COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Six successful coaches will be on hand to help the USA basketball Men’s U19 National Team coaching staff at training camp, including Rodney Billups (University of Denver), Jeff Britt (Bethel University, Tenn.), Jeff Culver (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs), Aaron Gray (former NBA athlete) and Chris Holtmann (Ohio State University) and Hank Plona (Indian Hills Community College)
The 2019 USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team training camp, which will be used to select the roster for the 2019 USA Men’s U19 National Team, will take place June 15-23 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Bruce Weber (Kansas State University) is head coach of the 2019 USA Men’s U19 National Team, and Mike Hopkins (University of Washington) and LeVelle Moton (North Carolina Central University) are assistant coaches.
Billups will undertake his first USA Basketball coaching assignment after recently completing his third season (2016-17 to present) as head coach at University of Denver. Billups’ 31 career wins are the most by any coach through the first two seasons since the program turned Division I in 1998. As a high schooler, Billups competed in the 1999 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival and won a bronze medal with the North Team.
“This is a dream of mine to work with USA Basketball,” Billups said. “I wanted so badly to play and represent my country with USA Basketball but now to have the opportunity to coach with the wonderful staff and work with incredible student athletes. I am ecstatic for the opportunity. It is always good to pour into young people the knowledge and experience that I have gained throughout my career. It also is an opportunity for me to learn from a very talented and successful group of coaches.”
In the 2017-18 season the Pioneers finished 10-4 at home, their best home record for the first time since 2012-13. Billups has guided DU to an average 75.8 points per game, the most the program has had since becoming Division I in 1998.
Prior to coaching at DU, Billups spent a total of six seasons at University of Colorado, two seasons as the director of basketball operations (2010-11 to 2011-12) and four as an assistant coach (2012-13 to 2015-16).
The Denver native was a standout of University of Denver from 2002-03 to 2004-05. During his senior season, he averaged 10.2 points, 6.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds. He led the Sun Belt Conference in assists and ranked No. 17 nationally in assists. He also helped the Pioneers to 20 wins, a National Invitation Tournament berth and was named to the All-SBC third team.
Britt also will undertake his first USA Basketball coaching assignment after recently completing his 19th season as head coach at Bethel University (2000-01 to present) where he has compiled a 428-294 (.593) overall record.
“It is a tremendous honor,” Britt said. “I’m very excited about it. It’s hard to believe to be honest with you. It’s going to be a great experience and I’m really looking forward to doing my best and to offer what I can.”
In 2018-19, the Wildcats finished 25-9 and advanced to the Division I NAIA Championship, their second appearance in program history.
Britt has led Bethel to ten 20 plus win seasons and currently ranks 10th among active National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics coaches for most wins. Britt has received coach of the year honors three times in 1996, 2002 and 2013. He led the Wildcats to the 2002 East Region Tournament Championship, a 2005 NAIA II Sweet Sixteen Tournament appearance and a 2015 NAIA Division I National Tournament appearance.
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