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DeAndre Jordan to participate in Team USA Basketball minicamp

By Trisity Miller

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Through the last month, it was confirmed through the media that Blake Griffin and Chris Paul would participate in the upcoming Team USA basketball mini-camp. Now, teammate and member of the Clippers’ “Big 3” in DeAndre Jordan will join them as he is one of 34 players listed on the mini-camp roster, Team USA announces today.

Originally, DeAndre Jordan was not one of the 41 players named in the initial invite list despite coming off a career-best season where the center averaged 11.5 points on 71% shooting, the second best mark in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain (72%), a league-leading 15.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. In return, Jordan was voted third in Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind winner Kawhi Leonard and runner-up Draymond Green, and named to All-Defense First Team, a career first, and All-NBA Third Team, also a career first.

This will be the third time in Jordan’s NBA career that he dabbles in Team USA activity. In 2013, the center was invited to the USA Basketball National Team Camp. In 2014, Jordan just missed the cutline for the 28-roster invite to participate with Team USA, with ESPN’s Arash Markazi revealing Jerry Colangelo and company chose Pistons center Andre Drummond over Jordan — Drummond would eventually make the 12-man roster for the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

For teammate Chris Paul, the 2016 Rio Olympics gives the 8-time All-Star the opportunity to participate in his third straight olympics — Paul was a reserve in 2008 and started in 2008. For Blake Griffin, injury prohibited the 5-time All-Star  from participating in the 2012 Olympics (broken kneecap) and rest led to Griffin not participating in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

Earlier this week, we (and by we I mean me) posted a quick piece predicting the 12 players that’ll make the final roster for the 2016 Rio Olympics. My prediction included one Clippers player in Blake Griffin, who’d likely come off the bench behind LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Davis. There’s an argument for Chris Paul to make the roster, but I chose Stephen Curry as the starting point guard and more athletic guards in James Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Kyrie Irving to come off the bench. For Jordan, he’s fighting an uphill battle against the bigs listed on the 34-player roster and it may take injuries and players pulling out to find a place for him in Rio.

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    • With Jordan, Griffin, and Paul officially named to the mini-camp roster, the Clippers are one of three teams to have at least three players on the roster (Warriors, Cavaliers) — the Warriors are the lone team with four players named to the roster (Curry, Thompson, Green, Barnes).

    Following the mini-camp, which takes place on Aug. 11-13, Team USA will host the 2015 USA Basketball Showcase on Aug. 13 at 10:30 EST (7:30 PDT) in Las Vegas.

    “‎With this being a summer where we do not have an official competition that we need to prepare for, this year’s minicamp is an opportunity to continue and expand the brotherhood and camaraderie that has been built,” Colangelo said in a statement (via ESPN). “It will be a celebration of all that we’ve accomplished with USA Basketball since the national-team program was formed in 2006 while also looking ahead to 2016. The minicamp is going to be low-key with light workouts, no contact, and the USA Basketball Showcase on Aug. 13 will be a fun All-Star-type game.”

    Here is the full list of the mini-camp roster: LaMarcus Aldridge (Spurs), Carmelo Anthony (Knicks), Harrison Barnes (Warriors), Bradley Beal (Wizards), Jimmy Butler (Bulls), Michael Carter-Williams (Bucks), Mike Conley, jr. (Grizzlies), DeMarcus Cousins (Kings), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Anthony Davis (Pelicans), DeMar Derozan (Raptors), Andre Drummond (Pistons), Kevin Durant (Thunder), Kenneth Faried (Nuggets), Rudy Gay (Kings), Paul George (Pacers), Draymond Green (Warriors), Blake Griffin (Clippers), James Harden (Rockets), Tobias Harris (Magic), Gordon Hayward (Jazz), Dwight Howard (Rockets), Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers), LeBron James (Cavaliers), DeAndre Jordan (Clippers), Kawhi Leonard (Spurs), Kevin Love (Cavaliers), Victor Oladipo (Magic), Chandler Parsons (Mavericks), Chris Paul (Clippers), Mason Plumlee (Trail Blazers), Klay Thompson (Warriors), John Wall (Wizards), Russell Westbrook (Thunder).

    Notable omissions from the minicamp roster includes former Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers) and former MVP Derrick Rose (Bulls).

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