Nets Mason Plumlee officially a member of Team USA heading to Spain

By
Updated: August 23, 2014

The mission is now complete…….. the most remarkable story of Mason Plumlee’s Team USA rise from the Brooklyn Nets Summer League team in Orlando all the way to the Select Team to finally making Team USA’s final 12 man roster headed to Spain.  Simply Amazing!

Plumlee on making USA World Cup Roster: “I am thrilled to make the final roster. I can’t wait to represent Team USA in the World Cup.”

Plumlee used his normal hardnosed hustle and defense to make a indelible impression on all of USA Basketball’s coaches.  He has a blossoming mix of basketball IQ and extreme motor and athleticism that all Nets fans witnessed last season in Brooklyn first hand.  The world now gets to see this specimen go to work with his hard hat.

“It’s been a great experience, and whatever happens, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work out with the team,” Plumlee said after Team USA’s 112-86 exhibition victory over Puerto Rico at Madison Square Garden.

“I’m a mobile, athletic big that can get out, defend, play with energy and then just [I have] an understanding of the game, getting guys open, setting screens, rebounding,” Plumlee said. “Kinda doing the stuff big men should do. That’s what I tried to show them this time, and I hope that’s what they saw.”

Billy King on Plumlee: “We are very excited that Mason will represent Brooklyn on Team USA in the World Cup. There is no greater honor than to represent your country, and Mason has worked very hard the last two months to earn his place on the team.”

Members of the official 2014 USA Basketball World Cup Team:Mason Plumlee Team USA dunking

DeMarcus Cousins – Sacramento Kings
Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors
Anthony Davis – New Orleans Pelicans
DeMar DeRozan – Toronto Raptors
Andre Drummond – Detroit Pistons
Kenneth Faried – Denver Nuggets
Rudy Gay – Sacramento Kings
James Harden – Houston Rockets
Kyrie Irving – Cleveland Cavaliers
Mason Plumlee – Brooklyn Nets
Derrick Rose – Chicago Bulls
Klay Thompson – Golden State Warriors

“The first thing is we are very pleased with the overall effort of every player who was a part of the process,” said Mike Krzyzewski, USA head coach and Duke University’s Naismith Hall of Fame mentor. “To select twelve was difficult, because our pool is so good. As we go forward, we not only go forward as twelve, we go forward as a pool for USA Basketball. As a staff we want to thank the players who are not going forward.

“I’m excited about the 12 players selected and feel we have excellent versatility and the makings of a really good defensive team.”

Damian Lillard, Kyle Korver, Gordon Hayward and Chandler Parsons were the final cuts.

Schedule for Team USA:
The USA will complete its pre-World Cup exhibition tour on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Training Aug. 24-25, the U.S. will close out its exhibition tour on Aug. 26 facing Slovenia at Gran Canaria Arena.

The USA team will complete its training for the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Basketball World Cup Aug. 28-29 in Bilbao, Spain, the site of its World Cup preliminary round games.

Leave a Reply