STILL ALIVE: UK players and targets make first USA cut

Perhaps they have an inside advantage being coached by their college head coach, but all three UK players made the first cut at the USA U19 National Team.

John Calipari narrowed his list to just 18 players and the final team that will travel to Egypt to represent the United States will be just 12 players. The USA U19 initially invited 28 players but 27 showed up to Colorado Springs.

Joining Kevin Knox, Hamidou Diallo and P.J. Washington on the list of 18 players were all 2018 UK targets- Bol Bol, Romeo Langford, Cameron Reddish, Immanuel Quickley, Louis King and Jordan Brown.

The 18 players that made the cut (UK players/targets in bold):

F Kevin Knox - Kentucky

G Hamidou Diallo - Kentucky

F PJ Washington - Kentucky

G Romeo Langford - New Albany High, Ind.

G Immanuel Quickley - The John Carroll School, Md.

F Cameron Reddish - Westtown School, Penn.

F Louis King - Hudson Catholic, N.J.

C Bol Bol - Mater Dei High, Calif.

C Jordan Brown - Woodcreek High, Calif.

G Carsen Edwards - Purdue

F Kevin Huerter - Maryland

C Brandon McCoy - UNLV

F Chuma Okeke - Auburn

G Payton Pritchard - Oregon

G Josh Okogie- Georgia Tech

C Mitchell Robinson - Western Kentucky

C Austin Wiley - Auburn

F Quinton Rose - Temple University

Missing the initial cut:

Desmond Bane- TCU

Marques Bolden- Duke

Chaundee Brown- Wake Forest

Devon Daniels- NC State

Malachi Flynn- Washington State

De’Anthony Melton- Southern Cal

Charlie Moore- Kansas

Shamorie Ponds- St. John's

Jeremiah Tilmon II- Mizzou

It won't take long for the final cut. It will take place some point this week and the players that make the final roster will stay in Colorado Springs throughout the weekend before Team USA leaves for Egypt next Tuesday.

The FIBA World Cup begins July 1st in Cairo and it will last until July 9th. United States, regardless of the final 12 players, is a heavy favorite to bring home the gold.