We interrupt your draft-day frenzy to bring you this press release from the Trail Blazers:

ALDRIDGE, BAYLESS, ODEN AND ROY TO PARTICIPATE IN

2009 USA BASKETBALL MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM MINI-CAMP

Mini-camp to be held July 22-25 in Las Vegas

 

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, guard Jerryd Bayless, center Greg Oden and guard Brandon Roy are set to participate in the 2009 USA Men's National Team mini-camp July 22-25 in Las Vegas, Nev. The selections were announced by USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo today.

         
The mini-camp will feature practice sessions on July 23 and July 24 before the showcase event, an intra-squad scrimmage, held on Saturday, July 25.

Aldridge and Bayless were members of the 2008 USA Basketball Select Team that trained with the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, winners of the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Oden was selected as a member of the 2007-08 USA Basketball National Team program.

The USA Basketball Men's National Team will compete in the 2010 FIBA World Championship in an attempt to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London.

Portland's four representatives out of 25 selections for the mini-camp are more than any other team in the NBA.

2009 USA Basketball Men's National Team Mini-Camp Roster

 

NAME                         POS     NBA TEAM /COLLEGE OR H.S.

LaMarcus Aldridge     F/C       Portland Trail Blazers / Texas           

Trevor Ariza                F         Los Angeles Lakers / UCLA

D.J. Augustin               G          Charlotte Bobcats / Texas

Jerryd Bayless             G          Portland Trail Blazers / Arizona

Ronnie Brewer            G         Utah Jazz / Arkansas

Glen Davis                   F          Boston Celtics / Louisiana State

Kevin Durant               G          Oklahoma City Thunder / Texas

Rudy Gay                     F          Memphis Grizzlies / Connecticut

Danny Granger           F/G      Indiana Pacers / New Mexico

Jeff Green                   F          Oklahoma City Thunder / Georgetown

Blake Griffin                F          TBD / University of Oklahoma

Devin Harris                G         New Jersey Nets / Wisconsin

Andre Iguodala           G/F      Philadelphia 76ers / Arizona

Kyle Korver                  G         Utah Jazz / Creighton

David Lee                    F/C       New York Knicks / Florida

Brook Lopez                C          New Jersey Nets / Stanford

Kevin Love                   F          Minnesota Timberwolves / UCLA

O.J. Mayo                    G         Memphis Grizzlies / USC

Paul Millsap                F          Utah Jazz / Louisiana Tech

Greg Oden                  C          Portland Trail Blazers / Ohio State

Derrick Rose               G          Chicago Bulls / Memphis

Brandon Roy               G          Portland Trail Blazers / Washington

Josh Smith                   F          Atlanta Hawks / Oak Hill Academy (VA)

Russell Westbrook      G          Oklahoma City Thunder / UCLA

Thaddeus Young          F          Philadelphia 76ers / Georgia Tech

Perhaps this is a small reminder that we already have some players better than those who will be selected today?

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)