Breaking News: World University Games -- Darius Miller Makes USA Basketball Team

Kentucky Wildcat and former Mason County High School star Darius Miller has been selected to represent the US in the upcoming World University Games held in China.  Miller made the team after a tryout at the US Olympic Training facility in Colorado Spring, CO.  Coached by Purdue's Matt Painter, whose assistants include Tennessee's Cuonzo Martin and Butler's Brad Stevens, the team will continue training camp until August 7, and leave for China on August 8.  The USA squad will play New Century, a Chinese professional team, in an exhibition on August 11, with the World University Games officially set to start on August 13.

Miller will join Notre Dame's Tim Abromaitis, Pitt's Ashton Gibbs, Alabama's JaMychal Green, Vanderbilt's John Jenkins, Syracuse's Scoop Jardine, Michigan State's Draymond Green, Missouri's Marcus Denmon, UC Santa Barbara's Orlando Johnson, Yale's Greg Mangano, Minnesota's Trevor Mbakwe, and Detroit Mercy's Ray McCallum, on the 12-man roster.  Painter had this to say about his squad:

"I think our strengths are going to come out in competition, and we have some very good players.  I think we have some good point guard play, some good athletic wings that can shoot the basketball, and then we have some good interior strength.  So, I think we have balance.  We do have some interchangeable parts, some guys at the three and four positions that can swing either way.  We can play smaller and we can play bigger.  It will depend on who we are playing against."

Congratulations to Darius, as well as all those chosen for this seldom granted opportunity to represent the USA in an international basketball competition.  And with that rather impressive coaching staff, the players' college head coaches can rest easy knowing their stars are in excellent hands.

Good luck to Darius, and Go USA!