USA Basketball

VERN FLEMING

1984 OLYMPIAN – LOS ANGELES GAMES

Vern Fleming, one of the finest Bulldog performers in history, made his mark at every level of competitive basketball. In 1984, he earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team and played a large role in its Gold Medal-winning effort. Fleming averaged 7.7 points during the Los Angeles Olympics, connecting on 51.1 percent of his shots. He also tallied 19 rebounds, 19 assists and nine steals.

Many consider the 1984 Americans as the finest amateur assemblage in the sport’s history. The squad featured future Naismith Hall of Fame inductees Michael Jordan, Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing.

From 1984-95, Fleming was a standout player for the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.

WILLIE ANDERSON

1988 OLYMPIAN – SEOUL GAMES

Willie Anderson was star performer of the 1987 and 1988 Bulldogs, leading the ’87 squad to an NCAA Tournament berth.

In 1988, Anderson was selected to the U.S. Olympic Team and in the same year was the first-round draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs. The Americans earned a bronze medal at the Seoul Olympics. Anderson averaged 5.0 points per game while pacing the squad by shooting 64.0 percent from the field. He also added 13 rebounds, six assists, six steals and four blocks.

Anderson returned from Seoul and played seven years for the Spurs before doing stints with Toronto, New York and Miami to round out his 10-year career in the league.

JUMAINE JONES

1998 GOODWILLGAMES NEW YORK

The 6-7 forward put an exclamation mark on his outstanding freshman season at Georgia by making the 12-man U.S. team for the Goodwill Games. Jones later started all five games for the Americans and averaged 7.4 points for the gold medal winners.

TREY THOMPKINS

2009 U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AUCKLAND

Eighteen years had gone by since the American Under 19 team had won its last gold medal at this 2-week tournament. The rising Georgia sophomore played a key role in restoring the Yanks to the winner’s circle. Thompkins averaged 10.6 points – second-best on the team – and 5.1 rebounds per game. He also had the Americans’ highest single-game scoring effort when he poured in 22 in a 4th-round win over Greece. The U.S. team won all nine of its games by an average margin of over 22 points.

A year later, Thompkins was named to the USA Select squad, a group of collegians that worked as training partners alongside the USA

DAMEN WILKINS

2015 PAN AM GAMES TORONTO

Former Bulldog Damien Wilkins was selected for the U.S. team that participated in the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto. Wilkins, 35, started every contest in the five-game tournament and helped the Americans secure a bronze medal. He averaged 13.2 points while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor, 75.0 percent from 3-point range and 70.8 percent from the line. Wilkins also chipped in 5.0 rebounds in 25.4 minutes per game.

Following the Games, Wilkins signed a free agent contract with the Charlotte Hornets to continue his 10-season NBA career.

YANTE MATEN

2020 AMERICUP QUALIFYING INDIANAPOLIS

Yante Maten, the 2018 SEC Player of the Year, donned the Red, White & Blue for USA Basketball in 2020. Maten suited up for the national team participating in qualifying for the 2021 Americup.

Maten started both games and averaged 14.0 points – while shooting 68.8 percent from the field – and 5.5 rebounds in victories over Bahamas and Mexico.