USA Men’s National Team training camp opens in Las Vegas

DeMarcus Cousins’ road to the USA Men’s National Team opens today in Las Vegas at the Mendenhall Center.  He joins a group of 19 players fighting for a chance to represent their country in this summer’s World Championships in Spain.  Once a long shot to make the team, Cousins controls his own destiny this time around with stars like LeBron James, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge and Chris Bosh all missing the competition this time around.

Cousins will have to impress managing director Jerry Colangelo, as well as head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his assistants Jim Boeheim, Monty Williams and Tom Thibodeau, if he hopes to make the team.

“We have a bunch of young guys we can look at while we’re there,” Colangelo told ESPN. “I think this just opens up an opportunity for Cousins, Drummond and Faried. We also have players who can play two or three positions. So we can throw a lot of different combinations and lineups out there.”

Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap was a late addition to the team, getting the call over the weekend to help support a young front line.  The group of 19 will work alongside the Select Team over the next four days, before the team is paired down to the 12 that will represent the USA later this summer.

After Las Vegas, the team will travel to Chicago for training August 14-15, before taking on Brazil in an exhibition game on August 16.  Team USA has three additional exhibition games scheduled during the month of August against the Dominican Republic (Aug. 20), Puerto Rico (Aug. 22) and Slovenia (Aug. 26), before flying to Spain for the World Championships (Aug. 30-Sep. 14).

2014 USA Basketball Men’s National Team Training Roster

• Bradley Beal (Washinton Wizards)

• DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings)

• Steph Curry (Golden State Warrior)

• Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)

• DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors)

• Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons)

• Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)

• Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets)

• Paul George (Indiana Pacers)

• James Harden (Houston Rockets)

• Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz)

• Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers)

• Kyle Korver (Atlanta Hawks)

• Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)

• Paul Millsap (Atlanta Hawks)

• Chandler Parsons (Dallas Mavericks)

• Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)

• Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors)

• John Wall (Washington Wizards)

2014 USA Basketball Select Team

• Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors)

• Trey Burke (Utah Jazz)

• Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)

• Tim Hardaway Jr. (New York Knicks)

• Tobias Harris (Orlando Magic)

• Doug McDermott (Chicago Bulls)

• Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic)

• Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets)

• Miles Plumlee (Phoenix Suns)

• Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics)

• Dion Waiters (Cleveland Cavaliers)

• Cody Zeller (Charlotte Hornets)