02/10/2010 - 15:03
All-American Al
by
Matt Martino
For the first time in his NBA career, Al Jefferson will get an opportunity beginning this summer to represent his country and don The Stars and Stripes.
Big Al was one of 27 players named to the 27-player U.S. national team roster by USA Basketball on Wednesday.
"It is a tremendous honor to be selected to the 2010-2012 USA Basketball Men's National Team Program," Jefferson told NBA.com. "There is no greater feeling than representing your country in your sport at the highest level. I'm extremely grateful to the members of the selection committee, and I'm looking forward to working with Coach K, the entire coaching staff and all of my teammates."
No. 25 was expected to be offered the opportunity to play with Team USA following the last Olympic Games, but his knee injury put a hold on his plans. This time Al says he will be ready.
"I was in (Las) Vegas helping the team practice and they go off and wind up winning the (Olympic) gold medal the following year (in Beijing)," Big Al told FanHouse in October. "So I already have been part of it. Then I got hurt last year, and I couldn't do much."
The three-year commitment for each of the 27 players begins this summer as they prepare to compete in the FIBA World Championships. The United States has not won the gold at the World Championships since 1994.
"This is the group from which we will build our 2010 World Championship squad," USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo said. "We are taking the Worlds very seriously and know that this is the most important basketball competition in international basketball and it needs to be respected accordingly. We won gold at the 2008 Olympics because of the team we were able to assemble and build and we’ll all be hard at work to do that again, and finish on top in Turkey this summer."
All 27 players will also be candidates for the 2012 Olympics and other international competitions over the next three summers. Joining Al among the 27 will be Timberwolves teammate Kevin Love. The Wolves are one of only six teams to be represented by more than one player.
Al, Love and team president David Kahn will hold a 3:30 p.m. press conference at Target Center before tonight's game against Charlotte to discuss the selections.
WIN STREAK STALLS
The high-flying Timberwolves came down to earth on Tuesday as the Sixers brought Minnesota’s four-game winning streak to a screeching halt.
Big Al finished with a solid overall performance: 12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals despite only playing 25 minutes due to foul trouble.
The big fella, along with his head coach, was obviously discouraged after the game.
"It's not going to work out the way you want every night, but you do have control of whether you play hard," Al told the Star-Tribune. "And we didn't do that tonight."
Rambis chalked the loss up to youth and a lack of maintained focus.
"It's frustrating. It's disappointing. But am I surprised? No," coach Kurt Rambis added. "That's kind of what young teams do. They just can't hold on to the focus and intensity that it takes to win games. You have to be mentally prepared, and physically ready to give an effort. Our guys were just kind of going through the motions."
NEXT UP
Tonight, Minnesota (13-39) hosts the Charlotte Bobcats (25-25).
Minnesota and Charlotte will be meeting for the first time this season. Last season, Al was held to eight points in the only game he played against the Bobcats. He also added nine rebounds and tied a career-high with six blocks.
RELATED STORIES
Jefferson and Love to play for USA Basketball (NBA.com, February 10, 2010)
http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/Jefferson_and_Love_To_Play_For_USA_...
Wolves' good roll meets bad slide (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, February 10, 2010)
http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/83958297.html?page=1&c=y
Al Jefferson has sights on Team USA (FanHouse, October 8, 2009)
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/al-jefferson-has-sights-on-team-usa/
Jefferson, Love named to USA Basketball national team program (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, February 10, 2010)
http://www.startribune.com/blogs/On_the_Wolves.html
Timberwolves: Al Jefferson, Kevin Love candidates for 2012 Olympic team (Pioneer Press, February 10, 2010)
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_14372924?source=rss
Streaking 76ers beat Timberwolves, win fifth straight (AP, February 9, 2010)
http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=300209020
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