Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon will represent the United States at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship, which is set to begin in Prague, Czech Republic June 27.
“I watched the first three practices and Rasheed is playing great,” Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He was one of the better players there.”
Following the conclusion of the team’s training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., Sulaimon was one of 12 players released early Tuesday morning on the team’s final roster. He started 33 of the Blue Devils’ 36 contests during his freshman season, averaging 11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game.
The Houston native competed for the U.S. last summer at the U18 FIBA Americas Championship in Brazil. Coming off the bench in all five of his team’s contests, Sulaimon averaged 10.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game en route to a gold medal.
After being named to the All-ACC Freshman Team following first year in the collegiate ranks, Sulaimon is one of the more experienced players who will be playing on this year’s U19 team.
This year’s World Championship squad—which will be led by Florida head coach Billy Donovan—features two incoming freshmen and two rising high school seniors.
“The main thing for him is just to continue to grow up,” said Krzyzewski of his sophomore guard. “Now you’re the guy that should be talking to players. You have the experience. You need to just be enthusiastic, be a leader and go for it.”
Both of the team’s high school players—Chicago native Jahlil Okafor and Houston native Justise Winslow—have already received scholarship offers from Duke. Okafor is ranked the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2014 by ESPN. Winslow and Sulaimon were also teammates on the AAU circuit for Houston Hoops.
Although he came off the bench in international play last year, Sulaimon is expected to start in the backcourt for the U19 squad alongside Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart.
Sulaimon and the rest of the U19 World Championship team will begin three days of practice Thursday at the Washington Wizards’ practice facility in Washington D.C. before departing for the Czech Republic.
After cruising through the group stages at the U19 World Championship in 2011, the United States was upset by Russia in the quarterfinals en route to a disappointing fifth-place finish.
The United States has been paired with the Ivory Coast, China and Russia in group play and will begin action against the Ivory Coast next Thursday night.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.