UNC Basketball: Deja Kelly competing for AmeriCup Team spot

The UNC women’s basketball star rising senior will look to earn one of the remaining spots on the USA Women’s AmeriCup Team.

You know what they say, “Everything happens for a reason.”

In May, UNC basketball star Deja Kelly was supposed to try out for the USA Women’s AmeriCup Team. However, an injury suffered in the Tar Heels’ final NCAA Tournament contest forced her to withdraw.

The opportunity is once again available for Kelly, as she’s been invited to Colorado Springs this week to compete for one of the remaining available roster spots.

During the original training camp, the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee selected eight players for the squad.

Five of the players that were there were invited back for another tryout, while Kelly was added to the process as a final candidate. The six players will compete for the final four spots to represent the United States in the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.

If Kelly earns a spot on the team, she’ll travel to Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico for the event, which will be held from July 1-9.

The United States is slated to face Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, and Venezuela as part of Group A. They’ll open up pool play against Venezuela on July 1, followed by contests against Argentina (July 2), Brazil (July 4), and Cuba (July 5).

If Team USA advances, the quarterfinals will be played on July 7 with the semifinals being held the following day. The hope is that Team USA will be playing in the gold medal game on July 9 to wrap up the event.

Kelly has been a star for the UNC women’s basketball program, and she continues to be one of the biggest stars that her sport has to offer. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see her make the team, as her skillset makes her a perfect fit for this United States squad that has a lot of talent on it.

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