Kobe & Vince Rosters Out

The rosters for this week's Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter Skills Academies are out and several local players will get to spend a few days training with two of the best players in the NBA...before heading off to the LeBron James US Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio July 6-9.

The Kobe Bryant Shooting Guard Academy in Los Angeles features 20 of the top rising junior and senior players in the nation, including 6-5 Lance Stephenson of Lincoln High in Brooklyn (above), who recently helped USA Red win the gold medal at the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. Stephenson lists North Carolina, Duke, Florida, Texas and West Virginia as his Top 5.

Also attending the Kobe Academy will be Pitt-bound Nasir Robinson of Chester, Pa., and Tyreke Evans (left) of American Christian in Aston, Pa. American Christian, by the way, will take on Jordan Theodore and Paterson Catholic on Feb. 10 at the PrimeTime Shootout. Evans and Stephenson are listed as having the longest wingspans of the group at 82".

Among the college players attending the event are Duke's Gerald Henderson and North Carolina's Wayne Ellington, both of whom competed for the Paterson-based Playaz Basketbal Club.

As for the Vince Carter Wing Forward Academy in Orlando, it features 6-8 Devin Ebanks (left) of St. Thomas More (Conn.), who recently committed to Indiana and then helped USA Red win the gold at the Youth Festival. Greg Monroe of Harvey, La., and Delvon Roe of Lakewood, Ohio, considered among the top prospects in the Class of 2008, are also on the rotster. Also invited is a rising freshman, 6-5 LaQuinton Ross of Callaway in Jackson, Miss. He is tied for the second-longest wingspan at 83".

The college list at Vince Carter includes Jeff Adrien of UConn, Will Daniels of Rhode Island, Jeremiah Rivers of Georgetown and former St. Anthony standout Ahmad Nivens of St. Joe's.

Rosters for the Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire Academies come out Friday.

(Photos courtes Daily News, Rivals and New Haven Register)