Elton Brand, Nick Collison And Richard Jefferson Complete USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Roster
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May 28, 2003
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Finalizing the 2003 USA Men's Senior National Team roster with the addition of three role players, USA Basketball officially announced today that NBA All-Star Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers), University of Kansas All-American and USA Basketball veteran Nick Collison, and second year NBA standout Richard Jefferson (New Jersey Nets) have been added to the 2003 USA Senior National Team to complete the 12-man roster. The player selections were made by the USA Basketball Senior National Team Committee.
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The 2003 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team will participate in the 2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be held Aug. 20-31, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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The final three members of the 2003 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team include NBA All-Sytar Elton Brand (below top),Nick Collison (below middle) and Richard Jefferson (below bottom).
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"It's neat having three young players who are good kids and who can contribute to our team," said USA head coach Larry Brown. "It's wonderful for USA Basketball to be able to reward Nick for staying in college four years and for being so active with USA Basketball. Hopefully this is something other college players in the future can look forward to. Elton and Richard are two of the league's finest young players and they are the future of USA Basketball."
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“We have now completed the 12-man roster for this year's Olympic qualifying team. We feel we have a deep and talented roster that is poised to accomplish our objectives of winning the gold medal at this summer's qualifying tournament and next year's 2004 Olympic Games,” stated USA Basketball President Tom Jernstedt. “I'm confident the 12 players will be outstanding on the basketball court and terrific representatives of USA Basketball.”
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“The committee's selection of Elton Brand, Richard Jefferson and Nick Collison completes the roster for one of the most talented and exciting teams USA Basketball has ever assembled," said Stu Jackson, Chair of the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Committee. “It's great to see the college basketball community represented by Nick Collison, who is very deserving of his selection. In addition, Elton Brand has been a loyal contributor to USA Basketball since his high school and college days and will provide the team with scoring, rebounding and international experience. And in Richard Jefferson, the Senior Team has added one of the NBA's top young players, who will gain valuable international experience in his first appearance for USA Basketball.”
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USA Basketball previously announced that Brown would serve as head coach of the USA senior team, and named as his assistant coaches were San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, recently hired Clemson University (S.C.) head mentor Oliver Purnell, and recently named University of North Carolina head coach Roy Williams.
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Also previously announced as the nine core group members of the 2003 senior squad were: two-time Olympic gold medalist and 18-year NBA star Karl Malone (Utah Jazz); 2000 Olympic gold medalists Ray Allen (Seattle SuperSonics) and Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets); Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs), the NBA’s 2003 and 2002 Most Valuable Player; Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), MVP of the 2002 NBA All-Star Game and a three-time member of the NBA champion Lakers; Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers), 2001 MVP of the NBA; Jermaine O’Neal (Indiana Pacers), winner of the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award in 2002; Tracy McGrady (Orlando Magic), the NBA’s leading scorer in 2002-03 season and the NBA’s 2001 Most Improved Player; and rising NBA star Mike Bibby (Sacramento Kings), who led the Kings to the 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals.
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Brand and Collison have previously played for USA Basketball teams, raising the number of Senior Team members who have prior USA Basketball experience to nine (Allen, Bibby, Brand, Collison, Duncan, Iverson, Kidd, Malone and O’Neal).
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A veteran of four USA Basketball teams, Brand most recently was a member of the 2002 USA World Championship squad that finished in sixth place. Playing in eight of the USA’s nine World Championship games, and starting on five occasions, Brand averaged 6.9 ppg. and 4.1 rpg., while shooting a team best 58.1 percent from the floor. He was also one of three collegians selected for the 1999 USA Tournament of the Americas Olympic Qualifying Team that also featured nine NBA standouts. That USA Basketball team, coached by Brown as well, rolled to a spotless 10-0 record, won gold and qualified the United States for the 2000 Olympic Games and Brand posted averages of 2.0 ppg. and 1.7 rpg., in 7.8 minutes of action per game.
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In 1998 Brand was a member of the gold medal winning 1998 USA Goodwill Games Team that was comprised of college players. He averaged a team second best 17.0 points a game, and added team bests of 7.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocked shots and shot 65.0 percent from the field. In the gold medal final against Australia, Brand finished with 15 points and nine rebounds to help the U.S. to its 93-85 overtime upset victory. For his outstanding performance at the ‘98 Goodwill Games, he was selected by USA Basketball as its 1998 Male Athlete of the Year. Brand made his USA Basketball debut in 1997 as a heralded high school senior with the USA Basketball Junior Select Team. The USA, behind Brand's 15 points and seven boards, defeated an International Select Team 97-90 in the Hoop Summit game.
