June 22, 2017
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Rising sophomore Austin Wiley has been named to the 12-member USA Basketball U19 World Cup Team that will compete for the gold medal in Cairo, Egypt July 1-9.
Wiley will be vying for his second-straight gold in as many summers as he was averaged 8.0 points and a team second-best 6.4 rebounds for Team USA's gold medal winner at the FIBA Men's U17 World Championship in Zaragoza, Spain in 2016. He also attended the 2015 U16 National Team training camp and has participated in the past three October minicamps.
Only Kentucky had more players than Auburn in the 27-player tryouts as Wiley and rising freshman Chuma Okeke made the first cut to 18 on Tuesday. Okeke injured his left knee, did not practice Tuesday and Wednesday and flew back to Auburn Thursday.
"An Olympic Orr-Wiley family tradition continues," said Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl. "Representing the USA and Auburn. I'm so proud of Austin."
Wiley's mother, All-American and Hall of Famer Vickie Orr, won a bronze medal as a member of the 1992 USA Olympic basketball team, won gold at both the Goodwill Games and World Championships in 1990. She was a member of 1987 World University Games team and 1985 Junior World Championships team.
Austin's father, Aubrey, was the SEC's leading rebounder in 1993-94, averaging 11.8 points and 9.3 rebounds as a senior at Auburn.
The team will remain in Colorado Springs and will train twice a day through Sunday before departing for Egypt.
Wiley averaged 8.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 18.1 minutes this past season while starting 21 of 22 games. The Hoover, Ala., native, who shot 58.0 percent from the floor, scored a career-high 25 points, including 21 in the second half, at NIT Champion TCU on Jan. 28. He recorded his first double-double in only his 11th game as he had 10 points and a career-best 11 rebounds at No. 23 South Carolina, which reached the Final Four.
He was named SEC Freshman of the Week on Jan. 23 after averaging 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in wins vs. Alabama and LSU.
Other Auburn players to participate representing their country are as follows: Charles Barkley (Olympic Gold medalist, 1992 and 1996 Dream Teams); World University Games: John Mengelt (1970), Charles Barkley (1983), Chuck Person (1985), Pat Burke (1993 and 1995 with Ireland), Mamadou N'diaye (1998 with Senegal); U22 World Championship: Wesley Person (1993); U.S. Olympic Festival: Charles Barkley (1982), Chris Morris (1985), Wesley Person (1991); Junior World Championship: Wesley Person (1991).
Selections were made by the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee as athletes eligible must be 19 years or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998) and U.S. citizens.
For more information, go to www.usabasketball.com.
2017 FIBA U19 World Cup
FIBA conducted the draw on Feb. 11 in Cairo, Egypt, and announced the four preliminary round groupings. The United States was drawn into Group D for preliminary round games and will open against Iran on July 1, face Angola on July 2 and will cap preliminary round action versus Italy on July 4 (game times are to be determined).
The United States earned its berth into the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup by virtue of claiming gold at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, while Iran earned FIBA Asia U18 gold, Angola won FIBA Africa U18 gold and Italy collected FIBA Europe U18 bronze.
Following the preliminary round, all 16 teams will be seeded according to group play results, and will advance to the July 5 round of 16. Winners will advance to the July 7 medal quarterfinals, while the remaining teams will continue playing out for classification. The medal semifinals will be held July 8, and the gold and bronze medal games are slated for July 9.
Now titled the FIBA U19 World Cup and played every two years, the event originally was known as the FIBA Junior World Championship from 1979 through 2003 and as the FIBA U19 World Championship from 2005-2009, and it was played every four years from 1979 through 2007.
In the 12 previous U19 competitions held, the USA men's teams have won six gold and three silver medals, including gold in three of the past four U19 championships (2009, 2013 and 2015).
Past USA U19 standouts include: Jalen Brunson (2015 MVP), Vince Carter (1995), Stephen Curry (2007), Terrance Ferguson (2015), Aaron Gordon (2013 MVP), Tim Hardaway Jr. (2011), Montrezl Harrell (2013), Gordon Hayward (2009), Doug McDermott (2011), Jahlil Okafor (2013), Gary Payton (1987), Sam Perkins (1979), J.J. Redick (2003), Marcus Smart (2013), Klay Thompson (2009), Scott Skiles (1983), Deron Williams (2003), Justise Winslow (2013) and James Worthy (1979).