National Team Invitations
The 76ers' Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young have officially been invited to the U.S. National Team mini-camp.
Some dribbles, double dribbles and other stuff as we await the NBA draft tonight:
1. USA Basketball is telling us today what we already knew, that the 76ers' Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young have been invited to the National Team mini-camp July 22-25 in Las Vegas.
Twenty-five players have been invited, including former Sixer Kyle Korver, now with the Utah Jazz, and Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, destined to be taken No. 1 tonight by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Toronto's Jay Triano will coach the group.
2. Despite what you may have read elsewhere, even on this very website, the Sixers do not have Elton Brand ''on the table.''
''We are not shopping Brand,'' Sixers president/general manager Ed Stefanski said.
3. I'm a big boy and can admit when I've made a mistake: I did not include Brandon Jennings in my mock draft that appears in today's Daily News.
I didn't leave him out to make a statement. In the process of juggling some names at the last minute, I just missed him. What's amazing is, I only got one email about it this morning.
From what I've heard, it sounds as if Jennings could go in the 14-20 range of the first round. But I've also heard that even his advisors are a little antsy. I just read an ESPN note that said there was some indecision as to whether Jennings should be among the players in the fabled Green Room at draft headquarters in New York.
4. I also just saw Chris Monter's annual mock draft, and he has Temple's Dionte Christmas and Saint Joseph's Ahmad Nivins going very late in the second round, but does not have Villanova's Dante Cunningham pencilled in.