Florida head coach Billy Donovan, who led USA Basketball teams to gold medals in 2012 and 2013, will return to lead the 2014 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship, and joining him on the sideline as USA assistant coaches will be Ed Cooley of Providence College and Sean Miller of the University of Arizona.
“Coach Donovan is not only one of the great college basketball coaches but he has proven to be successful with USA Basketball as well,” said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, chair of the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team Committee, which is responsible for selecting the USA men’s U18 coaching staff. “Coach Cooley and coach Miller give us a staff of great teachers and great coaches. The U18 team will be well prepared for international competition.”
In his first two campaigns as a USA head coach, Donovan led the USA to a 5-0 record and a gold medal at the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which qualified the USA for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship, where he led the USA to a 9-0 record and another gold medal. For his outstanding performance Donovan was named the 2013 USA Basketball co-National Coach of the Year, and his U19 squad was named the 2013 USA Basketball Team of the Year.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to work with USA Basketball again this summer,” Donovan said. “I’ve said it before, but anytime you are chosen to represent your country, that is really something special. USA Basketball is an outstanding organization, and I’m looking forward to another challenge at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship.
“I have a lot of respect for Sean Miller and Ed Cooley, and I’m really looking forward to coaching with them,” Donovan added. “I look at this as a collaborative effort between all of us, and I know it will be a great experience working alongside both men.”
While both assistant coaches will be aiding on a USA Basketball U18 national team for the first time, they each have served as court coaches during training camps.
Cooley served as a court coach during the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Championship Team training camp.
“It is an honor to represent our country and wear the red, white and blue,” Cooley said. “This is special to be able to work with two future Hall of Fame coaches. I feel blessed to have this opportunity to work with and learn from Billy and Sean, not to mention we get to represent our country. It is very inspiring.”
Miller served as a court coach at the 2011 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games Team training camp, and he won a gold medal while playing for USA Basketball at the 1991 World University Games.
“I had a tremendous experience representing my country in 1991 as player on the USA World University Games team, and I couldn’t be more excited for a chance to once again be part of USA Basketball,” Miller said. “Our program here at Arizona has a long and successful relationship with USA Basketball and I’m honored to add to that legacy.
“Billy Donovan and Ed Cooley are both great people, as well as great basketball coaches. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with them closely as we prepare the 2014 USA Men’s U18 National Team to live up to the high standards that previous USA Basketball teams have established.”
While the location and dates for the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship are still to be announced, the competition will feature a U18 national team from eight countries throughout the FIBA Americas zone, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and the USA. The top four finishing teams will qualify for the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship for Men.
USA Basketball will conduct a training camp June 10-19 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., which will be used to determine the 12-player roster. Players eligible for this competition must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1996.
Photo/Release: USA Basketball
