By JACK LeGWIN
Special to ZAGSBLOG
SUWANEE, Ga. — Daniel Giddens leaves Wednesday to join the USA Basketball Developmental National Team mini-camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., and he can’t wait to get started.
“I’m blessed to be a part of the program,” Giddens told SNY.tv at the Nike Memorial Invitational over the weekend. “I fly out on Wednesday to practice, and to be there for final cuts. It’s a great experience and I’m blessed to play with the best.”
A 6-foot-10 center out of Atlanta (Ga.) Wheeler, Giddens is hoping to make the 2013 USA U16 National Team, which will compete in the FIBA Americas Championship next month in Uruguay. If the U.S. qualifies, the team will also compete in the 2014 USA U17 World Championship.
Giddens also had a solid weekend in Suwanee, leading Game Elite with Jaylen Brown and Avery Patterson to the 17U championship before losing to Perry Dozier Jr.’s Upward Stars team in the final.
A five-star recruit and ranked seventh in the nation in the Class of 2015 by Rivals.com, Giddens has been raking in the offers recently and lists Louisville, North Carolina, UCLA, Arizona, Georgia, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Texas and Maryland as schools who have extended a scholarship his way. Louisville and Arizona were the most recent additions.
“The schools that I have heard the most from are the hometown schools for the most part, Georgia, Georgia Tech,” he said. “I have seen a lot from Florida as well.”
Perhaps most importantly, Giddens feels like he has improved quite drastically after attending the Adidas Nations Camp in Miami.
“Miami was my second Adidas Nations session, and I feel like I’ve learned more in that session than I have learned in a year,” Giddens said. “We’re training with all of the good pros, with Andre Drummond, as well as a host of other pro players. Learning from the best helps make you the best.”
Here is the 2013-14 USA Men’s Developmental National Team Roster
| NO | NAME |
POS
|
HGT
|
WGT
|
DOB
|
YOG
|
SCHOOL | HOMETOWN |
| 57 | Edrice Adebayo |
F/C
|
6-8
|
225
|
07/18/97
|
2016
|
Northside H.S. | Gatesville, NC |
| 28 | Lonzo Ball |
G
|
6-4
|
165
|
10/27/97
|
2016
|
Chino Hills H.S. | Chino Hills, CA |
| 49 | Tyus Battle |
G
|
6-5
|
170
|
09/23/97
|
2016
|
Gill St. Bernard’s School | Edison, NJ |
| 58 | Thomas Bryant |
F
|
6-9
|
210
|
07/31/97
|
2015
|
Bishop Kearney H.S. | Rochester,NY |
| 44 | Amir Coffey |
G
|
6-6
|
150
|
06/17/97
|
2016
|
Hopkins H.S. | New Hope, MN |
| 45 | Bryant Crawford |
G
|
6-2
|
179
|
03/21/97
|
2015
|
Gonzaga College H.S. (DC) | Kensington, MD |
| 20 | Eric Davis |
G
|
6-3
|
161
|
05/26/97
|
2015
|
Arthur Hill H.S. | Saginaw, MI |
| 59 | Henry Ellenson |
F/C
|
6-9
|
250
|
01/13/97
|
2015
|
Rice Lake H.S. | Rice Lake, WI |
| 29 | Terrance Ferguson |
G
|
6-6
|
170
|
05/17/97
|
2016
|
Prime Prep Academy | Flower Mound, TX |
| 60 | Daniel Giddens |
F/C
|
6-10
|
225
|
07/04/97
|
2015
|
Wheeler H.S. | Mableton, GA |
| 61 | Harry Giles |
F
|
6-9
|
210
|
04/22/98
|
2016
|
Wesleyan Christian Academy | Winston-Salem, NC |
| 30 | Quentin Goodin |
G
|
6-2
|
175
|
09/03/97
|
2016
|
Taylor County H.S. | Campbellsville, KY |
| 36 | Jessie Govan |
F
|
6-9
|
255
|
07/25/97
|
2015
|
St. Mary’s High School | Queens Village, NY |
| 50 | Mustapha Heron |
G
|
6-4
|
190
|
12/12/97
|
2016
|
Wilbraham & Monson Academy | West Haven, CT |
| 51 | Josh Jackson |
G/F
|
6-6
|
175
|
02/10/97
|
2016
|
Consortium College Prep | Southfield, MI |
| 34 | Derrick Jones |
F
|
6-6
|
180
|
02/15/97
|
2015
|
Arch Bishop Carroll H.S. | Marcus Hook, PA |
| 52 | V.J. King |
G/F
|
6-6
|
175
|
01/22/97
|
2016
|
St. Vincent – St. Mary H.S. | Akron, OH |
| 53 | Joshua Langford |
G/F
|
6-5
|
198
|
01/15/97
|
2016
|
Madison Academy | Huntsville, AL |
| 54 | T.J. Leaf |
F
|
6-8
|
200
|
04/30/97
|
2016
|
Foothills Christian H.S. | Lakeside, CA |
| 46 | Malik Monk |
G
|
6-3
|
170
|
02/04/98
|
2016
|
East Poinsett County H.S. | Lepanto, AR |
| 47 | Malik Newman |
G
|
6-4
|
185
|
02/21/97
|
2015
|
Callaway H.S. | Jackson, MS |
| 23 | Payton Pritchard |
G
|
6-0
|
170
|
01/28/98
|
2016
|
West Linn HS | West Linn, OR |
| 62 | Ivan Rabb |
F
|
6-10
|
210
|
02/04/97
|
2015
|
Bishop O’Dowd H.S. | Oakland, CA |
| 24 | Devearl Ramsey |
F
|
5-10
|
170
|
05/17/97
|
2016
|
Sierra Canyon H.S. | Los Angeles, CA |
| 35 | Kobi Simmons |
G
|
6-4
|
170
|
07/04/97
|
2016
|
St. Francis H.S. | Alpharetta, GA |
| 63 | Horace Spencer |
F
|
6-9
|
200
|
01/31/97
|
2015
|
William Tennent H.S. | Warminster, PA |
| 66 | Diamond Stone |
F/C
|
6-10
|
254
|
02/10/97
|
2015
|
Dominican H.S. | Milwaukee, WI |
| 55 | Jayson Tatum |
G
|
6-7
|
175
|
03/03/98
|
2016
|
Chaminade College Prep | St. Louis, MO |
| 21 | Derryck Thornton |
G
|
6-2
|
160
|
05/30/97
|
2016
|
Findlay Prep (NV) | Simi Valley, CA |
| 48 | D.J. Williams |
F
|
6-7
|
186
|
03/20/97
|
2015
|
Simeon Career Academy | Chicago, IL |
| 22 | Seventh Woods |
G
|
6-2
|
170
|
08/07/98
|
2016
|
Hammond School | Columbia, SC |
