Jayson Tatum Makes USA Basketball Squad's Final Cut

USA Basketball announced Tuesday morning that Chaminade's Jayson Tatum has been named to a 12-man squad which will compete in a World Championship event in Uruguay later this month.

Patch talked to the sophomore-to-be Tuesday afternoon by phone from Colorado Springs, CO, where tryouts were held since last week. He said staff made the last cuts of four players to get down to the final roster of 12 who will compete on the Under-16 team at the FIBA U16 Championships in South America.

"You didn't get called down, you made the team," Tatum said. He said he thought his versatility and intensity on the defensive end helped him make the cut. He praised his teammates as being "a great group of guys" who were selfless.

"He's got pretty much a complete package," USA Basketball's Head Coach Don Showalter told Patch. Showalter plans to use Tatum as a shooting guard and small forward, instead of at the point guard position he played for much of his freshman season.

While the athletes are some of the most talented at their age and stage, "We emphasize that this is not an all-star competition," Showalter said in praising Tatum's "coachability" and his attitude.

Now the work begins of melding the group of 12, which hails from Missouri, New York, California, Texas, the Carolinas, Georgia and Ohio. The team faces Mexico on June 11 and Argentina June 12.
Check back with Patch for updates on this story...