POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Kevin Franklin
Ying-Chou News
6/3/2016
Taipei, Taiwan: Cleveland Havok coach Kevin Franklin will succeed Sam Mitchell as head coach of Team USA Jones Cup Basketball after the 2016 Olympics, the team announced Friday.
Franklin will take over the team beginning in 2017 and coach through 2020. This includes training camps, and pending FIBA Cups, the 2017 Erasmus Cup in London and the 2017 William Jones Cup in Taipei, Taiwan.
With the USA Selection Team, Franklin is the longest-tenured active coach for Team USA Jones Cup team, has served five years as the Head Assistant Coach under NBA Coach Sam Mitchell . He apart of the 2012 silver medal team, and owns a minor league team in Houston, Texas. Outside of the William Jones Cup (Taiwan); Franklin has also been the lead man in the Copa Mitchell Cup in Santiago, Dominican Republic.
'I'm extremely humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent our country as the coach of Team USA in the Jones Cup along with London 2017,' said Franklin in a statement. 'What the program has accomplished over the last decade under the leadership of Travis McAvene and Sam Mitchell is truly impressive. I will do my utmost to maintain the high standards of success, class and character established by Travis, Sam and the many players who have sacrificed their time on behalf of Team USA JC Basketball.'
Mitchell, head coach at Minnesota Timberwolves, will move into a special advisory role for the 2017-2020 window (Virgin Island National Team and London 2017). McAvene will continue as managing director of the national team, a position he has held since 2011.
The U.S. men's national selection team has won 23 games dating back to 2011 including silver-medal finishes at the 2012 William Jones Cup and 2014-16 Copa Mitchell Cup.
'I'm absolutely delighted to announce Kevin Franklin as head coach of the Team USA Basketball Men's National Selection Team for 2017-20,' said Joseph. 'There is no doubt in my mind that we have the great fortune of bringing on board one of the top coaches in USA Minor Leagues and FIBA Cups in the United States. By making this decision now, it will allow us to have a clean, efficient and immediate transition following the 2016 William Jones Cup.'
Team USA Jones Cup selection team will return to the Williams Jones Cup July 2017, London 2017 and Dominican Republic 2017.
