Fresno State Athletics
George Invited to U19 USA Basketball Training Camp
6/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 4, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - Freshman Paul George showed Bulldog fans all season that he can shoot, drive, play stifling defense and take over a game. USA Basketball also noticed and sent George one of 18 prestigious invitations to attend the 2009 U19 World Championship Team Training Camp and compete for a spot on their 12-man roster.
The Training Camp begins on June 16 in Colorado Springs. Team finalists will be selected on June 18 then depart the United States on June 25 for Auckland, New Zealand. The U19 World Championship will be held July 2-12.
"This is a wonderful honor for a great young man," head coach Steve Cleveland said. "Paul is a special basketball player who plays the game the right way. He is always working as hard as he can to get better, leads by example, and excels in the classroom."
George was the only Western Athletic Conference player, one of two student-athletes from a California university as well as one of three standouts from the West Coast and a non-BCS conference invited to attend the training camp. In addition, George was one of four wings included in the potential roster for the squad, to be coached by Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon.
"It is humbling to be included with such great basketball players," George said of his invitation. "While I wish I could participate, I need to focus on getting ready for next year and rehabbing from surgery. Our team is working hard in the off-season to get stronger and elevate our game to compete for a WAC Championship."
George is fresh off his inaugural Bulldog campaign and delivered one of the most impressive freshman performances in Bulldog history.
The native of Palmdale, Calif., finished the year as one of the top 15 freshmen scorers in the nation and averaged 14.3 points, a team-high 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a team-high 1.7 steals per game while shooting 47 percent from the field. He also recorded the third-best season 3-point field goal percentage (63-141, 44.6%) in the program's history and paced the roster with six double-doubles.
Of the 18 invitees, George was the second highest scorer, averaged the second most minutes per game and grabbed the third most rebounds.
George earned an instant spotlight on the national stage with ESPN's Sportscenter's No. 1 "Play of the Day" for Nov. 18, 2009 by slamming down a deafening one-handed dunk against Saint Mary's during ESPN's College Hoops Tip Off Special.
U19 World Championship Team Training Camp Invitees
GUARDS
Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas
Kemba Walker, Connecticut
Darryl Bryant, West Virginia
Klay Thompson, Washington State
Seth Curry, Duke
Terrico White, Mississippi
Kenny Boynton, Florida
WINGS
Gordon Hayward, Butler
Paul George, Fresno State
Darius Miller, Kentucky
Dominic Cheek, Villanova
FRONT COURT
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
Howard Thompkins, Georgia
Drew Gordon, UCLA
Arnett Moultrie, UTEP
Ralph Sampson III, Minnesota
John Shurna, Northwestern
DeAngelo Casto, Washington State
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