Dynamic duos from Kansas, Duke and Michigan State account for half the roster of the 2000 USA World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team.
Jayhawks Nick Collison and Drew Gooden, Blue Devils Mike Dunleavy and Jason Williams and Spartans Jason Richardson and Zach Randolph all survived final cuts Friday following week-long tryouts in Miami, Fla.
The rest of the U.S. squad consists of Steve Blake, Maryland; Brian Cook, Illinois; Joe Johnson, Arkansas; Tayshaun Prince, Kentucky; Kenny Satterfield, Cincinnati; and Bobby Simmons, DePaul.
Players cut Friday were Duke’s Carlos Boozer, Cincinnati’s Steve Logan, UConn’s Johnnie Selvie and Michigan State’s Maurice Taylor.
“It means a lot,” Gooden said of the two KU sophomores advancing. “Nick and I are trying to develop a better chemistry together. I think we work well together. We are used to each other. It’s become second nature to us.”
The two have played on the same team during USA Basketball scrimmages the past four days.
“I think we’re both good players who have played hard and that’s probably why we made the team,” said Collison, playing for USA Basketball for the third time.
Gooden is making his debut.
“We both take pride in our all-around game,” Collison said. “I feel what we’ve learned about defense at Kansas has really been helpful.”
Former KU signee DeShawn Stevenson, a first-round pick of the Utah Jazz, signed a three-year deal worth as much as $2.67 million.
Playing defense and hustling usually pays off in all-star tryout situations.
“I’ve worked my butt off,” said Gooden, 6-foot-9 from Richmond, Calif. “I think making the team is a matter of hustle, defensive hustle, doing the little things coach (Roy) Williams taught me throughout my freshman season.
“I always had the mindset I never had the team made,” added Gooden, who has been slowed by a pulled left quadriceps muscle. “I kept thinking, ‘I’ve done nothing yet. There’s no insurance, no guarantee I’ll make the team.’ Making it is a big accomplishment. I won’t rate myself in the top 12 in the country, but this is an elite group.”
The U.S. players were to practice in Miami through Sunday before departing for Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, site of the 2000 Confederation of Pan American Basketball Associations World championship for Young Men Qualifying Tournament.
The top three teams from the tourney to be held Wednesday through Sunday will earn a berth to the 2001 FIBA World Championship for Young Men, set for next summer in Japan.
“I think we have a great chance,” said Collison, 6-9 from Iowa Falls, Iowa. “I think we have a lot of talent, maybe the best talent in the world.”
Argentina, Panama, Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico will join the U.S. at the tourney.
Collison was a member of the 1999 USA Men’s Junior National Select team that claimed a 107-95 victory over an international select team in the fifth-annual Nike Hoop Summit. He helped the USA Men’s Junior World Championship qualifying team to a gold medal and the 1999 USA Junior World team to a silver medal finish.
“Really they all are about the same you have a bunch of very talented and athletic guys,” Collison said. “This team may have a little more depth than the others I’ve been on. There’s not much difference between these guys. Top to bottom there is talent.”
Coach of the team is Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim.
“It’s been real competitive. He’s kept the practices short,” Collison said. “Like coach Williams, he wants you to play hard and smart.”
The players haven’t had much time off.
“We’ve not had time to have much fun. Through the whole day we’ve been practicing.,” Collison said. “We rest in our free time.”
“Maybe a little bit (free time) tomorrow,” Gooden noted. “He canceled our morning practice on Saturday.”
Boeheim was willing to reward the players because of their hard work all week. He likes the makeup of the U.S. squad.
“We’ve got 12 really good players,” the Syracuse coach said. “I think that 10 or 11 of these guys can play in the NBA, so we certainly have got enough talent. We don’t have that big post guy, but we have all the other ingredients. We have leadership and experience and we’ve got guys who can shoot the ball really well. This is a very strong USA Basketball team and I’m looking forward to taking them to Brazil.”
Boeheim is assisted by Houston coach Ray McCallum and Hofstra’s Jay Wright.
“Our chances are good,” Collison said. “Any time the U.S. goes over there, you have to say you have a chance.”
The U.S. will tip off tournament play Wednesday against Uruguay, followed by a Thursday contest against Panama. The team will conclude its preliminary-round games against Argentina on July 21.
The top two teams from each of two groups will advance to the medal semifinals, slated for next Saturday. The gold and bronze medal games will be contested next Sunday.
The U.S. qualified for the previous competition, which was initiated in 1993 as the FIBA 22 And Under World Championship and originally designed for men 22-years-old or younger.
FIBA lowered the age eligibility to 21 or younger in 1998 and changed the competition name to the World Championship for Young Men.
The winner of the FIBA 22 And Under World Championship gold medal in 1993 with an unblemished 8-0 record, the USA squad in 1997 finished in fifth place with a 6-2 record.
Recruiting note: Jamal Sampson, 6-10 of Santa Ana, Calif., tells Insider’s Report he will make a campus visit to KU this fall. He will visit Virginia on Sept. 23 and will also make trips to KU, UConn, North Carolina and Syracuse.
“I really like what Roy did in staying and being loyal,” Sampson told analyst Mike Sullivan. “If he had gone to North Carolina, there would be no doubt as to where I would have wanted to go UNC. But I am still looking hard at Kansas.”
NBA summer camps: Former Jayhawk Nick Bradford joins first-round draft pick and former KU signee DeShawn Stevenson on the 19-player summer league roster of the Utah Jazz. Jazz summer camp opens Monday and runs through the July 21-29 Rocky Mountain Review in Salt Lake City. Ex-Jayhawk Ryan Robertson will play for Sacramento’s summer league team during league play in Salt Lake City.