THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Another summit for Buchanan to reach on Saturday
A few months ago, there was talk that Lake City High senior Blake Buchanan might be named a McDonald’s All-American.
Didn’t happen, but not long after that, the 6-foot-11 Virginia signee got some good news out of the blue.
Buchanan was named to the USA roster for the Nike Hoop Summit, scheduled for Saturday at the Moda Center in Portland.
The 13-member U.S. boys team, consisting of high school players, will face a team of international players at 7 p.m.
“No idea (that was coming),” Buchanan said. “This is going to be a super cool opportunity.”
WHEN BUCHANAN attended the Damian Lillard Formula Zero Camp last summer in Portland, a staffer then working for the Orlando Magic noticed him. Not long after that, the staffer took a job with USA Basketball, which is in charge of the Nike Hoop Summit.
“This is going to be a cool opportunity to play, just representing my country, USA across your chest,” said Buchanan, who went on to lead Lake City to an undefeated season, the Timberwolves’ first state title in program history, and was named Idaho Gatorade boys basketball player of the year.
For the first time, a girls game is also part of the Nike Hoop Summit, with the U.S. girls facing a team of international players Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Among the “notable alumni” from the Nike Hoop Summit are Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, John Wall, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Ben Simmons and Zion Williamson.
BUCHANAN was scheduled to head to Portland on Tuesday. The USA team was set to practice Wednesday, today and Friday, and play on Saturday.
At the NBPA Top 100 Camp last summer, Buchanan played with some of his future USA Basketball teammates, such as Justin Edwards (Philadelphia), who is headed to Kentucky, and Jared McCain (Corona, Calif.), bound for fellow ACC school Duke.
Four players from the Formula Zero camp are on the USA roster — Buchanan, Eric Dailey Jr. (Tampa, Fla.), who is going to Oklahoma State; Jackson Shelstad (West Linn, Ore.), who is headed to Oregon; and Ja’Kobe Walter (McKinney, Texas), bound for Baylor.
Australian Alex Toohey, a forward who has signed with Gonzaga, was selected to the international team, comprised of players 19 and under.
Another of Buchanan’s teammates on the USA squad this week is Bronny James, son of you-know-who, who was also at the Top 100 Camp last summer.
“I played a game against his team at the top-100 camp,” Buchanan recalled. “But we played six minutes at a time. When I played my six minutes he was on the bench … ”
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @CdAPressSports.
