Georgia Tech’s Deivon Smith invited to tryout for USA U19 team

Mississippi State guard Deivon Smith (5) handles the ball against Richmond during the first half of the NIT semifinals Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Denton, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/AP)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Mississippi State guard Deivon Smith (5) handles the ball against Richmond during the first half of the NIT semifinals Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Denton, Texas. (Ron Jenkins/AP)

Georgia Tech guard Deivon Smith has been chosen to try out for the USA Basketball Under-19 team that will play in the FIBA U19 World Cup, to be held in Latvia in July. USA Basketball made the announcement Thursday.

Smith, from Grayson High, transferred to Tech in April after one season at Mississippi State and has begun summer workouts with coach Josh Pastner’s team. Smith was one of 27 invitees to the tryout camp, which will take place June 20-22 at TCU. The 12-member team, all 19 years old and younger, will be led by TCU coach Jamie Dixon. The invitees include 17 returning collegians and 10 incoming freshmen.

Smith, who averaged 5.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists last season at Mississippi State, will try to follow in the footsteps of former Jackets star Josh Okogie, who earned a spot on the U.S. U19 team in 2017.