USA 33 - 33 at the half

[AAADog]

I do not understand the way USA Basketball picked the players for the Pan American Games. The other countries used their national teams, including professionals, while USA Basketball limited themselves to 2nd tier college players and a high school player. Why didn't USA basketball use professional players? It would have been easier, schedule-wise, to get them, and they would have been matched against the national teams of the other countries. I have not seen any reasonable explanation for the way they did it. It looks like someone dropped the ball.

 

[UConnCat]

I do not understand the way USA Basketball picked the players for the Pan American Games. The other countries used their national teams, including professionals, while USA Basketball limited themselves to 2nd tier college players and a high school player. Why didn't USA basketball use professional players? It would have been easier, schedule-wise, to get them, and they would have been matched against the national teams of the other countries. I have not seen any reasonable explanation for the way they did it. It looks like someone dropped the ball.

I don't think anyone necessarily dropped any balls. The USA hasn't used professional players in the Pan Am games since 1999. In both 2003 and 2007 the USA teams were comprised of the top college players. The professional players are over in Europe and elsewhere playing for their overseas teams.

The issue here is really one of timing. In past years the Pan Am games were played during the summer (July and August) when college players didn't have commitments to schools and their collegiate teams. This year, not only are the Pan Am games being held in October after the start of collegiate practice, but the games are also occurring within a few weeks of the World University Games. Understandably, the best collegiate players (and their coaches) preferred the timing of the WUGs. There's no question that the USA's gold-medal winning team in the WUGs would have fared much better than the current Pan Am team. Something had to give and this year it was the Pan Am games. Oh well.

 

[MarieM]

breanna stewart is averaging 16 & 16 and 2.5 blocks!!!!!! in the pan am games as of right now

 

[Kevin G]

breanna stewart is averaging 16 & 16 and 2.5 blocks!!!!!! in the pan am games as of right now

WOW! This girl is going to be something special

 

[magical2]

breanna stewart is averaging 16 & 16 and 2.5 blocks!!!!!! in the pan am games as of right now

She is a 17 year old! A SR in High School, 3 years younger than everyone else on the USA Team, and she is going to be Signing a Letter of Intent to us in about 2 weeks She is a "Baby Huskie."
On the subject of recruiting,Breanna/"Baby Huskie"/KLM. It would be nice if we had a clone of KLM to commit early and do her "recruiting" for the classes of 13 and 14. Special kids like KLM, have the "it" factor! Not only are they elite,but they are smart,very out going,connect so very well with others.They also get the bigger picture that it takes other players to be a Special TEAM. They not only want to commit to their school,but be a RECRUITER! They have certain unique advantages that the Coaching Staff do not have. We hear she has a connection with DD! I hope that "helps" us get DD, the earlier the better. Re: Reimer I hope we get him and he has that special personality. Reimer has played and been around the kids we are now going after in the classes of 13 and 14! #1 Russell,#9 Tucker, # 15 Mavunga, as examples in the 2013 class The kids who were trying out for the USA 16 team and those who were on it amongst other connections the circle of elite players spend time playing basketball with and against for years The subject of how many elite level kids you can have willing to play roles that USA team members accept is a legitimate question and issue.

 

[Georgestarr7]

14points and 11rebounds and 1 block

and only 2 PF's while playing virtually the whole game

 

[Icebear]

She(Breanna) is a 17 year old! A SR in High School, 3 years younger than everyone else on the USA Team, and she is going to be Signing a Letter of Intent to us in about 2 weeks She is a "Baby Huskie."

On the subject of recruiting,Breanna/"Baby Huskie"/KLM. It would be nice if we had a clone of KLM to commit early and do her "recruiting" for the classes of 13 and 14.

Special kids like KLM, have the "it" factor! Not only are they elite,but they are smart,very out going,connect so very well with others.They also get the bigger picture that it takes other players to be a Special TEAM. They not only want to commit to their school,but be a RECRUITER! They have certain unique advantages that the Coaching Staff do not have. We hear she has a connection with DD! I hope that "helps" us get DD, the earlier the better.

Re: Reimer I hope we get him (you mean her) and (s)he has that special personality. Reimer has played and been around the kids we are now going after in the classes of 13 and 14! #1 Russell,#9 Tucker, # 15 Mavunga, as examples in the 2013 class

The kids who were trying out for the USA 16 team and those who were on it amongst other connections the circle of elite players spend time playing basketball with and against for years

The subject of how many elite level kids you can have willing to play roles that USA team members accept is a legitimate question and issue.

Edited for readability.