Antonio Blakeney was one of several late additions to the USA Basketball U18 trials, and after his first practice Tuesday night Blakeney sounded excited about the opportunity.
“It’s real good to be out here with all these good players, competing and trying to be on the USA team, represent the USA. That’s a big honor,” the 6-foot-4 2015 guard out of Orlando (FL) Oak Ridge told SNY.tv by phone from Colorado Springs, Colo.
Blakeney said it would be a dream come true to make the final cut.
“It would make my whole summer really,” he said. “I always wanted to play on the USA team, whether it was the 17s, 16s, 18s, whatever it is. I just always wanted to make that USA Team.”
As far as his recruitment, Blakeney says he’s wide open and lists Louisville, Florida, Kansas, North Carolina, Florida State, Providence, LSU and USC among those recruiting him.
Coincidentally, Florida coach Billy Donovan is the U18 head coach and Providence’s Ed Cooley is an assistant.
“A lot of schools are recruiting me hard,” he said. “Mostly every school is recruiting me the same.”
“After the summer I kind of want to cut my list.”
Louisville is among the perceived leaders for Blakeney.
“I like them a lot, they like me a lot,” he said. “Of course, every school that likes me a lot, I’m going to like them. I have to go somewhere that likes me just as bad as I want them.”
Blakeney specifically likes “the situation that I would be going to. They got a good system. I feel like if I went there I’d be able to play.”
Florida is also heavily involved.
“The same thing [ as Louisville],” he said. [Donovan] is a great coach, Hall of Fame coach, going to put me in the right position to score and be successful.”
After USA Basketball, Blakeney will attend several Nike stops, including the Kevin Durant and LeBron James Skills Academies and the Peach Jam.
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