ESPN to Follow Path of USA Basketball Men's National Team to the "2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup"
ESPN Networks to Televise USA Exhibition Games, Practice Session from West Point
Leading up to the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, ESPN networks will follow the path of the USA Basketball Men's National Team beginning with an intrasquad exhibition game today - Friday, August 1 - and continuing throughout the month with three additional exhibition games and a practice session at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The USA Basketball National team is coached by legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and potentially headlined by superstars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Paul George, Derrick Rose and James Harden, among others.
Mark Jones and analyst and international basketball expert Fran Fraschilla will provide commentary for today's exhibition game - officially titled the USA Basketball Showcase presented by Nike - at 9 pm. ET on ESPN from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Jones and Fraschilla will call the action again on Saturday, August 16, when the USA takes on Brazil at 9 p.m. from the United Center in Chicago, also on ESPN.
Additional ESPN2 exhibition coverage includes USA vs. Puerto Rico on Friday, August 22, at 7 p.m. from Madison Square Garden in New York and USA vs. Slovenia on Tuesday, August 26, at 2 p.m. from Gran Canaria Arena in Las Palmas, Spain. Marc Kestecher will join Fraschilla for commentary on both games. ESPN Insiders Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst will also follow the USA Basketball National team throughout the month for ESPN.com with breaking news, on-site reports, digital video and more.
ESPN2 will also televise a two-hour USA Basketball practice session from the U.S. Military Academy's Christl Arena in West Point, N.Y. in front of approximately 900 cadets on Monday, August 18, at 2 p.m. The event includes an interactive basketball drill between the USA Basketball National team and active servicemen and women.
Each game and the practice session will be available on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku via WatchESPN. The exhibition slate sets the stage for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which begins Saturday, August 30, and runs through Saturday, September 14. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes will combine to carry every game throughout the marquee tournament. Full details will be announced at a later date.
Date Time (ET) Game/Commentators Location Network(s)
Fri, Aug 1 9 p.m. USA Basketball Showcase presented by Nike
Mark Jones, Fran Fraschilla Thomas & Mack Center - Las Vegas ESPN, WatchESPN Sat, Aug 16 9 p.m. USA Basketball Showcase Presented by Nike: USA vs. Brazil
Mark Jones, Fran Fraschilla United Center - Chicago ESPN, WatchESPN Mon, Aug 18 2 p.m. USA Basketball Practice at West Point
Christl Arena - West Point, N.Y. ESPN2, WatchESPN Fri, Aug 22 7 p.m. USA Basketball Showcase Presented by Nike: USA vs. Puerto Rico
Marc Kestecher, Fran Fraschilla Madison Square Garden - New York ESPN2, WatchESPN Tue, Aug 26 2 p.m. USA Basketball Showcase Presented by Nike: USA vs. Slovenia
Marc Kestecher, Fran Fraschilla Gran Canaria Arena - Las Palmas, Spain ESPN2, WatchESPN
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