Griffin & Gordon to attend Team USA minicamp

[mkwest]

July 15, 2009

This is officially an "off day" for the Clippers' Las Vegas Summer League team; however, they will stay hard at work, meeting for a mid-day practice at Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV.

The Clippers' "G-Men" - rookie Blake Griffin and second year guard Eric Gordon - will get a full dose of the dry desert heat this month. They will stay on the Vegas strip well after their week of work for the Clippers during the Summer League. Each has been chosen to participate on the USA Select team that will be working out here from July 22-25. Griffin, Gordon and 23 other young pros will be participating in the 2009 USA Basketball Men’s National Team mini-camp. It’s a worthy honor and both are looking forward to it.

Ralph Lawler, Lawler's Law

It was reported a little over a month ago that Blake would be one of the 25 participants in the USA minicamp. Today, Ralph said that Gordon would be joining him next week. Other players that are playing as well are: Durant, Roy, Rose, Mayo, Aldridge, Love and Lopez.

I haven't seen anything official with Gordon's name on it, so I'm not totally sure, but Ralph should know. If it is true, I think it is a great opportunity for them to both to play against some of the best young players in the league, as well as getting to know each other's game better.

[Forte IV]

Ralph should know since he did make the uniforms I believe for the team last year.

[loflin3hree5ive]

Hell yeah, EJ.

[brucecanplayo]

seriously if they are going to choose a clipper to play for USA it should be ricky davis he deserves it the most

[ClipperDomination]

seriously if they are going to choose a clipper to play for USA it should be ricky davis he deserves it the most

I'm speechless to this comment.


Anyways, kudos to both EJ and BG!

[thanumba2clippersfan]

Hopefully this will raise Blake's and EJ's game for next season. They are getting a chance to practice with the best players in the league.

[mkwest]

Minicamp roster filling out for Vegas

Unsettled contract situations will keep David Lee, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Glen "Big Baby" Davis from taking part in Team USA's minicamp in Las Vegas next week.

The tentative roster now stands at 23 after invitations were extended to Anthony Randolph of Golden State and Eric Gordon of the Los Angeles Clippers.

The team will assemble Wednesday with coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has agreed to coach Team USA at the 2010 World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London, and will practice Thursday and Friday under the direction of Toronto Raptors coach Jay Triano before holding a public scrimmage Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

As of Friday, the other camp attendees are Trevor Ariza (Houston), D.J. Augustin (Charlotte) Jerryd Bayless (Portland), Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap (Utah), Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City), Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo (Memphis), Danny Granger (Indiana), Blake Griffin (L.A. Clippers), Devin Harris and Brook Lopez (New Jersey), Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young (Philadelphia), Kevin Love (Minnesota), Greg Oden (Portland), Derrick Rose (Chicago) and Josh Smith (Atlanta).

Team USA director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN.com earlier this year that he has received verbal commitments in February from all eight core members of the Beijing Olympic team -- LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Deron Williams -- to play for the U.S. next summer in Turkey.

Chris Sheridan, ESPN

[mkwest]

Gordon may not have been 1 of the first 25, but it is good that he is one of the 2 who they extended invitations to after the other 4 dropped out. These 23 players will likely be playing for one of the final 4 rosters spots for the 2010 World Championships. As of right now, I think the only lock is Durant, but it would be nice to see at least one of Griffin or Gordon represent the US and the Clippers in international play.

[mj_shoefanatic]

Glad to see our "G-men" get some Team USA recognition.