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Ogden • Weber State junior forward Joel Bolomboy has been invited to try out for the Ukrainian national team that will participate in the 2014 World Cup.
Bolomboy is scheduled to leave for the Ukraine this weekend. The World Cup is scheduled Aug. 30-Sept. 4 in Balboa, Spain. Twenty-four teams, including the United States, will compete.
Bolomboy was born in what is now the Ukraine before his family came to the United States when he was three. He grew up in Fort Worth.
"This is a great honor and opportunity for me," Bolomboy said. "I'm looking forward to whole experience and being able to play against really good competition. It will be a great learning experience."
The Ukrainian national team will be coached by Mike Fratello. He spent 17 years in the NBA and is a former coach of the year.
"It's a terrific opportunity for Joel to try out for the national team," Weber State coach Randy Rahe said. "He's excited for the opportunity and we're excited for him. ... It's a great [chance] for him to grow as a person and a player."
Bolomboy averaged 8.7 points and 11 rebounds last season. He was named the Big Sky Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. He had 11 points and 16 rebounds in Weber State's 68-59 loss to Arizona in the first round of the NCAA tournament.