ACCRA, Ghana - Ghana picked Michael Essien and Kevin-Prince Boateng in a preliminary 26-man World Cup squad on Monday. Black Friday Yeezy . The group will be trimmed to a final 23-man squad after a friendly game against the Netherlands on May 31, the Ghana Football Association said. AC Milans Essien and Schalkes Boateng were named after returning to international football last year. They had both asked for time away from the national team in the years after the last World Cup. Ghana captain and striker Asamoah Gyan and midfielder Sulley Muntari were also included and are set to play in their third consecutive World Cups. Ghana was the best-performing African team at the 2010 tournament, reaching the quarterfinals and just missing out on the semifinals after a penalty shootout loss to Uruguay in South Africa. Ghana will play the United States, Germany and Portugal in Group G in Brazil, and opens its campaign against the U.S. in Natal on June 16. Ghana beat the U.S. in the second round of the last World Cup. Coach Kwesi Appiah didnt reveal what his target was for the team that nearly became the first African nation into the last four of a World Cup four years ago. "Once the players are all fit we hope to deliver," Appiah said. "Every coach has a target and l believe in my players and the national team, but l cannot tell where we will get to. The only thing l can say is we will not disgrace Ghanaians." Essien missed the 2010 World Cup through injury and is likely facing his last chance to play at the showpiece in Brazil. Boateng stepped down from national team duties in 2011 but was recalled to Ghanas squad toward the end of the World Cup qualifying campaign late last year. Ghana will play in its third straight World Cup in Brazil. Appiah also picked Marseilles Andre Ayew, Juventus Kwadwo Asamoah and young attacking midfielder Wakaso Mubarak. Defender Jeffrey Schlupp, who plays for Englands Leicester City, was the biggest surprise in the initial squad. The GFA announced Monday that Ghana would play the Netherlands in Rotterdam on May 31 and South Korea in Miami on June 9 in its final World Cup warm-ups before facing Jurgen Klinsmanns U.S. team in Brazil. ___ Provisional squad: Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey, Fatawu Dauda, Stephen Adams. Defenders: Samuel Inkoom, Daniel Opare, Harrison Afful, Jeffrey Schlupp, John Boye, Jonathan Mensah, Jerry Akaminko, Rashid Sumaila. Midfielders: Michael Essien, Rabiu Mohammed, Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Kwadwo Asamoah, Sulley Muntari, Albert Adomah, Wakaso Mubarak, Christian Atsu, David Accam, Andre Ayew, Afriyie Acquah. Forwards: Asamoah Gyan, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Abdul Majeed Waris, Jordan Ayew. Yeezy Outlet . DeGrom outpitched Jake Peavy in a tantalizing hitless duel that carried into the seventh inning Saturday night before the New York Mets broke loose and beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2. Yeezy China . Hes the same player he always was, only now his efforts are being rewarded. The rookie manager has made a habit of heaping praise on others when things are going well, and accepting criticism when they arent. But in the case of Hurtado, its what the coach is NOT saying that may be the secret to a superb run of form. https://www.fakeyeezywholesaleonline.com/ . The Rainbow FlickNext up is the Rainbow Flick, or as you probably know it, the trick that everybody at soccer camp thought they knew how to do.(SportsNetwork.com) - The point guard and quarterback share interesting similarities in an otherwise opposite world of sports. A point guard in basketball is often referred to as the quarterback or floor general of the hardwood. They take instructions and facilitate them among teammates with the end result a productive combination. Point guards and quarterbacks are responsible for orchestrating a winning formula in their respective sports, and the most common job requirement for each position is getting the ball into a playmakers hands. The NFL is going through another golden age of quarterbacks with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck and a solid tier No. 2 of signal callers right behind. Its up for debate if this generation of QBs exceeds the days of Dan Marino, Joe Montana, John Elway and Warren Moon. Point guards are prosperous in the NBA and the Rajon Rondo trade piques the interest of those who deliberate over the best in basketball. Below is an unofficial, and opinionated, list of the top 10 point guards: 10. Darren Collison (Sacramento Kings) - Collison is in his first season with the Kings and is hoping to find a permanent home after stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks the previous two seasons. He leads the Kings with 6.1 assists per game and is dealing with a team under new supervision with the recent firing of Mike Malone. DeMarcus Cousins is back from an illness, so Collisons job will be easier. Rudy Gay is at his disposal under Tyrone Corbins philosophy. 9. Rajon Rondo (Dallas Mavericks) - Rumored to be on the trading block for a few years, Rondo was finally shipped out of Beantown to the successful surroundings of Dallas. Not known anymore as a high-powered scorer, Rondo does possess the knack for distributing the ball. An ACL tear with Rondo may have hampered Bostons bargaining power, but the deal was done and now he has four scorers to work with in Nowitzki, Ellis, Chandler and Parsons. Rondos a solid defender and rebounder with an NBA-high 10.8 assists per game, and is joining the highest-scoring team in the league. 8. Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies) - Conley is loving the opportunity he has playing with the Grizzlies. Hes got Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol down low and is also a scorer himself with a career-high 17.6 points per game, which is second on the team. Conley doesnt slouch on defense either for Memphis, one of the top defensive units in the association. 7. Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers) - Irving no longer has to carry the Cleveland torch through futility because LeBron James and Kevin Love are here to make it all better. Irving does like to get his share of shots, however, and is arguably the top scoring PG in the game. Irving has scored 20 or more points on 14 occasions this season and has dished out five or more assists in each of the past seven games. He has the dream job for now with LBJ and Love. 6. Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors) - He may resemble Bad Boy label rapper Mase, but Lowry can mix it up with anyone on the floor. Lowry was looked upon to carry the Raptors and keep them even-keeled when star guard DeMar DeRozan went down with a severe groin injury. Lowry knows how to get everyone involved and learned that at a young age. The former Villanova standout has handed out 10 or more assists five times in December and leads the team with 36 steals. Toronto is already the best in the East and Lowry deserves the credit. 5. Ty Lawson (Denver Nuggets) - A scrappy, compact ball of fire, Lawson lets the Nuggets breathe where the air doesnt come easy. Lawson, who has posted a double-double in 10 of his last 13 games, is averaging 15.4 points, a career- high 10.6 assists and 1.50 steals in almost 38 minutes a night. Lawson and Washington Wizards guard John Wall are tied for second in assists with 10.6. Lawsonn is Denvers MVP so far and if Kenneth Faried can pick up his game, maybe the Nuggets can make a run for the playoffs. Yeezy Online. Lawson leads the NBA in drives to the basket, posting 15.0 ppg in that scenario, and has handed out nine or more assists over the past 18 games. He has 16 games with 10-plus assists this season. 4. Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) - One of the smoothest point guards in the better of the two conferences, Lillard is young and still has room to grow. For how difficult that may be to realize, Lillard is second on the team with 20.8 points and first in assists (6.2) and steals (1.5). Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge are making sweet music in Rip City and the dangerous tandem is about to begin a difficult stretch of games. Portlands mettle will be tested during the stretch and Lillard will be up for the challenge. Lillard is known for his 3-point prowess, another weapon the Blazers have utilized. Only four players in NBA history have more points and assists in their first two seasons (Robertson, Archibald, Iverson, James). 3a Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) - Curry was the impetus for Golden States franchise-record 16-game winning streak and some credit should deservedly be directed toward Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Marreese Speights. Curry leads all starting point guards with 23.9 points and has handed out 7.6 assists. The sharpshooting Curry has the Warriors off to a 21-3 start, the best in franchise history. Golden State has no issues playing on the road as evidenced by a 13-2 record. Thompson said about a week ago the Warriors are good without Curry, but great with him. 3b Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) - Westbrook is a dynamic scorer and facilitator, and suffered a scare early this season with a hand injury. Hes back and doing what he does best: run the floor, speed past defenders and stuff the stat sheet. Westbrook and the Thunder are beginning to click, but the quick guard may have to deal without Kevin Durant again after the reigning NBA MVP sustained an ankle injury in the most recent game. OKC is 8-4 with Westbrook in the lineup and he has scored at least 20 points 11 times. KD, Westbrook, Reggie Jackson and Serge Ibaka should capture a fifth or sixth seed in the playoffs unless health becomes an issue again. 2. John Wall (Washington Wizards) - This is supposed to be the year the Wizards overthrow the Miami Heat in both the Southeast Division and Eastern Conference. Toronto, Atlanta and Cleveland may have something to say about that in the East. Wall leads the Wizards in points (17.8), assists (10.6) and steals (2.2), and just matched a career-high with 17 assists in a win over Minnesota. Wall has handed out 10-plus assists eight times in the past nine games and has stepped it up in home defense, posting 18.7 points, 11.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds at the Verizon Center. Wall, Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat are primed to make a big run if all goes well. 1. Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) - Whats not to like about CP3? Nothing. The guy can do it all: pass the rock, score the rock and land clients an affordable State Farm Insurance rate. Of course the latter was a reference to the companys popular insurance ads, but Paul is ensuring the success rate of the Los Angeles Clippers for years to come. Its quite elementary for Paul, who has it easy with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to loft the ball to. Jamal Crawford providing a lift off the bench helps, too. Paul is a strong defender with 1.9 steals per game to go along with 9.7 assists, and is the cream of the NBA crop of point guards. Honorable mention - Tony Parker, Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague, Deron Williams, Kemba Walker, Ricky Rubio, Brandon Jennings, Trey Burke, Mario Chalmers, Eric Bledsoe. Note: Injuries to Rose and Rubio have altered this list significantly. ' ' '