Briscoe has eye on UK from USA trials
Later in 2015 and well into 2016 Isaiah Briscoe is going to represent Kentucky and hopes to play for a championship.
But for now he's representing something better, and bigger, his country.
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Briscoe is in Colorado Springs trying out for the 2015 U19 USA World Championship team with 23 other players. On Monday Briscoe made the cut as one of 16 finalists for the team. If he makes the final 12-man roster, he won't arrive to Kentucky until July.
And though he's delaying his UK career, he's still in contact with people in Lexington.
"I'm happy with my decision to play for the USA," Briscoe said by phone from Colorado Springs, Colo., site of the Team USA training camp. "But I speak to Coach (John Calipari) about three times a week."
Briscoe has been training and trying out for a spot on the roster since Friday, going against some players that have already played college basketball, and some that are considered the top players in high school.
"It's going well," Briscoe said. "It's very competitive and we're playing very hard. It's just nothing but competing."
And he said the competition is taken to a whole new level when you're trying to represent your country.
"That's key knowing it's for USA," Briscoe said. "Everybody has to go 10 times harder than what they're used to going."
Briscoe won gold in 2014 for the USA U18 National Team, going 5-0 in the event.
He averaged 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and fours assists per game, but Briscoe doesn't think playing for Team USA last year gives him an advantage this year.
"Not so much as an advantage because I think everyone has an equal chance to make the team," Briscoe said. "I've been told in the past that people didn't make U18 and under make U19 and under so I'm out here like it's my first time."
And even though he's giving 100 percent for Team USA he said he's still anxious to get to Kentucky with his teammates, specifically Tyler Ulis.
The two will possibly start and share the backcourt next season although both are true point guards.
"I think that will go very well because Tyler is a great point guard," Briscoe said. "It doesn't matter who'd bring the ball up, we can both handle the ball."
Briscoe was greeted at UK on his official visit last fall by Ulis and Devin Booker tackling him to the ground. Ulis and Briscoe already have a solid bond that stems directly from competition.
But that competition was against one another. That will change when Briscoe arrives on campus.
"Just playing AAU basketball and seeing him around a lot," Briscoe said. "Just going against him in AAU basketball we developed a relationship.
"My expectations are to go in there and work hard and just impact the team as a freshman."
Briscoe didn't want to comment on whether another guard may be joining him and Ulis at Kentucky, of course talking about Jamal Murray, who's deciding between Kentucky, Oregon, Michigan and Connecticut and could enroll in the 2015 class.
"I don't have nothing to do with Jamal Murray," Briscoe said. "It doesn't matter, and I'm going to be at Kentucky and it doesn't matter. I don't care who else is going to Kentucky. Whoever decides to come that's fine."