Dariq Whitehead, Kel'el Ware lead Team USA past Team World in 2022 Nike Hoop Summit

PORTLAND, Ore. — Amari Bailey hit the popular Griddy dance around the Moda Center’s midcourt as Team USA wrapped up a convincing win on a grand stage.

The collection of the country’s top high school basketball seniors, soon-to-be college standouts and future NBA Draft picks defeated Team World, 102-80 in the Moda Center on Friday night.

Duke-bound Dariq Whitehead matched his strong showings at the McDonald’s All-American Game and GEICO Nationals, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. 

Villanova-bound forward Cam Whitmore of Archbishop Spalding (N.Y.) had a team-high 17 points on 7 of 8 shooting and 6-11 center Kel'el Ware of North Little Rock (Ark.) added 11 points and 12 rebounds, competing around two hours from University of Oregon, where he's signed.

“You’re here with the best 12 guys in the country in high school basketball,” Whitehead told SBLive Wednesday. “Every matchup, you’ve got to take it personal and make sure you show guys you are what people say you are, too."

Jean Montero, a standout guard with Overtime Elite, led Team World with a game-high 23 points and three assists, penetrating the interior and controlling the pace throughout.

The event has drawn 35 NBA All-Stars and 217 NBA Draft picks, including Kevin Durant, John Wall, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons and Zion Williamson.

Whitehead, a 6-foot-4 guard and ESPN’s No. 4 recruit in the country, is a part of incoming head Jon Scheyer’s top-ranked 2022 recruiting class.

But Team USA didn’t run away with it from the start.

Omaha Biliew threw home a transition alley-oop to push a 20-13 lead midway through the first quarter, force Team USA into a timeout.

Nick Smith Jr. fed Kel’el Ware inside for a two-handed dunk slam to cut Team World’s lead to five with two minutes left in the first quarter.

Ware’s name has trended into the Top 10 in 2023 NBA mock drafts. He wowed the crowd again with a two-handed dunk over Gill St. Bernard class of 2023 standout Mackenzie Mgbako representing Nigeria and stepped back for a long two to put USA up 74-64, then rose for a block in the final seconds of the third quarter.

"It's peaceful and green," Ware said of what drew him to Oregon. 

Ware turned heads for posting 18 blocks in a game, and played alongside Arkansas-bound guard Smith Jr., a McDonald's All-American and teammate of Smith's at North Little Rock (Ark.), the No. 1 team in the SBLive/SI Power 25 national rankings.

The once-annual event provides top prospects the opportunity to go head-to-head in front of scouts, media and NBA personnel. It was the first time the game was played in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I'm used to it because I like to compete," Smith Jr. said. I want the best guys around, I want my guy like Anthony Black guarding me 94 feet, I'm guarding him 94 feet, he ain't gonna score on me."

Smith, a McDonald's All-American and prized member of Arkansas's No. 2 class in the nation (2022), said at practice Wednesday he's looking forward to showing scouts his capabilities as a scorer, facilitator and elite defender. 

Houston-bound forward Jarace Walker of IMG Academy slashed his way to a powerful two-handed transition dunk late in the third, and impressed scouts and evaluators all week for his size, athleticism and versatility on both sides of the court.

Whitehead hit a corner 3 to push Team USA’s lead to 16 (80-64) with 8:31 left in the fourth and Ware hit a 3 to make it 19 with 7:42 left.

USA ran away with the game from there.

WORLD ROSTER

Jean Montero G, 6-3, Dominican Republic (Overtime Elite)

London Johnson, G, 6-4, Jamaica (Norcross, Ga./uncommitted)

Tyrese Proctor, G, 6-4, Australia (Duke)

Sidy Cissoko, G, 6-5, France

Mike Sharavjamts, F, 6-7, Mongolia

Mackenzie Mgbako, F, 6-7, Nigeria (Gill St. Bernard, N.J./Duke)

Matas Buzelis, G/F, 6-10, Lithuania

Omaha Biliew, F, 6-8, South Sudan (Link Academy)

Leonard Miller, F, 6-9, Canada

Felix Okpara, C, 6-11, Nigeria (Link Academy/Ohio State)

Yohan Traore, C, 6-10, France (Dream City Christian/Auburn)

USA ROSTER

Amari Bailey, G, 6-5, USA (Sierra Canyon, Calif./UCLA)

Anthony Black, G/F, 6-7, USA (Duncanville, Tex./Arkansas)

Gradey Dick, F, 6-7, USA, (Sunrise Chrsitian/Kansas)

Kyle Filipowski, C, 6-10, USA (Wilbraham & Monson Academy/Duke)

Keyonte George, G, 6-4, USA (IMG Academy/Baylor)

Dereck Lively, C, 6-1, USA (Westtown, Pa./Duke)

Dillon Mitchell, F, 6-7, USA (Montverde Academy/Texas)

Nick Smith Jr., G, 6-4, USA (North Little Rock, Ark./Arkansas)

Jarace Walker, F, 6-8, USA (IMG Academy/Houston)

Kel’el Ware, C, 6-11, USA (North Little Rock, Ark./Oregon)

Dariq Whitehead, G, 6-4, USA (Montverde Academy/Duke)

Cam Whitmore, F, 6-8, USA (Archbishop Spalding, N.Y./Villanova)