Showalter adds trio to nine U16 Americas champs for U17 roster

COLORADO SPRINGS (FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018) – USA head coach Don Showalter has named his roster for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018, adding three players to a nine-man group that captured the FIBA U16 Americas Championship 2017.

The new trio of players heading to Rosario and Santa Fe, Argentina for the June 30-Jul 8 tournament are Evan Mobley, who made the team in his first USA Basketball training camp; Isaac Okoro, who was at the training camp ahead of the 2017 U16 Americas tournament; and Isaiah Stewart, who was at the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team October minicamps in 2016 and 2017.

One of the players who was not included on the USA team was big man James Wiseman, who is considered the number one player in the USA high school junior class rankings but is out injured.

"First of all, it was very difficult to get down to 12," said Showalter, who started the training camp at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs on June 15 with 30 players and trimmed the squad to 18 players on June 18. "We feel the 12 that we have fit what we need, versatility. They can play different positions. We got some shooters. We got some slashers. So, I think the 12 we have kind of has the whole package for us.”

The United States, who have won all four of the previous U17 World Cups in undefeated fashion, have been drawn into Group B with China, Mali and Serbia. Showalter will work with his team until June 23 when they will travel to Argentina for the competition.

FIBA