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By ROBERT GUNDRAN
Cronkite News
PHOENIX — Despite an injury and missed games, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has posted career highs in points, rebounds and assists in his third NBA season. Team USA took note and invited the young star to its 35-man roster for international competition through 2020.
Team USA Basketball announced the roster for the men’s national team, including stalwarts such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Just 21, Booker was the youngest player named to the rosterand was one of five new additions.
USA Basketball Men’s National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo and Team USA Head Coach Gregg Popovich both said they picked Booker because of his youth and what he’s shown in the past.
“He’s one of the outstanding young players in the league,” Colangelo said. “We’re projecting where these players might be a year or two from now. He’s one of the young guys that we decided we want to take a real good look at.”
Booker was on the 2016 USA Basketball Select Team that trained and played scrimmages against the USA National Team.
“He was with the team last summer that participated with the group and scrimmaged against the Olympic team and he played really well,” Popovich said. “He’s not just a talented player. He’s a heck of a competitor.”
Booker has been nursing a hand injury late in the season, but Popovich didn’t express any concern in it affecting his play.
“Down the line you expect him to improve and show the great play we’ve seen, despite the injuries he’s had,” Popovich said.
Team USA doesn’t have any scheduled competitions for 2018, but with the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China and 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo looming, they plan to meet for a short mini-camp in Las Vegas over the summer.
They’ll meet at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center from July 25-27 for daily practices. It will be Popovich’s first time meeting with this 35-man roster, which he’ll have to whittle down to 12 players for the World Cup and Olympics.
“As anyone might imagine, this is quite an honor and humbling experience to be involved with USA Basketball and this group of players,” Popovich said.
“It’s quite a thought when you think about being on the court with all these players. It’s quite a brotherhood. The culture has been established already. To see that in action in Vegas this summer is going to be quite exciting,” he added.
Booker has the opportunity to be the first Suns player since Amar’e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion to make an Olympic squad.
Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum, Los Angeles Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas, Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner are the other four set to play under the Team USA banner for the first time.
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