This game used to be played in Memphis, but now it’s in Portland. Team USA handled the World in the annual Nike Hoop Summit. City League Hoops brings us the coverage. Not a lot of “basketball” here, just a lot of Team USA dunking on the World. Watching this reminds me that if the G League placed a school enrollment policy in place for seniors in high school who don’t want to attend college on a basketball scholarship to feed the NCAA machines that the NBA would benefit and the G League would benefit. Kids could take 2-3 classes at a JUCO or 4 year school if admitted and they could also be available for the NBA draft in a year if that was an option.
This concept isn’t farfetched when you consider a kid like Zion Williamson, who probably won’t ever play in the Hoop Summit since his affiliation is with adidas, could be ready for the NBA after his senior year next year but he will have to spend a year earning millions for a college and being paid zero.
Anyway, here are the highlights. Shout out CLH go subscribe to their YouTube for more incredible highlights.
Here is the report from Nike.com:
The USA, led by 19 points from Jarred Vanderbilt (who also had 10 rebounds) and Michael Porter, held off a strong fourth quarter run from the World Select Team to win 98-87 in the 20th edition of the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon.
The USA victory, which also featured 13 points from Jaren Jackson, improves its record in the prestigious series to 14-6.
The World Team was led by 14 points from German forward Kostja Mushidi, and trailed 88-84 a with a little under three minutes to play.
A dunk by Wendell Carter Jr. and two free-throws from Porter started a 10-0 USA run that settled the game’s outcome.
The annual Nike Hoop Summit pits the World Select Team against the USA Basketball Junior National Select Team and features many of the world’s leading basketball players age 19 years or younger. Learn more about the 2017 edition here.
