LEXINGTON, Ky.by Deborah J Moore – Three University of Kentucky men’s basketball signees were selected to represent the Team USA Junior National Select Team in the 19th annual Nike Hoop Summit. Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, De’Aaron Fox and Wenyen Gabriel will suit up together to face members of the World Select Team on April 9, 2016 at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore.
UK’s trio of signees are members of UK’s six-man 2016 signing class and will be among the 13 players on the USA squad in the annual contest featuring some of the world’s up-and-coming talent. The game is played under international rules and features the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Select Team, comprised of the top high school seniors, playing against a World Select Team, comprised of top players 19-years-old or younger from around the world.
Former Kentucky greats and No. 1 overall NBA Draft selections, Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns and John Wall are alumni of the event. Current Wildcats Isaiah Briscoe, Skal Labissiere and Jamal Murray participated in last year’s event.
Adebayo will join Kentucky out of High Point Christian Academy in High Point, N.C. He’s ranked in the top 10 by Rivals (No. 6) and ESPN (No. 6). 247Sports (No. 14) and Scout (No. 15) tab him as a top-15 prospect in the 2016 class. He has prior USA Basketball experience and was named a MaxPreps All-American in 2013.
Fox is rated as high as No. 2 overall in the rankings by 247Sports. Scout ranks him at No. 4, Rivals has him at No. 5 and ESPN tabs him No. 7. Scout and 247Sports both rank the five-star prospect as the No. 1 point guard in the talented 2016 group. He participated in the 2015 USA Basketball Junior National Team minicamp and made the 2015-16 USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team in September.
Gabriel is ranked as high as No. 10 in the national rankings. Scout ranks Gabriel as the 10th-best player overall in the 2016 class. 247Sports and Rivals tab him at No. 17 and ESPN places him at No. 23. He is a consensus five-star recruit.
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