LEXINGTON , Ky. ? Former Wildcat Tayshaun Prince has been named to the United States Olympic basketball team which will play in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China later this summer.
A member of the Detroit Pistons, whom he helped lead to the 2004 NBA Championship, Prince played at UK from 1999-2002 leading the Cats to two SEC championships (2000 and ’01) and an Elite Eight appearance (1999). He earned All-America honors in the 2001 and 2002 seasons and was the 23 rd overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Pistons. He currently ranks eighth on Kentucky’s all-time scoring list (1,775 points) and third on UK’s all-time three-pointers made (204) list.
“I’m honored to be selected to the national team that will represent the United States at the 2008 Olympics,” said Prince. “I take pride in being given the opportunity to represent my country, and I strongly believe that with the team that has been assembled, the United States will be represented well.”
Prince will become the first UK men’s basketball player to play in the Summer Games since Adrian Smith participated in the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. Former Wildcat Sam Bowie was named to the 1980 team; however the United States missed the ’80 games in Moscow because of an international boycott.
Prince joins 11 other players to comprise the team, including: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); Le Bron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).
Team USA will open its training on June 28 in Las Vegas, Nev. The team will resume its training in Las Vegas on July 21 and will train daily July 21-24.
The United States will then travel to China to train and play four additional games in the USA B asketball International Challenge that will see the U.S. play two games in Macao, China, (July 31 and Aug. 1) and two more games in Shanghai, China (Aug. 3 and Aug. 5).
The U.S. is scheduled to arrive in B eijing on Aug. 6, where preliminary round play of the 2008 Olympics takes place Aug. 10-18. The men’s Olympic quarterfinals action takes place Aug. 20, semifinals play is slated for Aug. 22, and the Olympic men’s gold and bronze medal games will be held Aug. 24.
