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Friday 18 august 2017
U.S. men’s basketball enters a new world _ without its stars

By BRIAN MAHONEY tional basketball rookie. He
AP Basketball Writer is busy brushing up on the
The jerseys say USA, though nuances of a game that
that’s about all that will be can be played and offici-
recognizable. ated completely differently
When the U.S. men’s bas- than in the U.S.
ketball team returns to ac- He begins Thursday in
tion later this month, fans Houston for training camp,
might be left wondering, where he will seek the 12
“the red, white and who?” players who will travel to
The Americans are cau- Uruguay and possibly Ar-
tiously entering a whole gentina for the AmeriCup
new basketball world, one and the potentially better-
in which not only are the prepared opponents who
best U.S. players not avail- wait.
able, but neither are any “What we have to do is
in the NBA. LeBron James, match and exceed their
Kevin Durant and the stars passion, how hard we play,
might show up in a few how together we are as a
years for the Basketball group,” Van Gundy said,
World Cup and Olympics, “because when the U.S. In this March 5, 2007, file photo, Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy tries to give directions to
but only if a group of mi- has not succeeded in inter- his teammates during the fourth quarter of a basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in
nor leaguers can get them national competitions, it’s Cleveland.
there. because there wasn’t as Associated Press
It’s all part of FIBA’s new much maybe sacrifice as zone championship since feel sorry for us. But we tors.” That’s far from the
qualifying format and the you need, or maybe you because they’ve won ev- know that this is different level that suited up for Mike
road starts at the AmeriCup were deficient in one skill ery Olympic and world and we’re going to have Krzyzewski for a decade
2017. It’s a tournament the that was important.” title, exempting them from to figure out how to be suc- or would play for Gregg
Americans don’t need to It’s the Americans’ first ap- qualifying. But FIBA has re- cessful in a different mod- Popovich in 2019 and 2020,
win — and aren’t sure they pearance in the former vamped its qualification el,” Ford said. “There’s al- but Van Gundy is eager to
can — but one they have FIBA Americas tournament system to look more like ways unknowns, but there’s work with them in his first
to play to make themselves since 2007. Their starting soccer’s, where national probably more unknowns coaching assignment —
eligible for the events that lineup in that romp to gold teams will play home- because No. 1, we don’t not counting his daughter’s
will matter. — James, Kobe Bryant, and-away games against know how good we need youth league — since he
“It’s going to be really in- Carmelo Anthony, Jason teams in their pool. to be. We don’t know how was fired by the Rockets in
teresting,” USA Basketball Kidd and Dwight Howard But some of the windows good we can be.” 2007.
men’s national team di- — was one of the strongest are during the NBA season International NBA players “There’s very few LeBron
rector Sean Ford said. “We the U.S. has ever assem- — the opening games are could play for their coun- James of the world — obvi-
don’t know. We’re flying bled. scheduled for Thanksgiving tries in the AmeriCup Aug. ously one — or great play-
blind a little bit.” The 17 players in camp weekend — and players 25-Sept. 3, but just like their ers who have it easy. These
Even the Americans’ best- with Van Gundy include under NBA contract won’t American colleagues, they guys’ careers have not
known commodity is a bit Kendall Marshall, Reggie be permitted to play. So will not be able to repre- been easy and so I really
of an unknown now. Williams, Darius Morris and the Americans plan to pri- sent their countries during admire their persistence,
Jeff Van Gundy coached Marshall Plumlee, players marily use players from the the NBA season. their grit and their determi-
in the NBA Finals and is an- good enough to play in the NBA G League, with per- Ford considers the prospec- nation,” Van Gundy said.
alyst for them every year NBA but not stick. haps some who have been tive players a notch below “To get to work with them
on ABC, but he’s leading The Americans haven’t playing overseas. the NBA, calling them “sur- and coach them, that was
the U.S. team as an interna- needed to play in their “Look, no one’s going to vivors, grinders, competi- part of the pull for me.”q
WNBA: Parker scores 21 as

Los Angeles beats Mystics

By The Associated Press (16-11). Langhorne finished with 13
Candace Parker scored 21 In the other game Wednes- points for Seattle (12-16),
points and the Los Angeles day, Jewell Loyd scored 16 which was without Sue Bird
Sparks defeated the Wash- points and Crystal Lang- because of knee soreness.
ington Mystics 95-62 on horne made a go-ahead Breanna Stewart scored 10
Wednesday in the WNBA. basket with 11.1 seconds of her 12 points in the first
Odyssey Sims had 18 points, left, helping the Seattle half and had 11 rebounds.
seven assists and four steals Storm beat the Minnesota Moore had 15 points and
at Washington for Los An- Lynx 62-61. 11 rebounds for Minnesota
geles (20-8), and Nneka Loyd had a shot blocked (21-5).
Ogwumike also had 18 on a drive but it fell to Lang- Both games Wednesday
points. horne in the lane for a layup featured players standing
Parker and Ogwumike to give Seattle the lead. Af- side-by-side with locked Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles (34) comes up with the
defensive board next to Seattle Storm’s Carolyn Swords (8) and
combined to make 17 of 23 ter a timeout, Maya Moore arms during a moment of Breanna Stewart (30) during the first half of a WNBA basketball
field goals. missed a baseline jumper silence for victims killed and game Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, in Seattle.
Emma Meesseman scored and Sylvia Fowles’ putback injured in Charlottesville, Associated Press
20 points for Washington hit the bottom of the rim. Virginia on the weekend.q