Will Jerami Grant get the chance to start on the U19 team?

[Cusefaninvirginia]

We got a great U19 team this year and will have a great chance to win it all, but that also means with all the talent, it's not clear whether Grant will get the chance to start, or even which F position he'll play. Smart, Sulaimon and Frazier will get almost all the minutes in the backcourt. Okafor and Tobey will probably get most of the minutes at C, with maybe Stokes getting some too. The competition for minutes for Grant will be Winslow at SF, Aaron Gordon at SF/PF and Montrezl Harrell and Stokes at PF. Winslow is a top recruit in the class of '14, and Gordon is expected to be one of the best players in the country as a freshman at Arizona this year. Both I think are good shooters, and I've read that Boeheim and Donovan were selecting players with shooting in mind since that was the big weakness when we did poorly the last time 2 years ago. But Boeheim has also been praising this team for athleticism, speed and defensive tenacity as being the keys, and these are things Grant would bring to either F spot. It'll be tough to wrangle the starting job from Harrell at PF I think. He and Smart are the 2 most NBA ready players on the roster. I still think Grant has a decent chance to start at either position, especially since Donovan wants to emphasize quickness and a strong trapping defense, then it might make sense to start Grant over the heftier Harrell at PF. But even if Grant doesn't start, I see him as the high energy spark plug that Donovan turns to as the first F off the bench, and he'll get a lot of minutes regardless. What do you guys think?

 

[edowd26]

Jerami Grant is the best player on that roster. He just needs to prove. The dude is awesome, super glad he's our dude. 7'6"last I heard.

 

[RF2044]

He'll be given a great chance to start.

It's up to him to seize that opportunity. Regardless, it is a great developmental opportunity for Grant to tune up for a bigger role next season.

 

[bballbeadle]

I believe his confidence may have been shaken some after he received fewer minutes once Southerland came back. This will be a great chance for him! In fact, I bet it's perfect! (Thus spaketh Pollyanna.) All of our players are working so hard in the off season. I am already proud of them.

 

[Cusefaninvirginia]

For international play, here's what I think would be the best starting team and the main rotation:

PG: Marcus Smart
SG: Sulaimon
F: Grant
F: Aaron Gordon
C: Okafor

with Frazier spelling the guards and Harrell, Stokes at PF (either pushing Gordon or Grant to SF when they come in) and Stokes and Tobey spelling Okafor at C.

That gives the team 2 looks - the very fast, long and athletic starting rotation, with the stronger, bulkier post guys coming off the bench. By the way, if you haven't seen Gordon play yet, check out this clip of him from practice a couple days ago:
http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-ba...ke-griffin-comparison-versatility-sean-miller

 

[tee1222]

Btw, no way Grant and Gordon are 6'6. What is that, without the neck?

 

[Cusefaninvirginia]

haha it's probably something as dumb as that was their height when they first starting trying out for the u.s. national teams 2 or 3 years ago, and it was never updated!

 

[tee1222]

haha it's probably something as dumb as that was their height when they first starting trying out for the u.s. national teams 2 or 3 years ago, and it was never updated!

USA 12 and under
Pretty sure I found the original roster:

 

[strumpfasaurus]

USA 12 and under
Pretty sure I found the original roster:

I believe Bjorn is number 15.

 

[cusetown1]

I believe Bjorn is number 15.

I think I remember him saying he was number 15 because his coach said he reminded him of Melo.

 

[strumpfasaurus]

I think I remember him saying he was number 15 because his coach said he reminded him of Melo.

I see a little Fab Melo in there.

 

[jekelish]

My thought process on this is that he's got an exceptionally good chance of starting for Syracuse, so he absolutely can start for this U-19 team. Not saying we're a college all-star team, but our starting five is better than this team's starting five will be, so if he can start for us he can absolutely start for this team.

 

[Cusefaninvirginia]

My thought process on this is that he's got an exceptionally good chance of starting for Syracuse, so he absolutely can start for this U-19 team. Not saying we're a college all-star team, but our starting five is better than this team's starting five will be, so if he can start for us he can absolutely start for this team.

Well, I love Syracuse's roster next year and am really excited about it. I think we have definitely have the personnel to return to the Final Four, but let's be clear, the roster for the U-19 team is better than ANY college team this year, and it's not even close. It's a superstar lineup. If you look at the Sporting News' recent rankings on top players at each position, Syracuse does pretty well. Louisville leads the way with 5 players, Kentucky has 4 players, and then Syracuse is tied for 3 with Duke and Arizona with 3 players. The U-19 would be tied with Louisville with 5 players, but the players are much higher ranked - U-19 with a #1, 2, 3, 5, 5 at each position, vs. Louisville with #2, 2, 7, 9, 10. But of course that doesn't include all the high school talent U-19 has that doesn't yet qualify for TSN's rankings - especially Okafor who's probably the most talented player on the team. It's just not a fair comparison to pit the Syracuse roster against the U.S. national team's all star U-19 roster. Marcus Smart is expected to be far and away the best PG in the country this year- he would have been a lottery pick lock had he entered the draft. Okafor would be the best center in the country. Their SG Sulaimon is expected to be the best SG in the ACC this year. Aaron Gordon could very well be a first team all American - probably a wash with CJ Fair, our best player. And the PF spot is their deepest position, with Harrell, Stokes, and, well, Jerami Grant! The fact that Grant has a real chance to start on this team is an incredible testament to how good he is!!