Lance Thomas Added to Olympic Select Team


Lance Thomas has been selected to join the 2012 USA Men’s Select Team roster. The Select Team will train against eventual Hornets forward Anthony Davis and the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team in Las Vegas this summer.

Lance Thomas is headed to Vegas to train with the best in the world

Lance Thomas will join fellow Hornets Eric Gordon and Anthony Davis in Las Vegas, albeit as part of the 2012 USA Men’s Select Team.

“We made a commitment back in October that we would select two players from the 2011 USA Pan American Games Team and invite them to be part of the 2012 USA Select Team,” explained Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman. “Greg (Stiemsma) and Lance (Thomas) were valuable contributors to the USA’s bronze medal showing at the 2011 Pan American Games and both earned their way on to NBA rosters this season and demonstrated they can contribute at that level. I’m pleased to have both players join the USA Select Team.”

In addition, Team USA Basketball has announced that Orlando forward Ryan Anderson has withdrawn, leaving the roster at 14 players. The Select Team will train July 6-11 against the US Team in Las Vegas.Other Select team members include Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving, Jeremy Lin, John Wall, Kawhi Leonard, DeJuan Blair, DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward, Paul George, Taj Gibson and Klay Thompson.

Thomas came off the bench for the USA at the Pan American Games and in five games averaged 8.2 ppg. and 7.6 rpg. In the USA’s opening game victory over the Dominican Republic, he posted team highs of 15 points, 16 rebounds and three assists. He played in 42 games this past season for the Hornets, playing at all three front court positions throughout the year. He averaged four points and three boards in fifteen minutes.

Hornets247 cameraman Andrew Smith and I will be in Las Vegas to cover both Team USA workouts, as well as Hornets Summer League. Anthony Davis will participate in the Team USA workouts in hopes of making the Olympic team. It’s unlikely, in my opinion, that we’ll see him participate in Hornets Summer League.

Congratulations to Lance!


6 responses to “Lance Thomas Added to Olympic Select Team”

  1. This is a really big deal for Lance and the Hornets. The experience Lance gets will be invaluable. Plus I found a quote about being on the Select Team is the commonly acknowledged way to make the Olympic Team. So, if nothing else, Lance will be rubbing shoulders and banging bodies with current and future Olympians. That can’t do anything but help him.

    Can’t wait to hear more about the three Hornets in the Team USA workouts: Gordon, Davis, and Thomas.

  2. Congratulations Lance!! Thats really big, Lance played really good for us in the limited minutes and i really like his effort. I hope the Hornets see that as well and lock him up in a Smith kinda contract.

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