USA INVITATION
Millsap to compete in camp
Nuggets veteran forward Paul Millsap was selected as one of 20 players for the USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas in anticipation of this summer’s FIBA World Cup in China.
According to USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo, Millsap was exactly the type of player the program was looking for.
“First of all, he’s a terrific competitor,” Colangelo said on a conference call Monday. “Just start with that. And when you look at the need for matchups for some of the teams that we think are going to be very strong in this competition, we needed veterans who know how to play, who have the size and strength and experience to compete. He kind of fit that description to a T, and again, he deserves to be on this list.”
Following the camp, which runs Aug. 5-9, the USA roster will be trimmed to 12. The 32team FIBA World Cup will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15.
Millsap, 34, will join a roster littered with NBA all-stars, including New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Houston’s James Harden, Portland’s Damian Lillard and Charlotte’s Kemba Walker. Seven of the players were all-stars this season. Millsap and Houston’s P.J. Tucker, also 34, represent the two eldest members at the minicamp.
Millsap has been a participant in Team USA training camps before (2014 and 2009). He’s coming off a season where he averaged 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds and served as a linchpin of the Nuggets’ defense.
The team will be coached by San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich; Golden State’s Steve Kerr will serve as an assistant along with Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce.
Popovich explained a bit about the selection process and what specifically he’d be emphasizing against international competition.
“I think that leadership role is really important with this group,” Popovich said. “They obviously haven’t played together before. We have a very short window to make them a team that feels responsible to each other. … We have to have enough people that can make shots from distance and we have to have people who can guard, create turnovers. Those are very specific aspects of the game we’ll be looking for. In addition to that, who can be a good teammate?”