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Tagged as “Mr. USA Basketball,” the nickname is particularly fitting for Collison because he has played on seven previous USA Basketball teams and has been involved with a USA team every summer since the summer before his senior year in high school in 1998.
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Collison last summer made his seventh USA Basketball squad when he was named an alternate and was the only non-professional player involved in the 2002 USA World Championship Team. Training with the USA professionals up until the FIBA World Championship started, Collison played in one of the team’s two exhibition games, accounting for two rebounds in five minutes of action against China in Oakland, Calif. on Aug. 22.
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Collison was a key member of the gold medal winning 2001 USA World Championship For Young Men Team. He started in all eight USA games and averaged 9.1 ppg. (sixth high on team), 5.4 rpg. (second high on team) and 1.0 bpg., while shooting 56.9 percent for an American team that finished a perfect 8-0 in Saitama, Japan. He was also selected as a member of the elite 2000 USA Basketball Select Team. The Select squad practiced for five days against the 2000 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team that was preparing for the Sydney Olympics. The two teams also met in an exhibition game on Sept. 2 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Collison accounted for two points and two rebounds as the Select Team fell 111-74. Earlier that summer, he averaged 8.8 ppg. (fifth on team) and a team best 7.2 rpg. as part of the 2000 USA World Championship For Young Men Qualifying Team that finished 4-1 and won the silver medal.
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Selected for the 1999 USA Men's Junior World Championship Team that earned the silver medal in Portugal with a 7-1 record, he again started every game and averaged 7.8 ppg. and 4.3 rpg. Recording six points and five rebounds, Collison started for the 1999 USA Men's Junior Select Team that claimed a 107-95 victory against the International Select Team in the fifth annual Hoop Summit. Collison got his start with USA Basketball as a member of the gold medal winning 1998 USA Basketball Men's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team, he averaged 6.5 ppg., 4.3 rpg. for the USA squad that rolled to a 6-0 record.
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Each of the three selected players completed impressive showings in their 2002-03 season.
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Brand finished the 2002-03 regular season ranked first in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (4.6 per game), fourth in blocked shots per game (2.55), fifth in double-doubles (44), eighth in efficiency ranking (24.42), 11th in field goal percentage (.502), 12th in minutes player per game (39.6) and 14th in total rebounds (703). Missing 20 games because of injuries, although he missed the minimum standards in other statistical categories, if he were ranked his averages would see him listed 32nd in scoring averaging 18.5 ppg., fourth in rebounds averaging 11.3 rpg., and tied for 48th in steals (1.15 spg.). Brand missed 18 games with a stress fracture (2/26/03 through 3/30/03) then returned for the Clippers’ final nine games of the season.
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Jefferson completed his second NBA regular season and saw his stats rise across the board. The 6-7 forward played and started in 80 games in 2002-03, and posted averages of 15.5 ppg. to rank tied for 45th in the NBA, 6.4 rpg. which listed tied for 47th in the NBA, 2.5 apg., while shooting 50.1 percent from the field overall which was the 13th highest in the NBA, and 74.3 percent from the foul stripe. Earning 2002 NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors, Jefferson in his first NBA season averaged 9.4 ppg. (seventh highest among NBA rookies), and added 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, while shooting 45.7 percent (seventh highest among Rookies) from the floor.
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Playing three seasons (1998-99 through 2000-01) at the University of Arizona, Jefferson helped lead the Wildcats to a 2001 NCAA runner-up finish in his junior and final season. Compiling 944 points (11.2 ppg.) in his three seasons, he also accumulated 416 rebounds (5.0 rpg.) and 232 assists (2.8 apg.), and boasted a career shooting percentage of 49.0 percent.
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Collison starred four years at Kansas (1999-2000 through 2002-03) and compiled impressive stats. In his four seasons at KU, Collison helped lead the Jayhawks to four NCAA Tournaments, including back-to-back Final Fours in 2001 and 2002; two Big 12 Conference regular season titles and a 53-11 Big 12 record; one Big 12 Tournament championship, and an overall record of 113-29 for a 79.6 winning percentage.
