Want to enjoy the basketball courts this weekend? Well, only as a spectator if you get there early! The ESPN Elite 24 Games have taken over both Friday and Saturday. Expect beyond overflow at the restrooms, and an insanely packed area around Windward & the Rec center.
Featuring 24 of the nation’s best high school players, the Under Armour Elite 24 was held at the famed Rucker Park in Harlem its first four years. Since 2010 it has been held in Los Angeles and will return to Venice Beach for the third consecutive year.
Under Armour Elite 24 alumni Brandon Jennings and Kemba Walker will lead the coaching staffs at this year’s event, which will be held Aug. 24-25 at Venice Beach, Calif.
Jennings, a point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks who dished out an event-record 23 assists in the 2007 game, will team with Derrick Williams, the No. 2 pick of the 2011 NBA draft, to lead the “Raymond Lewis” squad. Walker, who made 7-of-8 field goals en route to 16 points in that same 2007 game, will join forces with DeAndre Jordan, who participated in the inaugural event at Harlem’s famed Rucker Park in 2006, to lead the “Marques Johnson” squad.
Teams, in the tradition of the event, are named after Los Angeles playground legends.
Featuring 24 of the nation’s top high school basketball players, Under Armour Elite 24 participants are selected based on their performances during AAU tournaments and national summer camps by ESPN high school basketball experts.
The 2012 Under Armour Elite 24 will be held at the Venice Beach outdoor courts in Los Angeles. The game airs live on ESPNU at 7 p.m. ET Aug. 25, while the Under Armour Slam Dunk Contest will air at 7 p.m. ET Aug. 24 on ESPNU.
Raymond Lewis squad
Head Coach: Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee Bucks)
Assistant Coach: Derrick Williams (Minnesota Timberwolves)
| Name | AAU Team (Hometown) | Rank | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nate Britt II | D.C. Assault (Washington, D.C.) | No. 49 ESPN 100 | North Carolina |
| Conner Frankamp | KC Run GMC (Wichita, Kan.) | No. 36 ESPN 100 | Kansas |
| Aaron Gordon | Oakland Soldiers (San Jose, Calif.) | No. 6 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Brannen Greene | Atlanta Celtics (Monroe, Ga.) | No. 40 ESPN 100 | Kansas |
| Isaac Hamilton | Dream Vision (Bellflower, Calif.) | No. 22 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Aaron Harrison | Houston Defenders (Richmond, Texas) | No. 4 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Andrew Harrison | Houston Defenders (Richmond, Texas) | No. 2 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Rondae Jefferson | Team Final (Chester, Pa.) | No. 14 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Jermaine Lawrence | NYC Rens (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.) | No. 16 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Marcus Lee | California Supreme (Antioch, Calif.) | No. 27 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Emmanuel Mudiay | Texas Select (Arlington, Texas) | No. 6 ESPN 60 | Undecided |
| Julius Randle | Team Texas Titans (Plano, Texas) | No. 3 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Rashad Vaughn | Net Gain Sports (Minneapolis, Minn.) | No. 12 ESPN 60 | Undecided |
Marques Johnson squad
Head Coach: Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats)
Assistant Coach: DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers)
| Name | AAU Team (Hometown) | Rank | College |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jabari Bird | Oakland Soldiers (Richmond, Calif.) | No. 20 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Tyler Ennis | CIA Bounce (Newark, N.J.) | No. 41 ESPN 100 | Syracuse |
| Keith Fraizer | DJH5 (Dallas, Texas) | No. 19 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Kuran Iverson | New York Lightning (Windsor, Ct.) | No. 26 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Stanley Johnson | Oakland Soldiers (Richmond, Calif.) | No. 24 ESPN 60 | Undecided |
| Tyus Jones | Howard Pulley (Apple Valley, Minn.) | No. 2 ESPN 60 | Undecided |
| Austin Nichols | M33M (Eads, Tenn.) | No. 10 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Wayne Selden | BABC (Tilton, N.H.) | No. 13 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Sindarius Thornwell | Team United (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) | No. 43 ESPN 100 | Undecided |
| Andrew Wiggins | CIA Bounce (Toronto) | No. 1 ESPN 60 | Undecided |
| Nigel Williams-Goss | California Supreme (Henderson, Nev.) | No. 47 ESPN 100 | Washington |
| Justise Winslow | Houston Hoops (Houston, Texas) | No. 11 ESPN 60 | Undecided |
