Baylor Bears forward Rico Gathers will need to complete a precedent-setting USA Basketball-ordered 20 hours of community service before he can play in the Pan Am Games, USA Basketball said in a statement Monday.
Gathers was arrested June 9 after allegedly shoplifting $171 worth of merchandise from a Wal-Mart in Waco, Texas. The Waco Herald-Tribune reported that Gathers, who averaged 11.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game for the Bears last season, turned himself in on the theft charge of under $500. He was released after posting $1,000 bail.
USA Basketball announced its 22-person tryout roster, which includes college and professional players, on Monday. The team, coached by Gonzaga's Mark Few and assisted by Colorado's Tad Boyle and former NBA coach Mike Brown, will train in Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 7-12 and Chicago July 13-16 and compete in Toronto July 21-25 at the Pan Am Games. ESPN will televise the games in the United States.
USA Basketball said in the statement that it had spoken with Gathers, his attorney and Baylor coach Scott Drew.
"USA Basketball has completed its investigation into the matter and has determined that Rico will remain eligible to compete for a roster spot for the 2015 USA Pan American Games Team subject to his completion of 20 hours of community service and fulfilling his obligations as determined by the court in this matter," USA Basketball said. "A major factor in this decision was Rico's cooperation and his acceptance of full responsibility for the incident."
Few referred all questions to USA Basketball. Drew didn't want to comment, either, but said that if there is any punishment from Baylor for Gathers' senior season, it would be dealt with after the conclusion of the legal proceedings. Drew said that could take months.
The 21 players in addition to Gathers who were named to the tryout roster were Ron Baker (Wichita State), Fred VanVleet (Wichita State), Malcolm Brogdon (Virginia), Bobby Brown (Dongguan Leopards, China), Isaiah Cousins (Oklahoma), Micah Downs (Avtodor Saratov, Russia), Kellen Dunham (Butler), Isaac Haas (Purdue), Nigel Hayes (Wisconsin), Malcolm Hill (Illinois), Ryan Hollins (Sacramento Kings), Keith Langford (UNICS Kazan, Russia), Shawn Long (Louisiana Lafayette), Monte Morris (Iowa State), Taurean Prince (Baylor), Anthony Randolph (Lokomotiv-Kuban, Russia), Josh Scott (Colorado), Kaleb Tarczewski (Arizona), Melo Trimble (Maryland), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State) and Damien Wilkins (Indios de Mayaguez, Puerto Rico).