A pair of second-year Buckeyes are trying to represent the country.
Forward Zed Key and guard Meechie Johnson earned invitations to try out for the USA Basketball U19 National Team currently slated to compete in the FIBA World Cup this summer. The games will be played in Riga, Latvia, from July 3 until July 11.
The team will start practice on June 20, then the players who make the squad will join head coach Jamie Dixon – who's also in charge of TCU – and leave the country for Europe on June 27.
The full list of other players trying out for the U19 team hasn't been released yet. In recent years, there has been a blend of current college underclassmen and high-end recruits on the team.
“This is a great honor for Zed and Meechie,” head coach Chris Holtmann said in a statement. “I know they are excited about competing with some of the best players in the country at their age for a chance to represent our country. We are excited to follow and support them as they compete for a roster spot on this U19 team.”
Key, who'll be in contention to start at center next season, averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds as a true freshman. Johnson, who figures to factor heavily into the backcourt plans next year, recorded 1.2 points per game in limited time across 17 games after graduating early from Garfield Heights and joining the team after the 2020-21 season had already gotten underway.
