University of Georgia Athletics
Wilkins Tabbed For U.S. Pan Am Games Squad
July 13, 2015 | Men's Basketball
ATHENS, Ga. --- Former Georgia Bulldog Damien Wilkins has been selected for the U.S. National Team that will participate in the Pan Am Games in Toronto.
"It's kind of surreal; it hasn't hit me yet," Wilkins said. "I guess it will once we get to Toronto and start to see the other athletes, the village, the event set up. It's an unbelievable honor. I'm just super thrilled to be here. I feel just like a kid again. You're playing for country. It's just you, your teammates, the coaching staff and the flag on our back. That's what we are carrying in to Toronto, and hopefully we can bring the gold back to its rightful owner."
Wilkins, 35, played for the Bulldogs in 2002-03 and 2003-04. He served as Georgia's co-captain as a senior, averaging 12.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Wilkins made the Seattle SuperSonics' roster as an undrafted free agent in 2004 and played nine seasons in the NBA with Seattle, Oklahoma City, Minnesota, Atlanta, Detroit and Philadelphia. He played professionally in China and Puerto Rico during the 2013-14 season and then joined Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League in 2014-15. Wilkins finished the season ranked eighth among league scoring leaders (20.2 points per game) and also contributed 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
"I think to provide leadership, but that's everyone's role, right?" Wilkins said when asked about his role on the team. "This is our team. It's not one person's team. No one person is bigger than the team. Everyone has to provide leadership. That's nothing I'm not used to. Throughout my career, I've had to assume leadership roles. I've relished those opportunities, and I'm looking forward to this one being as big of a stage as it is."
The U.S. team for the Pan Am Games features seven collegiate and five professional players. The basketball portion of the Games will begin next Tuesday, July 21. The U.S. will be in Group A and will face Venezuela on Tuesday, Puerto Rico on Wednesday and Brazil on Thursday. Group B features Argentina, Canada, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Semifinals and classification games will be played on Friday, July 24, and the medal-round matchups will be on Saturday, July 25.
Wilkins is the fifth Bulldog to represent the U.S. in international competition, joining 1984 Olympic Gold medalist Vern Fleming, 1998 Olympic Bronze medalist Willie Anderson, 1998 Goodwill Games Gold medalist Jumaine Jones and 2009 U19 World Championships Gold Medalist Trey Thompkins.
The Pan Am Games, which began last Saturday (July 10) and will continue through July 26, are the third largest international multi-sport Games behind only the Olympic Summer Games and the Asian Games. The 2015 Pan Am Games will feature more than 7,500 athletes from 41 countries in North, South and Central America and the Caribbean competing in 48 sports.
