With a roster full of international players valued by their countriesβ basketball federations, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd has noted that many Wildcats will be off this summer doing βnational team stuff.β
Now, he will be too.
Lloyd was named a court coach for USA Basketballβs U18 Americas team on Friday, meaning he will help run drills and scrimmages during its training camp later this month before the FIBA U18 Americas Championship in early June.
Lloyd will be joined by Colgateβs Matt Langel and SMUβs Rob Lanier as court coaches while Coloradoβs Tad Boyle was named the U18 teamβs head coach. Boyleβs two assistants will be Boise Stateβs Leon Rice, a close friend of Lloydβs from their days together on the Gonzaga staff, and Oklahoma Stateβs Mike Boynton Jr.
USA Basketballβs training camp is scheduled to be held in Houston May 26 through June 1, while the location of the U18 Americas Championship has not been formally announced. A FIBA calendar said it was set for Tijuana, Baja California.
For Lloyd, the chance to join the USA Basketball system is not only an opportunity for professional development but also a potential recruiting advantage. Nearly all of Lloydβs international players and recruiting targets have grown up involved with their own national team programs, while domestic four- and five-star targets routinely pass through USA Basketballβs junior programs.
Former UA coach Sean Miller began a USA Basketball stint when he was named a court coach for the 2011 World University Games team, then he became an assistant coach for the U18 Americas team in 2014.
A year later, when Billy Donovan stepped down as U19 head coach because he was taking over the NBAβs Oklahoma City Thunder, Miller took over and wound up leading USA Basketball to a gold medal in the FIBA World Cup, and later was named USA Basketball menβs coach of the year.
The 2022 U18 Americas Championship is a qualifier for the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup. The U.S. won gold at the 2018 FIBA U18 Americas Championship and during eight of the 10 other FIBA Americas U18 Championships since the event began in 1990. Normally held every other year, the U18 Americas Championship was not held in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns.
USA Basketball is expected to announce the players invited to the 2022 training camp next week. In order to compete for FIBA U18 events, players must be 18 or younger on Jan. 1 of the year of competition.
Borovicanin making official visit
Since heβs already signed a letter-of-intent to play for the Wildcats next season, incoming freshman guard Filip Borovicanin of Serbia is using his official visit this weekend instead to simply become acquainted with his new home.
After arriving Thursday, Borovicanin (pronounced Boro-veech-an-in) posted an Instagram story of the view from the Westin La Paloma resort. He is also expected to tour Arizonaβs facilities and develop a plan for his transition to college.
Borovicanin will return to Serbia after the visit but is expected to be back in Tucson at some point this summer to enroll and join the Wildcats for offseason workouts.
Harris, Frazier pick up UA degrees
Former Wildcats Donnell Harris and Lamont Frazier will be included in Arizonaβs student-athlete convocation on May 12 after picking up UA degrees with assistance from the Cats Forever program for former athletes who return to finish school.
Former Wildcat Donnell Harris, part of the 1997 NCAA title team, has picked up his UA degree.
Harris played for the Wildcats from 1995-96 through 1997-98, becoming a key reserve forward for the Wildcatsβ 1997 national championship team. Frazier played for the Wildcats in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons, becoming a key reserve on UAβs 2001 national runner-up team.
Terry impresses in workout
ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz tweeted that he was impressed with UA guard Dalen Terryβs energy during a predraft workout with LSUβs Tari Eason, UCLAβs Peyton Watson and Indianaβs Trayce Jackson-Davis on Thursday in Southern California.
βDalen Terry immediately raises the level of competition when he walks in the gym,β Schmitz tweeted Friday. βFull of energy. Was defending, talking trash, making shots, finding teammates.β
Terry is testing the NBA Draft and keeping open the option to return to Arizona as a junior next season. He has been under consideration for an invitation to the NBA Combine later this month, though the participant list is not yet finalized, and has until June 1 to decide if he will stay in the draft or return to school.
Rim shots
The NBA ruled that UA recruiting target Leonard Miller has qualified for the NBA Draft and has added him to its early entry list, according to ESPNβs Jonathan Givony. The five-star Canadian forward also has been considering UA, Kentucky and the G Leagueβs Ignite developmental program.
Former Michigan guard Frankie Collins announced he is transferring to ASU. Collins averaged 2.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists while playing a reserve role in 31 games last season.
Once an Arizona recruiting target out of Southern Californiaβs Mater Dei High School, guard Devin Askew is now headed to Cal after spending one season each at Kentucky and Texas. Askew will need a waiver to become eligible next season since he has already used his one-time transfer exception.
