After death of father, Jaylen Nowell earns spot on USA Basketball U16 National Team
MaxPreps Minute - Jaylen Nowell named to Under 16 USA Team Video: MaxPreps Minute - Jaylen Nowell named to Under 16 USA Team
See the Garfield High star in action
A sophomore at Seattle's Garfield High School, Jaylen Nowell will board a flight next week with 11 of the top young basketball players in the United States and head to Argentina for the FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
The event feeds into next summer's FIBA U17 World Championship and earning a spot on USA Basketball's national team roster is a crowning achievement for the nation's top hoops prospects.
Current pros like Brad Beal, Andre Drummond, Aaron Gordon and Jabari Parker are just a few of the stars to pass through the organization's U16/U17 program since 2009.
For Nowell, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, the accomplishment will have special meaning. His father, Mike, died May 11 after a fight with cancer.
Photo by Minh Tran
Jaylen Nowell, Garfield
Mike was just 46 years old and a member of the basketball coaching staff at Seattle University. He coached many of Jaylen's youth teams up until the sixth grade and served as an assistant at Garfield.
"This was his last wish," Nowell said. "He wanted me to do this. I thought about not coming but this is something that he spent the last part of his life to help me get ready for."
Nowell is the second Garfield product to make the youth national team. Current Philadelphia 76er Tony Wroten helped USA Basketball win a gold medal at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship.
"Words can't even express (how proud I am)," Garfield head coach Ed Haskins said. "You really have to give all the credit to his mom and his dad, for the type of basketball player he is and the type of person he is. He is the kind of kid you really want to see succeed."
Nowell averaged 23.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game during his sophomore season at storied Garfield, leading the Bulldogs to a 27-2 record and their second state title in a row. He was a first team selection on the MaxPreps Sophomore All-American Team.
The United States opens play at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship on June 10 against Puerto Rico.
