2016 USA Basketball Showcase Presented By Verizon To Include USA Men’s National Team Exhibition Games In Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Chicago And Houston

The 2016 USA Basketball Showcase presented by Verizon will feature the USA Basketball Men’s National Team playing five domestic exhibition games and conducting training camps in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Chicago and Houston, USA Basketball announced today.

Tickets for the USA Basketball Showcase exhibition games will go on sale starting April 29. VIP ticket packages available in select markets. For ticket information visit USAB.COM/SHOWCASE.

The exhibition tour is being promoted by AEG Live’s Concerts West.

The USA Men’s National Team will open the 2016 USA Basketball Showcase facing South American rival and FIBA’s No. 4 ranked world power Argentina in Las Vegas at a site to be announced on Friday, July 22 (all game times are to be announced).

The U.S. will play two exhibition games versus 2015 FIBA Asia zone champ China, the first at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 24 and the second will be held July 26 at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

Continuing its exhibition tour in Chicago, the USA will play on July 29 at the United Center versus 2015 FIBA Americas gold medalist Venezuela and will conclude the USA Basketball Showcase facing 2015 FIBA Africa zone champion Nigeria on Aug. 1 in Houston at the Toyota Center.

“With only a short period of training available, our training and exhibition games are critical in helping us prepare for the challenges we will face in Rio in defending our gold medal,” said Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman and national team managing director. “We’re excited to give USA Basketball fans nationwide the opportunity to see their USA National Team in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Chicago and Houston."

“Building our team chemistry quickly is vital, and the 2016 USA Basketball Showcase will offer our players and coaches the opportunity to become familiar with each other, to develop chemistry and to gain critical international experience against a variety of differing styles,” said USA and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “We’ll face some excellent and experienced international teams, which will be important in our preparations. Playing five exhibition games in the United States in front of home crowds will be memorable for our players and fans alike, and we look forward to representing the United States in the best manner we can.”

The 2016 Olympic Games men’s basketball competition will feature national teams from 12 countries competing Aug. 6-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Krzyzewski will be assisted on the USA bench by Syracuse University’s Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim and NBA coaches Tom Thibodeau and Monty Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder).

The 31 finalists for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team include: LaMarcus Aldridge; Carmelo Anthony; Harrison Barnes; Bradley Beal; Jimmy Butler; Mike Conley; DeMarcus Cousins; Stephen Curry; Anthony Davis; DeMar DeRozan; Andre Drummond; Kevin Durant; Kenneth Faried; Rudy Gay; Paul George; Draymond Green; Blake Griffin; James Harden; Gordon Hayward; Dwight Howard; Andre Iguodala; Kyrie Irving; LeBron James; DeAndre Jordan; Kawhi Leonard; Damian Lillard; Kevin Love; Chris Paul; Klay Thompson; John Wall; and Russell Westbrook.

Follow USA Basketball Showcase news on facebook.com/usabasketball, twitter.com/usabasketball, and instagram.com/usabasketball.

About USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the U.S. by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored international competitions, as well as for some national competitions, and for the development of youth basketball initiatives that address player development, coach education and safety. For further information about USA Basketball, go to the official website of USA Basketball at www.usab.com.

About AEG Live

AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance. AEG Live is comprised of touring, festival and special event divisions, seventeen regional offices and owns, operates or exclusively books thirty-five state-of-the-art venues. AEG Live’s global touring divisions of Concerts West, Atlanta Worldwide Touring, Messina Touring Group, Marshall Arts, Marshall Arts USA, Goldenvoice Touring and AEG Live New York, London, South America and Asia consistently promote and produce top 10 international tours. The company currently produces residency shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and is the exclusive promoter at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. AEG Live is also the largest producer of music festivals in North America from the critically acclaimed Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival to Stagecoach Country Music Festival and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. www.aeglive.com.