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Appearing in all 142 of Kansas’ games and starting 130 times, he wrapped up his career ranked in numerous Kansas all-time statical listings. His 142 games played ranks tied for the second most games played by a KU player and his 130 starts ranks fourth all-time. He compiled 2,097 points (14.8 ppg.) to rank second on the Jayhawks' all-time scoring list, 1,143 rebounds (8.0 rpg.) to rank third all-time, and his 243 career blocked shots (1.7 bpg.) checks in second on Kansas' career list. Also boasting of a career field goal shooting percentage of 56.2, he ranks sixth on Kansas career shooting list, and his 858 made field goals ranks as the second most ever.
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Collison in 2002-03 led Kansas to a 30-8 overall record, a 14-2 record in Big 12 Conference play and the regular season title, and to the 2003 NCAA championship game. Averaging 18.5 ppg. (second in the Big 12), 10.0 rpg. (third in the Big 12), and adding 1.9 blocked shots a game (third in the Big 12), he shot 55.4 percent from the field (second in the Big 12). Collison’s 10.0 rpg ranked 10th highest in the NCAA.
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Collecting numerous honors, Collison was named by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) as its 2003 National Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American first team choice. He was also selected to the 2003 NCAA All-Final Four Team, and was the Big 12 Conference Player of the Year as selected by the conference coaches, All-Big 12 first team (Associated Press and coaches), and Academic All-Big 12 first team.
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In the 2003 NCAA championship game against Syracuse, he played all 40 minutes and accounted for 19 points (8-14 FGs), 21 rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and three steals in the Jayhawks’ 81-78 loss. In Kansas’ NCAA semifinal win over Marquette, he accounted for 12 points (6-7 FGs), 15 rebounds, five assists and one blocked shot in 26 minutes.
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2003 USA BASKETBALL MEN’S SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM
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The 2003 USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team features a roster consisting of a core group of nine top NBA players, who if the U.S. qualifies, along with the coaching staff are expected to represent the United States in the 2004 Olympics. The U.S. team's remaining three roster positions were filled by today’s announced role players. Eligible for consideration for a role player position were players from professional leagues here in the U.S. and abroad, from the U.S. college ranks, or other USA Basketball constituents. The role players were selected for just the 2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Team, although, their participation on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team, should the U.S. qualify, is still a possibility but not guaranteed.
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The USA, gold medalists in 12 of the 14 Olympics in which it has played, including the last three when NBA players have participated (1992, 1996, 2000), must earn a qualifying spot for the 2004 Olympic Games.
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A total of 10 men's teams from North, South and Central America will participate in the 2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament and only the top three finishers will earn a coveted qualification spot for the Aug. 13-29, 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
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USA Basketball has had to qualify for the Olympics through a zone qualifying tournament twice before, 1992 in Portland, Oregon, and 1999 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Americans in 1992 rolled to a 6-0 record, won the gold medal and earned a qualifying berth in the ‘92 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. In 1999, under the direction of Brown, the American squad won 10 games in 11 days to finish 10-0 and in possession of the gold, while earning one of the two Americas Olympic qualifying berths.
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USA BASKETBALL MEN’S SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM COMMITTEE
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The USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Committee, which selected the coaching staff and the players, consists of 10 members, including a non-voting chair. Chaired by Jackson, the remainder of the Committee is formed by six members appointed by the NBA, one appointee from the NCAA, and two athlete representatives. Joe Dumars (1994 World Championship gold medalist / President of Basketball Operations, Detroit Pistons) and Steve Smith (2000 Olympic gold medalist and 1994 World Championship gold medalist / San Antonio Spurs player) are the two athlete representatives; NBA appointees include Bryan Colangelo (President and General Manager, Phoenix Suns), USA Basketball Treasurer Billy King (President/General Manager, Philadelphia 76ers), Mitch Kupchak (General Manager, Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin O’Conner (Vice President of Basketball Operations, Utah Jazz), Garry St. Jean (General Manager, Golden State Warriors) and Rod Thorn (President, New Jersey Nets); while the NCAA representative is C.M. Newton (1992-96 USA Basketball President / former University of Kentucky Director of Athletics).
