Kentucky coach John Calipari was officially named the head coach of the 2017 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cup Team on Wednesday while, while Tad Boyle (Colorado) and Danny Manning (Wake Forest), a 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, will serve as USA assistant coaches.
The Calipari news was first reported by ESPN.
As reported here, incoming Kentucky guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will play for Canada and could potentially face his future coach. The U.S. beat Canada in the U19 final a year ago.
The coaching staff was selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
“USA Basketball has assembled an outstanding staff led by Coach Calipari, and the team will excel under their leadership,” said Matt Painter, Purdue University head coach and chair of the USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee.
As the 2013 and 2015 FIBA U19 World Champion, the USA will look to defend its titles at the 16-team 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship from July 1-9 in Cairo, Egypt.
Training camp to select the 12-member USA U19 World Cup Team will be held June 18-25 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 19 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998).
Though this will be their first USA Basketball coaching venture together, Calipari, Boyle and Manning all were at the University of Kansas at the same time – Calipari (1983-85) as an assistant coach and Boyle (1981-85) and Manning (1984-88) as players.
2016-17 is Calipari’s eighth season at Kentucky (2009-10 to present), where he has guided four Wildcat teams, and six teams overall, to the NCAA Tournament Final Four, including the 2012 NCAA National Championship. He currently possesses an impressive 243-52 record at Kentucky (.824 winning percentage, as of March 5).
“Being a part of USA Basketball is special,” Calipari said. “What Jerry Colangelo has done, along with Jim Tooley and Sean Ford, to not only build the national team but also build a winning culture with all the teams, has been incredible to watch. This gives me an opportunity to give back to the game that has been so good to my family and me as well as a game that I love. It is an honor to be asked to coach.
“I coached both Tad and Danny at the University of Kansas,” Calipari added. “I’m so proud of what they’ve become as coaches and as representatives of this game. I’m looking forward to reuniting and learning from both of these special coaches.”
Photo/Release: USA Basketball
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
And like ZAGS on Facebook
