USA U18 men’s head coach Tommy Lloyd has shown that he was the right man at the right time for Arizona when he replaced Sean Miller; now, he looks to help the Americans continue their national dominance. Team USA looks to defend their FIBA U18 gold medal in Bueno Aires, Argentina (June 3-9). The American’s U18 squad has won six straight FIBAU18 AmeriCups and 10 of 12 events.
Lloyd took over Arizona’s first seat in 2021 after serving on Mark Few’s staff since 2000. The 2021-22 national coach of the year led the Wildcats to an NCAA record 61 games and an 88-20 overall record. He has directed the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament in all three years, two Pac-12 regular season and two conference tournament crowns.
“This is a tremendous honor to serve as the head coach of USA Basketball’s Men’s U18 National Team,” Lloyd said when he was named USA U18 coach at the end of February. “I have always loved FIBA basketball and the different ways the game is played around the world. I look forward to this opportunity to now compete in a FIBA competition while representing USA Basketball.”
Arizona Head Coach Tommy Lloyd Looks To Lead USA U18 Squad To 7th Straight FIBA AmeriCup.
While this is Lloyd’s first head national team head coaching job, he was a court coach for the U18 team in 2022. Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland and Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry will assist Lloyd.
Team USA will begin their defense in Argentina against the hosts on June 3. The Americans will then face Belize (June 4) and Brazil (June 5) to close out Group B play. They own a 12-1 record against Argentina, never faced Belize, and are 10-0 against the Brazilians.
Group A comprises Venezuela, Canada, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. Following group play on June 7, all eight teams are seeded for quarterfinal action. The semifinals are slated for June 8, and the finals and classification stages will occur on June 9.
The US is a talented squad loaded with top college prospects. Lloyd got an up-close look at his team as they recently participated in a scrimmage on Reid Court at Colorado College.
They’re talented players and high-character guys. I told them I’m going to coach them with high standards, and we’re not going to run this thing like an all-star team,” Lloyd said after the scrimmage. “I’m proud of how they let me coach them. … We have a motto, ‘talent makes talent better.’ I think they’re buying into that.”
“I know we’re ready. We’re going to start with (Wednesday) with film and learn from all the positive things we did. Once we establish that, we’ll see if there are some themes in the mistakes we’re making, and we’ll address them.”
Team USA Roster
Darius Acuff Jr.
Darius Acuff Jr. is a 6-2 guard from Detroit who is currently playing at IMG Academy. According to 247Sports, Acuff is a consensus top 10 player in the class of 2025. He holds 21 offers, with Kansas and Arkansas currently seen as the favorites for his services.
Here is what 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein said about Acuff:
Acuff is the most dominant and dynamic lead guard in the class, who plays with outward confidence. He controls the offensive end of the floor with the ball in his hands and has a variety of versatile tools at his disposal. Firstly, he’s cut-up and powerful with long arms (a +4.5 inch wingspan).
As Acuff has sculpted his frame, he’s simultaneously become more explosive and improved his first-step, but it’s often his second-move, or counter, that is especially lethal. He’s got a lot of different options when he goes through his legs mid-drive and has even become adept at adding a burst of speed, and accelerating, in the midst of his attack. Inside, the lane he has a full assortment of scoring options including crafty wrong-footed finishes, complete use of both hands at the rim, and good range on his runner. He is also a tough shot-maker and improving overall shooter who is equally dangerous off the catch or dribble, and doesn’t need much separation to get his shot off.
Nate Ament
Nate Ament is a 6-8 wing from Manassas (Va.) who plays at Highland High School. Ament is a consensus top 20 prospect in the class of 2025, per 247Sports. He holds 23 offers.
Here is what Eric Bossi of 247Sports said about Ament:
While he’s still a bit on the thin side, Ament is a mobile and skilled forward who has the skill and ball skills to play out on the wing where he has tremendous size. Or, he can be used as a small ball four man who opens up defenses and pulls other bigs away from the basket thanks to his ability to shoot from deep. There is a lot of projectable upside for Ament because of his overall size, athleticism and frame that he can easily grow into down the road.
Mikel Brown Jr.
Mikel Brown Jr. is a 6-2 point guard who is a consensus top-15 player in the class of 2025. Brown is currently playing for Overtime Elite. He holds 22 offers, with Ole Miss considered the favorite.
“Brown is a highly skilled lead guard who is a wizard with his handle, said Finkelstein while watching Team USA U18 trials. “Has good floor vision, and has been whipping accurate skip passes across the court with both hands.”
Jeremiah Fears
Jeremiah Fears is a 6-2 guard from Joilet (Ill.) who plays for AZ Compass Prep. A consensus top-40 player in the class of 2025, Fears committed to Illinois in January.
Shelton Henderson
Shelton Henderson is a 6-5 forward from Bellaire (TX) who plays at Bellaire HS. Henderson is a consensus top-50 recruit in the class of 2025, per 247Sports. He holds 13 offers, with Houston, Texas, and Texas Tech considered the favorites.
Here is what 247Sports Brandon Jenkins said about Henderson:
Henderson is a physical specimen from the wing position who arguably has the best long-term tools in the national class. He operates as a playmaking wing who is loaded with intangibles that are off the charts. He boasts a man-child frame while possessing huge hands and long arms. Henderson has the build to overpower defenders on his drive at the collegiate level and should draw fouls with ease when looking to drive the basketball. He has a chance to be known for his two-way versatility. He has a tremendous feel for the game with shooting potential and the ability to guard multiple positions on the floor. To tap into his great upside, he must learn to demand the ball and impose his will with an assertive style.
Daniel Jacobsen
Daniel Jacobsen is a 7-3 center from Chicago (Ill.) who played at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. A consensus top 150 player in the class of 2024, Jacobsen, will play at Purdue this upcoming season.
