Big news this afternoon as Mark Turgeon has been selected as an assistant coach for the 2016 USA Basketball Men's U18 team. He'll assist Texas head coach Shaka Smart along with UConn head coach Kevin Ollie.
This is a big deal because it gives these coaches a chance to work with some of the top prospects in the country and see how they coach and gives them an idea of what it would be like to play for them at their respective schools. Big honor for Mark and can also be an important recruiting tool. Full release below.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – USA Basketball has announced that Maryland men’s basketball head coach Mark Turgeon has been selected as an assistant coach for the 2016 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team.
Turgeon will be joined on the staff by Shaka Smart (Texas), who will serve as the team’s head coach, and Kevin Ollie (UConn), who will be an assistant coach, as well. The trio will lead the USA at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship July 19-23 in Valdivia, Chile. Not only is a gold medal at stake, the top four finishing teams will earn a qualifying berth in the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.
“I’m really excited and appreciative of this opportunity to be associated with USA Basketball and the U-18 national team. I have a great deal of respect for Shaka Smart and Kevin Ollie and look forward to working with them and a talented group of players.”
Turgeon has previous experience with USA Basketball, serving as a court coach for the U.S. Pan American Team training camp in the summer of 2015.
Turgeon has been a head coach for 18 years (1998-99 to present), compiling an overall record of 364-218 (.625 winning percentage). In four seasons at Maryland (2011-12 to present), he has led the Terps to a 114-59 record (.659 winning percentage). Turgeon has led the Terps to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the Sweet 16 in 2016. This marked Maryland’s first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2003.
In his first five seasons at Maryland, Turgeon has compiled an aforementioned 114 wins for a head coach in his first five years in program history. Turgeon's last two campaigns have added up to the second-most wins in school history over a two-year span (55). He has had the Terrapins ranked in the Associated Press top-25 for 35 consecutive weeks, including 20 weeks in the top-10. Maryland had previously not been ranked in the top-10 since Feb. 3, 2003 -- a span of 12 seasons.
Turgeon has led his teams to a winning season in 15 of his 18 seasons, including a current streak of 14 consecutive winning seasons. He guided the Terps to back-to-back 27-plus win seasons for the first time in program history in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Prior to Maryland, Turgeon was the head coach at Jacksonville State for two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-2000); at Wichita State for seven seasons (2000-01 to 2006-07), where he was 128-90 (.587 winning percentage); and at Texas A&M for four years (2007-08 to 2010-11), where he was 97-40 (.701 winning percentage).
2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship
Training camp to determine the USA’s 12-member roster for the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 National Team will take place June 14-18 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and July 11-15 in Houston. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998).
The 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship will feature eight national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The top four finishing teams will qualify for the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.
Earning automatic berths for the 2016 from North America are Canada and the United States; Argentina, Brazil and Chile punched their tickets by finishing in the top three of the 2015 South American U17 Championship; and Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands took the three berths available from the 2015 Centrobasket U17 Championship.
Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifier, the tournament was held every four years between 1990-2006. FIBA changed its calendar following the 2006 championship and the tournament is now conducted every other year, followed in the next summer by the FIBA U19 World Championship.
USA men's teams are 48-2 in the U18 / Junior World Championship Qualifiers and won gold in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014, while capturing silver in 2008 and bronze in 2002.
Past USA U18 team members of note include: Carmelo Anthony (2002); Chris Bosh (2002); Nick Collison (1998); Jonny Flynn (2006); Grant Hill (1990); Allan Houston(1990); Andre Iguodala (2002); Kyrie Irving (2010); Stanley Johnson (2014); Stephon Marbury (1994); Austin Rivers (2010); Kyle Singler (2006); Marcus Smart (2012); Jarnell Stokes (2012); Rasheed Sulaimon (2012); Kemba Walker (2008); Deron Williams (2002); and Justise Winslow (2014).
This is a big deal because it gives these coaches a chance to work with some of the top prospects in the country and see how they coach and gives them an idea of what it would be like to play for them at their respective schools. Big honor for Mark and can also be an important recruiting tool. Full release below.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – USA Basketball has announced that Maryland men’s basketball head coach Mark Turgeon has been selected as an assistant coach for the 2016 USA Basketball Men’s U18 National Team.
Turgeon will be joined on the staff by Shaka Smart (Texas), who will serve as the team’s head coach, and Kevin Ollie (UConn), who will be an assistant coach, as well. The trio will lead the USA at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship July 19-23 in Valdivia, Chile. Not only is a gold medal at stake, the top four finishing teams will earn a qualifying berth in the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.
“I’m really excited and appreciative of this opportunity to be associated with USA Basketball and the U-18 national team. I have a great deal of respect for Shaka Smart and Kevin Ollie and look forward to working with them and a talented group of players.”
Turgeon has previous experience with USA Basketball, serving as a court coach for the U.S. Pan American Team training camp in the summer of 2015.
Turgeon has been a head coach for 18 years (1998-99 to present), compiling an overall record of 364-218 (.625 winning percentage). In four seasons at Maryland (2011-12 to present), he has led the Terps to a 114-59 record (.659 winning percentage). Turgeon has led the Terps to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the Sweet 16 in 2016. This marked Maryland’s first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2003.
In his first five seasons at Maryland, Turgeon has compiled an aforementioned 114 wins for a head coach in his first five years in program history. Turgeon's last two campaigns have added up to the second-most wins in school history over a two-year span (55). He has had the Terrapins ranked in the Associated Press top-25 for 35 consecutive weeks, including 20 weeks in the top-10. Maryland had previously not been ranked in the top-10 since Feb. 3, 2003 -- a span of 12 seasons.
Turgeon has led his teams to a winning season in 15 of his 18 seasons, including a current streak of 14 consecutive winning seasons. He guided the Terps to back-to-back 27-plus win seasons for the first time in program history in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Prior to Maryland, Turgeon was the head coach at Jacksonville State for two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-2000); at Wichita State for seven seasons (2000-01 to 2006-07), where he was 128-90 (.587 winning percentage); and at Texas A&M for four years (2007-08 to 2010-11), where he was 97-40 (.701 winning percentage).
2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship
Training camp to determine the USA’s 12-member roster for the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 National Team will take place June 14-18 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and July 11-15 in Houston. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998).
The 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship will feature eight national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The top four finishing teams will qualify for the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.
Earning automatic berths for the 2016 from North America are Canada and the United States; Argentina, Brazil and Chile punched their tickets by finishing in the top three of the 2015 South American U17 Championship; and Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands took the three berths available from the 2015 Centrobasket U17 Championship.
Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifier, the tournament was held every four years between 1990-2006. FIBA changed its calendar following the 2006 championship and the tournament is now conducted every other year, followed in the next summer by the FIBA U19 World Championship.
USA men's teams are 48-2 in the U18 / Junior World Championship Qualifiers and won gold in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014, while capturing silver in 2008 and bronze in 2002.
Past USA U18 team members of note include: Carmelo Anthony (2002); Chris Bosh (2002); Nick Collison (1998); Jonny Flynn (2006); Grant Hill (1990); Allan Houston(1990); Andre Iguodala (2002); Kyrie Irving (2010); Stanley Johnson (2014); Stephon Marbury (1994); Austin Rivers (2010); Kyle Singler (2006); Marcus Smart (2012); Jarnell Stokes (2012); Rasheed Sulaimon (2012); Kemba Walker (2008); Deron Williams (2002); and Justise Winslow (2014).
