January 21, 200620 yr PHOENIX -- Kobe Bryant plans to play for the U.S. team at this year's world basketball championships and the 2008 Olympics. Bryant gave an emphatic nod to joining the U.S. team in a meeting Friday with the head of USA Basketball, Jerry Colangelo. "I had a previous conversation with him and we said we would meet again when he came to Phoenix," Colangelo said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "He's really excited about it. He's really kind of juiced about representing the United States. He had some great things to say about the opportunity." Bryant was in town for the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. Bryant joins LeBron James as the two players who have been publicly named to the 20-man U.S. roster that will report to a training camp in Las Vegas this summer, then travel to a series of exhibition games in China and South Korea before taking part in the world championships in Japan. There will be a training camp again next year, followed by another round of training and exhibition games in 2008 leading up to the Beijing Olympics. The remaining 18 players will be announced after the All-Star break, Colangelo said. The selection and acceptance of James and Bryant was announced to clear the way for promotional efforts in China, Colangelo said. Bryant had been expected to take part in the Athens Olympics in 2004 but withdrew to deal with a sexual assault case against him in Colorado. The charge against him ultimately was dropped and Colangelo complemented Bryant's behavior since then. "I think he's done a great job of positioning himself in terms of his persona and conduct," Colangelo said. "In representing his country, he can expand on that." Colangelo called Bryant "one of the one or two most prolific, dominant players in the game right now. If you can field a team with someone of his caliber, that's a pretty important step." "He's almost unstoppable in terms of his performance," Colangelo said. "There's a competitiveness about him that kind of wills his teams to wins." While Bryant is a scoring machine with the Lakers, he will have no qualms about reducing his role on the U.S. team, Colangelo said. "I think Kobe Bryant is a player with enough moxie to go along with his talent that he'll adjust to whatever his role is," Colangelo said. "In fact, that's exactly what he said today." After the U.S. team struggled to a bronze medal in Athens, USA Basketball appointed Colangelo to the new position of managing director. He was given charge to personally select the U.S. team and coaching staff. He said it will not be a collection of superstars but a true national team complete with role players. Players must give a three-year commitment that includes this year's worlds. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski will coach to team. Bryant's decision was first reported Friday afternoon by The Rocky Mountain News. SOURCE
January 21, 200620 yr I dont care how many stars they sign up. They need a Stockton/Kidd type of point guard.
January 21, 200620 yr Projected Box score: Kobe 110 O'Neal 0 McGrady 0 Wade 0 James 0 Duncan 0 Kidd 0 Novitsky 0 Garnett 0 Pierce 0 Arenas 0
January 21, 200620 yr ok...the US lost in 04 (and 02) because of their inability to play as a team...Kobe will only make things worse
January 21, 200620 yr ok...the US lost in 04 (and 02) because of their inability to play as a team...Kobe will only make things worse We didn't lose because we couldn't play as a team. We lost because we only got 3 weeks to play together, the players we recruited weren't the best in the US, and because we lacked a consistent perimeter shooter.
January 21, 200620 yr Best shooting guard in the game and he already has a good relationship with Coach K. We need the best in the game and he is part of that puzzle.
January 21, 200620 yr Best shooting guard in the game and he already has a good relationship with Coach K. We need the best in the game and he is part of that puzzle. what he said
January 21, 200620 yr Coach K demands unselfish play. Kobe better respect that. Kobe and Coach K already have a well established relationship with each other that spans back many years from when Coach K recruited Kobe to come play for Duke, but he instead opted for the NBA.
January 21, 200620 yr Coach K demands unselfish play. Kobe better respect that. Kobe and Coach K already have a well established relationship with each other that spans back many years from when Coach K recruited Kobe to come play for Duke, but he instead opted for the NBA. Yep, if Bryant would have gone to college, it would have been Duke.
January 21, 200620 yr ok...the US lost in 04 (and 02) because of their inability to play as a team...Kobe will only make things worse We didn't lose because we couldn't play as a team. We lost because we only got 3 weeks to play together, the players we recruited weren't the best in the US, and because we lacked a consistent perimeter shooter. We lost because they continue to pick All-Star teams instead of trying to put together what you'd really look for in a team. There were no intangible guys on that team. Lockdown defender, ball-handling point guard, and an outside shooter, as you said. They could have sent the Detroit Pistons in 2004 and they would have won the gold medal.
January 21, 200620 yr ok...the US lost in 04 (and 02) because of their inability to play as a team...Kobe will only make things worse We didn't lose because we couldn't play as a team. We lost because we only got 3 weeks to play together, the players we recruited weren't the best in the US, and because we lacked a consistent perimeter shooter. We lost because they continue to pick All-Star teams instead of trying to put together what you'd really look for in a team. There were no intangible guys on that team. Lockdown defender, ball-handling point guard, and an outside shooter, as you said. They could have sent the Detroit Pistons in 2004 and they would have won the gold medal. I agree that we lost because we didn't have a lockdown defender, ballhandling PG, or an outside shooter (plus, like I said, the limited time playing together factored in as well with on-court chemistry). But I don't think intangibles or having an All-Star team had anything to do with it. If you put together a team of guys like Iverson, Wade/Kobe, LeBron, KG/Duncan, and Shaq, I guarantee that you'll win the gold medal because that talent level is out of this world good. The difference with the 2004 team was that the players we recruited weren't the best in the U.S. (and left glaring holes in several areas, like you pointed out).
January 21, 200620 yr C - Shaq/Ben Wallace PF - Elton Brand/Garnett (If he plays) SF - Lebron James SG - Kobe Bryant PG - Chauncey Billups That starting 5 will win the gold.
January 21, 200620 yr C - Shaq/Ben Wallace PF - Elton Brand/Garnett (If he plays) SF - Lebron James SG - Kobe Bryant PG - Chauncey Billups That starting 5 will win the gold. Why not put Wade at PG? He played his rookie year there, and already averages 7 assists a game at SG. He is extremely unselfish, and can create for himself if need-be...Plus already a good relationship with Shaq.
January 22, 200620 yr JJ Redick should be on the team. He will be in the NBA by then and if anyone thinks the USA couldn't use JJ's shooting and intensity, their nuts. He would be a great role player for this team.
January 22, 200620 yr wow, would be interesting if Shaq signs up to see Wade, Bryant, and Shaq on the floor, specially Kobe and Shaq on the same team again
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