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Ex official members of the Committee include Jernstedt; Russ Granik, past President of USA Basketball and Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of the NBA; Quinn Buckner, USA Basketball’s Vice President for Men; and Billy Hunter, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association and USA Basketball Board of Directors member.
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2003 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team
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NAME POS HGT WGT AGE PRO TEAM / COLLEGE
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Ray Allen G 6-5 205 27 Seattle SuperSonics/ Connecticut '96
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Mike Bibby G 6-1 190 25 Sacramento Kings / Arizona '98
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Elton Brand F 6-8 274 24 Los Angeles Clippers / Duke '99
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Kobe Bryant G 6-7 210 24 Los Angeles Lakers / Lower Merion High School (Pa.) '96
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Nick Collison F 6-9 255 22 University of Kansas '03
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Tim Duncan C 7-0 248 26 San Antonio Spurs / Wake Forest '97
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Allen Iverson G 6-0 165 27 Philadelphia 76ers / Georgetown '96
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Richard Jefferson F 6-7 222 22 New Jersey Nets / Arizona '01
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Jason Kidd G 6-4 212 29 New Jersey Nets / California '94
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Karl Malone F 6-9 240 39 Utah Jazz / Louisiana Tech '85
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Tracy McGrady G 6-8 210 23 Orlando Magic / Mount Zion Christian Academy (NC) '97
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Jermaine O'Neal F/C 6-11 242 24 Indiana Pacers / Eau Claire High School (SC) '96
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Head Coach: Larry Brown (USA Basketball)
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Assistant Coach: Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs)
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Assistant Coach: Oliver Purnell (Clemson University)
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Assistant Coach: Roy Williams (University of North Carolina)
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USA SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER QUOTES
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ELTON BRAND
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"It's an honor being named to the team and I'm very, very excited to represent my country again. I'm glad USA Basketball has given me the opportunity to represent our nation on this team. I'm looking forward to playing with the caliber of players already named to the team as well as getting to know the guys on the team off the court. It's just going to be a great experience. It's a real honor to have the opportunity to get the United States to the top of the basketball world again. I personally have extra motivation to play well considering I was a part of the World Championship team last year that lost and since I was injured for part of the tournament."
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NICK COLLISON
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"It is a great honor for me as a college kid to have the chance to play and practice with many of the best players in the NBA. It's a great opportunity and I'm excited to be part of the 2003 USA Senior Team and to again be representing the United States. All of my USA Basketball experiences have helped me improve at the level I was playing at the time. This will be the third time I have either practiced with or played against a USA Basketball team of NBA players and it will really help prepare me for the NBA."
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RICHARD JEFFERSON
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"It is a tremendous honor to have been selected to play on the USA Basketball National Team, and I look forward to joining the elite of the NBA as we represent our league and out nation in Puerto Rico. This is my proudest moment as a basketball player."
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USA SENIOR NATIONAL TEAM COMMITTEE CHAIR
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STU JACKSON QUOTES
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STU JACKSON ON ELTON BRAND
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"We are very pleased to have Elton Brand back on another USA Basketball team. His tremendous work ethic, leadership and international experience will be welcome additions to the senior national team. Elton provides us with another offensive low post scorer and a solid defensive presence in the frontcourt."
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STU JACKSON ON NICK COLLISON
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"Throughout recent years, Nick Collison has become one of the most loyal USA Basketball participants that the organization has ever seen. This loyalty, combined with his outstanding abilities as a frontcourt player, make him a fine addition to the senior national team. He gains respect with his hard-working attitude and as a tremendous teammate who has the talent to compete at the highest levels of international competition."
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STU JACKSON ON RICHARD JEFFERSON
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"Richard Jefferson brings talent, youth and enthusiasm to this team, and his abilities will strengthen USA Basketball at this summer's qualifying tournament and certainly in the years to come, as well. Jefferson is one of the finest young prospects in the NBA, and he will benefit greatly from the experience he will gain by playing for this prestigious team."
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출처-nba.com
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ㅈ...제퍼슨--?
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네.
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과연 이것이 진정한 드림팀인가,,,나와 엔비애이 사람들의 시각차가 이렇게 클줄이야,,ㅡㅡ
뭐..어차피 코비.앤써.티맥.던컨이면 절대 지지 않겠지만...왠지 꺼림직하군요..
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리차드슨은..별루..인데..더 완벽한 드림팀을 바랬는데...