2012 Nike Hoop Summit Returns to Rose Garden on April 7

Courtesy of our friends at USA Basketball:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 27, 2012) –Tickets for the 2012 Nike Hoop Summit, which will be played at 7 p.m. (PDT) on April 7, 2012, at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., today went on sale, with general admission still just $5 when purchased in advance and $10 on game day. Reserved courtside seating is $25 and $50, and tickets can be purchased through the Rose Quarter Ticket Office, by calling 877-789-ROSE (7673) or by visiting www.rosequarter.com. or www.nikehoopsummit.com.

The Nike Hoop Summit, which has been held at the Rose Garden in Portland since 2008, will be televised nationally by Fox Sports Net and its regional affiliates.

“We are looking forward to another fantastic game, and we are proud to offer tickets at a very affordable price,” said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball Executive Director/CEO. “The Nike Hoop Summit has proved itself as a must-see event, and we look forward to the Portland community once again supporting this game.”
The Nike Hoop Summit, the country’s premier annual basketball game for high-school age boys, features America’s top high school seniors playing against a World Select Team comprised of top international players 19-years-old or younger.

In 2011, led by 20 points from Austin Rivers, the USA Junior National Select Team overcame the first triple-double in Nike Hoop Summit history to secure a 92-80 win. While four U.S. players scored in double-digits and all 10 USA team members put points on the board, the World Team’s Bismack Biyombo tallied 12 points, 11 rebounds and a Nike Hoop Summit record 10 blocked shots.

Held annually from 1995-2000, the Nike Hoop Summit was resumed in 2004 after a three year hiatus. In 1998 (San Antonio, Texas), 1999 (Tampa, Fla.), 2000 (Indianapolis, Ind.) and 2004 (San Antonio, Texas), the Nike Hoop Summit was held in the city hosting the men’s NCAA Final Four. Between 2005-2007 it was staged at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

The 2012 USA Basketball Junior National Select Team roster will be selected by the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team Committee and is expected to be announced in the next few weeks, with the 2012 World Select Team announcement to follow in March. The USA Junior National Select Team will consist of 10 players, a head coach and an assistant coach, while the World Select Team will consist of 11 players age 19-years-old or younger from FIBA’s five geographic zones: FIBA Africa, FIBA Americas, FIBA Asia, FIBA Europe and FIBA Oceania, with the approved sanctioning of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the world governing body of international basketball.

Nike Hoop Summit History

The premiere event for high-school age players, an incredible 125 former USA and World Select Team members have been drafted by NBA teams, including 15 players in 2011.

Since the first Nike Hoop Summit in 1995, five hoop summit alumni have been chosen No. 1 in the draft, while five have been selected with the No. 2 pick, and all told, 41 players have been selected with the first 10 picks.

In the 2011 NBA Draft the No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers was Kyrie Irving, who helped the USA to a comeback win in 2010. The Utah Jazz selected former World Team member Enes Kanter at No. 3, followed by Tristan Thompson at No. 4, Bismack Biyombo at No. 7 and Brandon Knight at No. 8.

The first selection in 2010 by the Washington Wizards was John Wall, who participated in the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit, and the top three picks in the 2008 NBA Draft were Hoop Summit alums, including Derrick Rose as the No. 1 pick by Chicago, Michael Beasley at No. 2 by Miami and O.J. Mayo at No. 3 by Minnesota. Additional No. 1 picks include World Team alumni Andrea Bargnani by the Toronto Raptors in 2006 and the USA’s Elton Brand by the Chicago Bulls in 1999.

Four players from the Nike Hoop Summit have gone on to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors, including Elton Brand, who shared the honor in 2000, as well as Tyreke Evans (2009-10), Derrick Rose (2008-09) and Kevin Durant (2007-08).

As of Jan. 25, 2012, 63 former USA players and 17 former World team members were active in the NBA.

Additionally, 33 former Hoop Summit players are currently competing on the collegiate level, including 26 past U.S. players and seven former World team athletes.

North Carolina tops the list with six current members having played for the USA in the Nike Hoop Summit, including Harrison Barnes (2010), Reggie Bullock (2010), John Henson (2009), Kendall Marshall (2010), James McAdoo (2011) and Leslie McDonald (2009). Kentucky features five Hoop Summit alumni, including Anthony Davis (2011), Michael Gilchrist (2011), Terrence Jones (2010), Marquis Teague (2011) and World Team member Kyle Wiltjer (2011); while Duke lists three hoop summit players, including Quinn Cook (2011), Mason Plumlee (2009) and Austin Rivers (2011).
Teams featuring two Nike Hoop Summit alumni include: Florida with Bradley Beal (2011) and Patric Young (2010); Memphis with Will Barton (2010) and Adonis Thomas (2011); and Washington with Abdul Gaddy (2009) and Tony Wroten (2011).

Also playing collegiately are, Jerime Anderson (2008) at UCLA, Rakeem Christmas (2011) at Syracuse, Drew Gordon (2008) at New Mexico, Meyers Leonard (2010) at Illinois, Mike Moser (2009) at UNLV, Renardo Sidney (2009) at Mississippi State and Jared Sullinger (2010) at Ohio State.

In addition to Wiltjer, World Team alums playing at an American college or university include: Duje Dukan (2010) at Wisconsin; Devoe Joseph (2008) at Oregon; Rob Loe (2010) at Saint Louis; Kevin Pangos at Gonzaga; Torgrim Sommerfeldt at Manhattan College; and Marvell Waithe (2006) at Arkansas.

USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions.

Since 2008, USA Basketball men’s and women’s teams have compiled a sterling 134-6 win-loss record in FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions. USA teams are the current men’s and women’s champions of the Olympics and the FIBA World Championships; FIBA women’s U19 world champions; the men’s and women’s title holders for the FIBA U17 World Championships; and the men’s and women’s U18 and U16 FIBA Americas champions. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA’s world ranking categories, including combined, men’s, women’s, boys and girls.

Connect with USA Basketball on facebook.com/usabasketball, twitter.com/usabasketball and www.youtube.com/therealusabasketball.