Jasper Johnson
Jasper Johnson is a 6-4 guard from Lexington (Ky.) who plays at Link Academy (Branson, Missouri). Johnson is a consensus top-10 player, per 247Sports. He holds 20 offers.
Here is what Finkelstein said about Johnson:
Jasper Johnson is a southpaw scoring guard who has spurts of extreme tough shot-making when he gets hot. He has a super soft natural touch and is very crafty around the lane with a deep bag of runners, floaters, and other types of finishes, in addition to the jumpers and step-backs he’s capable of making from the perimeter. Physically, Johnson is lean, but he’s very long with a recorded +5 wingspan. In addition to building up his body, he also needs to learn to impact the game more when the ball isn’t in his hands, or more specifically, when he’s not on one of his scoring sprees.
Morez Johnson Jr.
Morez Johnson is a 6-9 forward from Riverdale (IL) who played at Thornton Township High School. Johnson is a consensus top 30 player in the class of 2024 and will play at Illinois this upcoming season.
Johnson played for Team USA in the Nike Hoop Summitt, recording eight points on 3 of 4 shooting and 2 of 4 from the free throw line. He added four rebounds (three offensive) and one block in 12 minutes.
Here is what Finkelstein said about Johnson:
Johnson is a powerfully built big man, constant double-double threat, and versatile frontcourt defender. He’s not the tallest or most offensively skilled, but strong from head-to-toe, physical on both ends of the floor, and very efficient in his role. Defensively, he can bang on the block, provide a physical deterrent to opposing drivers, and really clean the glass (9.8 rebounds per game). Simultaneously though, he can also move laterally and use his length to contain opposing ball-handlers in pick-and-roll action. Offensively, he’s a little limited in the post and not yet a consistent shooting threat beyond 15 feet, but nonetheless very effective within his role. He’s a diligent rim runner, quick roller off ball screens, and very balanced inside the lane, both ducking-in for deep post position and pivoting through contact. Johnson finishes through traffic and scores equally well with both hands around the rim.
Nikolas Khamenia
Nikolas Khamenia is a 6-6 wing from Studio City (Calif.) who attends Harvard Westlake High School. The consensus top-40 2025 recruit has 13 offers.
Trey McKenney
Trey McKenney is a 6-3 guard from Flint (MI) who attends St. Mary’s Prep. McKenney is a consensus top-15 player, per 247Sports, and holds 36 offers.
Here is what Finkelstein said about McKenney:
“McKenney is a big-time mismatch problem on the perimeter because he’s so powerful in his upper body, said Finkelstein. has exceptionally long arms and an offensive attack that is both versatile and efficient.”
Patrick Ngongba II
Patrick Ngongba II is a 6-10 center from Fairfax (Va.) who played at St. Paul VI Catholic. A consensus top-25 recruit who signed with Duke on June 10.
Here is what Finklestein said about Ngongba:
Ngongba has a tremendous combination of size, length, and offensive skill. He stands just shy of 7-feet with ultra-broad shoulders and a big frame that gives him a significant presence on both ends of the floor. He has extremely soft hands and touch, equally impressive footwork, and a high release point around the paint. He provides a true low-post scorer, but is also an inside-out threat with developing shooting range out to the arc. He’s a good passer who is starting to punish double-teams, facilitate from different spots on the floor, and even deliver balls with both hands. He has versatility playing out of ball-screen actions and can also be effective operating in dribble-hand-offs. Overall, Ngongba is an exceptionally efficient offensive player (70% FG in the EYBL regular season), but one who is showing more signs of being able to anchor a half-court offense down the road. Durability and mobility are the key variables for him moving forward. He missed time with injuries early in his high school career and was not an especially fluid mover when he returned. While he’s made great strides since, he still projects as a drop coverage big man at the next level, without much defensive versatility. His physical presence in the lane gives him some value as a rim protector (1.3 blocks per game), although he still often has to shuffle his feet before elevating, while his length and hands allow him to own his area on the glass (7.8 rebounds in 19.3 minutes). Finally, Ngongba has shown a rapid rate of improvement since getting healthy, which could be a key variable to projecting his long-term upside.
Derrion Reed
Derrion Reed is a 6-7 forward from Grovetown (Ga.) who attended Prolific Prep. Reed is a consensus top-20 2024 recruit who has signed with Alabama.
Here is what Finkelstein said about Reed:
Reid established himself as one of the more versatile forwards in the country this year. He plays with an aggressive scoring mentality and is a threat from various spots on the floor. He’s probably most comfortable in the mid-post area, or with similar elbow isos. He has very good footwork and loves to face-up after starting with his back to the basket. He goes right into contact and can play through it, but is also a threat to pull-up over top of contesting defenders in the mid-range area. There are flashes of having a very multi-dimensional attack though. He has touch and rotation to keep developing behind the arc, despite not yet being a high-volume threat and spraying some misses when he’s out of rhythm (14-35 through 21 EYBL games, 40%). He similarly doesn’t look to attack off a live dribble very often, but can show flashes of a crossover and playmaking ability in the open floor. There are even occasional glimpses of passing creativity, although he recorded a flat assist-to-turnover ratio in the EYBL (45 of each through 21 games). There’s similar versatility on the defensive end where he moves his feet, utilizes his length, hedges ball-screens well, and can bang with bigger players inside. He’s a quality pound-for-pound rebounder and good vertical athlete, known for some explosive put-back dunks. He has an already sturdy frame that should support plenty more muscle mass when he gets to the next level. Overall, he’s a versatile, scoring combo-forward, who approaches the game like more of a four at this point, but moves well enough to eventually develop into more of a big wing.
