callum barker tweeted he is going, but that's all I have seen so far

William McDowell-White is going

So, we are sending a team, great! Any change BA can promote it?

Article with the roster is on the ausa hoops site

List appears one player short, they usually take 12?
Great to see some Kiwis get a chance for this experience, also looks a much older team than last year!

Looking forward to see how WMW goes. Has been going good in the Qsbl against open age competition.

Who is coaching it ?

Randy Livingston..

Would be good to see maker!

Cool that Deng Adel is part of the team. Now if only Thon Maker would be a part of it.

If I can pose a couple of questions about this tour, I would like to know it's purpose for the Aussie team? Is it for development, or exposure to US college scouts, is it to reward those who just missed out on worlds at junior level or is there another reason we select this team? Is it just to take a team that can win against college bound athletes, because that's what many of the US teams are made up of?

Deng Adel - already heaps of exposure in the US HS system, great for him but what is the purpose in picking him ahead of kids here who have not had the opportunities he has had?

Keanu Pinder - already gone to this event previously and got heaps of minutes, he is a very lucky boy, but once again already college bound, so what's the point?

Will McDowell-White - great for Will, but I think he will go to football, maybe I am wrong!

etc, etc..

The players going should be congratulated, but my issue is about how and why these players are selected ahead of others who have not had the same exposure or are not already committed to college?

"Thon Maker has suited up for USA in previous Adidas nations, not sure if he is in this years squad."

Yeah, i remember people went crazy. "Oh no, he's forsaken Australia to play for America noooooo!" etc. I don't think where the people play really means anything. It's just a showcase.

Still think it would be cool to see Adel/Maker together in action.

So Tad D not in under 19s squad, not sure your info right.

Tad and Callum Barker are still in the U19 squad I think. The U17 obviously not available. Only the two CofE U19s not there. Probably due to BA funding limits more than anything.

@Vesta 90 is participation in under 19's at national level really that crucial to a player's college scholarship prospects? Some kids doing year 12 right now just want to focus on their studies and get the right score, surely that is more important?

If their basketball is good enough they will get offers, but if they don't qualify academically it is all just a waist of time for them regardless.

Timing of international basketball events isn't great for those in year 12 right now!

Kids definitely do not pay to go to Adidas nations. The AIS grants players mid-major offers almost guaranteed but for those kids wanting to go to bigger college exposure is needed.
Exum had two brilliant worlds and basically had his pick of colleges

#786 I would love to get my kid into Adidas Nations. Can you tell me who to contact so I can organise his invitation???

You have to be invited, generally by the head coach

Adidas Cover everything except for the air fares which are covered by the athletes. BA has no input except for endorsing it I imagine.

My kid went to Adidas Nations last year, everything funded, we did not pay one cent, great experience!

Team list.

Deng Adel
Deng Riak
Callum Barker
Keanu Pinder
Gabe Hadley
William Mcdowell-White
Tom Fullarton
Tad Dufelmeier
Matthew Freeman
Nikau McCullough
Jackson Stent

The squad was put together by the team at LivOn Basketball, led by Head Coach Randy Livingston.

Assistant coaches - Warren Rosen and Travis Russell

err you attend because you wanna ball... simple

it's also a develop camp

^ yes it probably is a "group" that selects these kids and make some profit out of it. so what?

*development

Livingston is involved in getting a Tassie team back in the NBL too apparently.

If that is true it is different from previous years when BA were involved, maybe BA have handed it over to private enterprise?

If that is the case it is all for show, not development!

Handed it over? It's as if the BA have a monopoly on everything basketball.. They govern the game not individuals or private enterprises. Anyone can register a team given they have the funds and have gone through all the correct avenues.

I'm sure the people organising it may have a monetary agenda, but to say it's only for show is naive. The kids participating would have both exposure and development as their primary objectives. There's also training and coaches feedback which in my eyes is developmental.


Also

"The Basketball Experience provides six days of expert training, drills, and games along with education and insight on off-court elements that are crucial to the success of a basketball career, such as nutrition, education, media training and community outreach."

http://www.adidasnations.com/history/

Btw - Apparently Thon Maker is wearing sneakers with American flags on them while playing. Doesn't mean anything though.

I'm wearing a LA hat right now. Not sure what it means?

"I'm wearing a LA hat right now. Not sure what it means?"

I was waiting for more 'Oooooooh nooooooo! He's forsaken Australia!' comments.

haha touché.. i support GSW they've sucked for years!


the LA Dodgers are alright :p

true. each to your own, I guess..

latest box score:

http://stats.statbroadcast.com/mobile/?id=57553

Will White lighting it up on the scoreboard.

Hmmm, Asia Pacific, really? Couldn't come up with something better for an ANZAC team than that!

So Africa, Europe and Central America are so much more imaginative. Some people have to try real hard to find something to knock.