USA Basketball, Nike and the NBA Portland Trail Blazers today announced that the 13th annual Nike Hoop Summit will, for a third consecutive year, be held at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore. The Nike Hoop Summit, the country’s premier annual basketball game for high-school age boys, features America’s elite, young athletes playing against a World Select Team comprised of top international players 19-years-old or younger. The 2010 Nike Hoop Summit will be played on Saturday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. (PT).

Tickets are on sale now for the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit, with reserved courtside seats priced $25 and $50 and all other general admission tickets at $10. Tickets can be purchased through the Rose Quarter Ticket Office, by calling 877-789-ROSE (7673) or by visiting www.rosequarter.com.

“After attracting last year the largest crowd ever for the Nike Hoop Summit and having one of the most exciting games in the 12 years we’ve held the game, USA Basketball is excited to again return the Nike Hoop Summit to Portland,” said USA Basketball Executive Director/CEO Jim Tooley. “Portland and the surrounding communities have really embraced the Nike Hoop Summit, and in 2010 we will continue to build on the amazing legacy already established. We know from past games that both the USA and World teams for the Nike Hoop Summit will feature some of basketball’s biggest and most promising players, some of these players will certainly be collegiate and NBA stars in the future.

“It is the competitive intensity demonstrated by the players from both sides that makes the Nike Hoop Summit so unique. This is not an all-star game. It’s an opportunity for the USA’s and the world’s best 18 and 19 year-olds to compete at the highest level under international rules in a one-game, crowd-pleasing rivalry,” Tooley added.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting the Nike Hoop Summit for a third consecutive year and couldn’t ask for better partners than USA Basketball and Nike,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “It’s a great chance for fans to come and watch the next generation of NBA players and we’re proud that so many people in the community have embraced this event.”

The Nike Hoop Summit in 2010 will make its third consecutive appearance in Portland and the Rose Garden. In front of a Nike Hoop Summit record crowd of 11,246, the USA was handed a 97-89 setback in the 2009 Nike Hoop Summit. Overall, USA teams are 9-3 in 12 previous Hoop Summit match-ups.

Held annually from 1995-2000, the Nike Hoop Summit was resumed in 2004 after a three year hiatus. In 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2004, the Nike Hoop Summit was held in the city hosting the men’s NCAA Final Four, and then at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., from 2005 through 2007.

The 2010 USA Basketball Junior National Select Team roster is expected to be announced in early January, with the 2010 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, 99 former USA and World Select Team members have been drafted by NBA teams, including 11 players in 2009 and 13 players in the 2008 draft.

Seven of the first 20 NBA Draft choices in 2009 were Nike Hoop Summit participants. Tyreke Evans was selected No. 4, while Jonny Flynn was No. 5, DeMar DeRozan was No. 9, Gerald Henderson was No. 12 and Tyler Hansbrough was chosen No. 13. 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.

Since the first Nike Hoop Summit in 1995, three Hoop Summit alumni have been chosen No. 1 in the NBA Draft, while five have been selected with the No. 2 pick, and all told, 32 players have been selected among the first 10 draftees.

As of December 14, 2009, 53 former USA players and 15 former World team members are active in the NBA. The Trail Blazers’ roster alone features four Hoop Summit alumni, including U.S. players Jerryd Bayless and Martell Webster and World Team players Nicolas Batum and Patrick Mills.

Some additional American NBA standouts boasting of Hoop Summit experience include: Ron Artest (Los Angeles Lakers); Shane Battier (Houston Rockets); Michael Beasley (Miami Heat); Elton Brand (Philadelphia 76ers); Baron Davis (Los Angeles Clippers); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Monta Ellis (Golden State Warriors); Tyreke Evans (Sacramento Kings); Kevin Garnett (Boston Cetlics); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Tyler Hansbrough (Indiana Pacers); Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks); Rashard Lewis (Orlando Magic); O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); J.R. Smith (Denver Nuggets); Josh Smith (Atlanta Hawks); Martell Webster (Portland Trail Blazers); Brandan Wright (Golden State Warriors); and Thaddeus Young (Philadelphia 76ers).

World Hoop Summit alums now playing for NBA teams include: Alexis Ajinca (Charlotte Bobcats); Andrea Bargnani (Toronto Raptors); Omri Casspi (Sacramento Kings); Dan Gadzuric (Milwaukee Bucks); Yi Jianlian (New Jersey Nets); Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks); Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs); Vladimir Radmanovic (Golden State Warriors); Sergio Rodriguez (Sacramento Kings); Mouhamed Saer Sene (Oklahoma City Thunder); Luis Scola (Houston Rockets); Darius Songaila (New Orleans Hornets) and Roko Leni Ukic (Milwaukee Bucks).

Additionally, 28 former Hoop Summit players are currently competing on the collegiate level, including 21 past U.S. players and seven former world team athletes. Four members of the Duke University Blue Devils are Hoop Summit alums -Mason Plumlee (2009), Jon Scheyer (2006), Kyle Singler (2007) and Nolan Smith (2007). Four schools feature three Hoop Summit alums, including Kentucky, DeMarcus Cousins (2009), Patrick Patterson (2007) and John Wall (2009); North Carolina, Ed Davis (2008), John Henson (2009) and Leslie McDonald (2009); Tennessee, Scotty Hopson (2008), world team member Emmanuel Negedu (2008) and J.P. Prince (2005); and UCLA, Jerime Anderson (2008), Malcolm Lee (2008) and Mike Moser (2009). Also playing collegiately are Al-Farouq Aminu (2008) at Wake Forest, Avery Bradley (2009) at Texas, Abdul Gaddy (2009) at Washington, Xavier Henry (2009) at Kansas, Vernon Macklin (2006) at Florida and Greg Monroe (2008) at Georgetown.

World Team alums in addition to Negedu playing at an American college or university include: Solomon Alabi (2007) at Florida State; Ben Allen (2005) at Saint Mary’s; Angel Garcia (2008) at Memphis; Devoe Joseph (2008) at Minnesota; Samardo Samuels (2008) at Louisville and Marvell Waithe (2006) at Tallahassee Community College (has signed to attend Arkansas in 2010-11).

2010 Nike Hoop Summit Quick Facts

Date: Saturday, April 10, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m. (PT)
Site: Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon
Ticket Information: Tickets on sale Dec. 15, with reserved courtside seats priced $25 and $50 and all other general admission tickets at $10. Tickets can be purchased through the Rose Quarter Ticket Office, by calling 877-789-ROSE (7673) or by visiting www.rosequarter.com.
USA Team: A 10-man team comprised of top high-school age players selected by USA Basketball.
World Team: An 11-man team comprised of top 19-year-old and younger players from around the world.
Series History: The USA owns a 9-3 advantage in the Hoop Summit series, having earned victories in 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2000, 1999, 1997 and 1995; while the World Team won in 2009, 1998 and 1996.

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.