gathered five rebounds and dished out five assists. A 2013 Duke graduate, Plumlee is making his second World Cup roster, as he helped Team USA win gold in 2014. Plumlee recorded seven rebounds and tallied two steals in the tune-up games against Australia.

The final USA roster includes Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings); Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics); Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets); Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks); Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks); Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz); Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics); and Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs).

The World Cup, which begins Saturday, August 31 and runs through September 15, consists of 32 teams from four confederations. USA opens competition against the Czech Republic on Sunday, September 1 at 8:30 a.m. in Shanghai.

Duke Basketball

Three Blue Devils are Finalist for Team USA

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- USA Basketball has announced its roster of 17 finalists for the 2019 USA World Cup Team, which includes former Duke men’s basketball players Marvin Bagley III, Mason Plumlee and Jayson Tatum.

The announcement by USA Basketball came after four days of training and Friday night's USA Blue-USA White intrasquad exhibition game in Las Vegas. The 17 finalists include 13 athletes from the USA National Team roster and four players from the USA Select Team.

With his Duke coach and past USA National Team mentor Mike Krzyzewski looking on, Tatum led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting with four rebounds and a game-high plus-20 in leading the USA Blue to a 97-78 win Friday night in Las Vegas.

Plumlee added five boards, a steal and an assist in nine minutes for the Blue, while Bagley scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds for the USA White.

The USA National Team coaching staff features USA and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Serving as USA assistant coaches are Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright.

Following a short break, the USA finalists will reassemble in Los Angeles to train Aug. 13-15 and play an exhibition contest versus FIBA's No. 2 world-ranked team, Spain, at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Aug. 16 (7 p.m. PDT).

Finalists include Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings); Marvin Bagley III (Sacramento Kings); Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics); De'Aaron Fox  (Sacramento Kings); Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets); Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers); Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks); Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors);  Khris Middleton  (Milwaukee Bucks); Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz); 2014 World Cup gold medalist Mason Plumlee (Denver Nuggets); Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics); Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics); P.J. Tucker (Houston Rockets); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers);  Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics); and Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs).

"We're bringing a couple of young players from the Select Team so we're going to be patient with the rest of the squad because we have plenty of time, we have two weeks to decide who will be the final 12," said Jerry Colangelo, USA Men's National Team managing director.

The 32-team 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup competition is set for Aug. 31-Sept. 15 in China. Results from the World Cup will qualify seven nations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.