:: USA SELECT BASKETBALL ::

Charlotte Observer

THEY OPEN THE WORLD UP TO U.S. ATHLETES
TWO N.C. MEN START GROUP THAT CONNECTS PLAYERS TO TEAMS

By JASON JORDAN, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
April 14, 2004

Twenty years ago, Sean Kilmartin and David Lawrence agreed on a plan they're now putting into action.

Both were former Appalachian State basketball players competing in Europe. Kilmartin played for a team in Oxford, England, and Lawrence a team in Wales.

Kilmartin says playing in the National Basketball Association wasn't an option. But they shared the experience of travel and playing basketball in Europe and decided they wanted to share it.

"We just looked at each other (during a casual meeting) and said we were going to give some athletes an opportunity to see this one day," Kilmartin said recently. "As time progressed, we would always maintain contact with people we'd played with in Europe. A few years down the road, we realized we could juggle our schedules and with the assistance of Nicholas Melissaris and Mike Palladino, we put this brainchild together."

Now they're helping American basketball players get professio! nal contracts internationally and see the world. They've formed a self-funded organization called Team USA Select basketball.

"We're totally self-funded right now. We've put the team together and we put together marketing relationships and took them overseas," Kilmartin said recently. "We worked in relation with Delaney Rudd. He was a registered agent, and he helped us negotiate the contracts for the athletes."

Rudd is a former Wake Forest and NBA player who also played in France.

Team USA Select holds tryouts for anyone who believes they have the skills to play professionally. Athletes are chosen if the Team USA staff believes they can help that player get a contract.

When a player is chosen, he's invited to the "Delaney Rudd International Review," which is held every June. Rudd's camp draws scouts, general managers and coaches from around the world who offer contracts to some players.

The remaining players make up Team USA Select.

! Last year was the first year for Team USA Select. The organization to ok players to compete in England, France, Germany and Belgium. Eight of the 13 players on Team Select USA were offered contracts to play professional basketball.

"We had players go to Iceland, France, Norway and Sweden," said Kilmartin.Team Select USA

This year's open tryouts will start at 9 a.m. May 1 at Quail Hollow Middle School. There is a $150 entry fee. Players can register in advance by calling (704) 341-2100 or through e-mail at TeamUSAselect@aol.com. For more information check out www.USASelectBasketball.com.