Nowitzki backs Hoop Summit 2000
Press Release: February 24, 2000
LONDON, England  -- Players from an International Select Team that meets the USA Basketball Team at the 2000 NABC/Nike International Hoop Summit will be following in the illustrious footsteps of Hoop Summit alumni that paved the way for this game six years ago.
One of those former Hoop Summit players is Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki is one of the most successful players to have ever played for the International Team.  The German forward has no doubt that his meteoric rise to near the top of the NBA has been due, in no small part, to his outstanding performance in the game two years ago in San Antonio.
Nowitzki led the International Team to an upset 104-99 victory, scoring 33 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. His only complaint, however, is that there are not more opportunities for fellow international players to make their mark in the same way.
 “The Hoop Summit is such a great concept that it is a shame that it only happens once a year and only 12 players get the opportunity to play. Basketball is such a global game today," Notwitzki says.
Twelve of the world’s leading young players, aged 20 and under, will be hoping to follow Nowitzki’s lead at the 2000 game, to be played on April 2 at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) at the 18,500-seat Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. location of this year’s NCAA Men’s Final Four.
And Nowitzki, fresh from a sterling performance in the Rookie Challenge and Long Distance Shootout at the 2000 NBA All-Star Weekend, has no doubt that the Hoop Summit will be an important step forward in their development.
“The Hoop Summit was my coming out party in the US, there is no doubt about that,” said Nowitzki who is considered a leading contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award this season. “Before that game nobody in the US really knew me. Only in Germany was I known.
“To participate in that game, and to win it, was important but the whole week was so much fun. We came and practised in Dallas, went to an ice hockey game, a Mavericks game, I really enjoyed it and learned so much from it.
“Fortunately, I had a great game and maybe there was a little bit of luck in that. But there is no doubt I would not have made the NBA so quickly without that. Maybe I would have been playing in Europe or gone to college, because after that game I had offers from 36 colleges and visited Kentucky, Cal and Stanford before deciding to enter the draft.”
“One of my Dallas team mates, Bruno Sundov, played in the Hoop Summit last season and we have just drafted a guy from China, Wang Zhizhi. There is such talent out there today, it would be nice for it to have more opportunities.”
The sixth annual Hoop Summit benefits the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball. It is the only international game of its kind and brings together 12 of the top junior players in the world to compete against the USA Basketball Junior National Select Team, a squad comprised of the United States' top high school senior boy basketball players.
The 2000 NABC/Nike International Hoop Summit will be broadcast live on ESPN at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) from the brand new Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the NBA's Indiana Pacers.  USA Basketball leads the Hoop Summit series that began in 1995, 3-2.

  International Team optimistic for the NABC/NIKE HOOP SUMMIT
Press Release: February 7, 2000

LONDON, England  -- Four-time Italian Olympic coach Sandro Gamba yesterday introduced his 12-man roster for the 2000 NABC/Nike International Hoop Summit to be played on April 2 at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) at the 18,500-seat Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. location of this year’s NCAA Men’s Final Four.
The sixth annual Hoop Summit benefits the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball. It is the only international game of its kind and brings together 12 of the top junior players in the world to compete against the USA Basketball Junior National Select Team, a squad comprised of the United States' top high school senior boy basketball players.
The 2000 NABC/Nike International Hoop Summit will be broadcast live on ESPN at 1:00 p.m. (EDT) from the brand new Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the NBA's Indiana Pacers.  USA Basketball leads the Hoop Summit series that began in 1995, 3-2.
Gamba, who coached the Italian Olympic team to a Silver Medal in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, said: “The selection process for our team started last November. We have five coaches, one on each continent. I am constantly in contact with them, via e-mail, fax and phone. We started with a list of 55 players. After a couple of months that list was reduced to 20 and now we have the final 12.
The International Team – consisting of players age 20 and under – was selected by the World Association of Basketball Coaches (WABC) and is sanctioned by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), basketball’s world governing body.
The International Team is: Goran Cakic (K.K. Beobanka-Belgrade/Belgrade, Yugoslavia); Neil Fingelton (Holy Name H.S. in Worcester, MA/England); Andrei Kirilenko (CSKA-Moscow/Moscow, Russia); Yaseen Ismaiel Mahmoud (Rayan-Qatar/Doha, Qatar); Yao Ming (Shanghai Sharks/People's Republic of China); Bostjan Nachbar (Pivovarna Lasko/Slovenia); Olumide Oyedeji (DJK Wurzburg/Nigeria); Tony Parker (Paris-France/Bruges, Belgium); Marko Popovic (Zadar/Zadar, Croatia); Andrew Rice (Canaberra Cannons-Australia/England); Sergi Vidal (C.B. Joventut Badalona/Badalona, Spain); Christopher Exilus (Team Toronto/Toronto, Canada).
Gamba, who has coached the International Hoop Summit team every year, likes the makeup of his squad, one that will practice for a week in Chicago, Illinois and in Indianapolis before the April 2 game. “We believe it is a good all-round team, and with England’s Neil Fingleton at 7’6” and China’s Yao Ming at 7’5,” it is also a very big team.
“In Andrei Kirilenko, from Russia, I believe we have the best player in Europe at his age. He can play any position and was drafted last year in the 1^st round by the Utah Jazz.
“Two of our players, Bostjan Nachbar from Slovenia and Olumide Oyedeji from Nigeria, played in this event last year so we also have some experience. As always, much will depend on how quickly 12 players from all over the world can gel together. I am optimistic about our chances this year.”
Rod Seaford, USA Men’s Cadet and Youth Committee chair, helped put together the USA Basketball Team that will host the International Select Team. He has no doubt that his team faces a very difficult contest against the International Team.
“We are comfortable with the team we have selected," Seaford said. "We know we have to be very good every year at Hoop Summit because Coach Gamba always brings a great team to the U.S. This year looks like no exception.”

For further information, including a full roster and player bios, contact:
Robin Deutsch, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
413-781-6500 ext. 111
robin@hoophall.com

Ian Whittell/Julie Boden, JWA, England
+44 161 881 7916
iwhittell@aol.com

Rosters were named today for the annual exhibition between the junior select teams from the U.S. and the world. This year's game will be played April 2nd in Indianapolis.

US Team (college player will attend next year is in parentheses)
Nick Anderson F 6-6 (Texas A&M)
Andre Brown F 6-9 (DePaul)
Omar Cook G 6-1 (St. John's)
Chris Duhon G 6-1 (Duke)
Eddie Griffin F 6-9 (Seton Hall)
Rolando Howell F 6-9 (South Carolina)
Jared Jeffries F 6-10 (Indiana)
Daris Miles F 6-9 (St. John's)
Zach Randolph F/C 6-9 (Michigan State)
Scooter Sherrill G 6-2 (North Carolina State)
Marcus Taylor G 6-3 (Michigan State)
Gerald Wallace F 6-7 (Alabama)

International Team
Goran Cakic (KK Beobanka, YUG)
Chris Exilus (Toronto, CAN)
Andrei Kirilenko (CSKA Moscow, RUS)
Neil Fingleton (ENG, will play at North Carolina next year)
Yaseen Mahmoud (Al Rayyan, QAT)
Yao Ming (Shanghai Sharks, CHN)
Bostjan Nachbar (Pivovarna Lasko, SLO)
Olumide Oyedeji (DJK Wurzburg, GER (Nigerian))
Tony Parker (Racing Paris, FRA)
Marko Popovic (Zadar, CRO)
Andrew Rice (Canberra Cosmos, AUS)
Sergi Vidal (Joventut Badalona, ESP)
With 7-6 Fingleton and 7-4 Ming, the international team will be very tough inside.