LeBron James unsure over Rio commitment

And way beyond that. “If we didn’t get back on the horse, we’d be qualifying for the Olympics this summer”, Krzyzewski said.

The Americans didn’t exactly work hard in this city better known for fun.

“‘This year’s Showcase will be much more of an off-season type of all-star game, ‘ said USA Basketball chairman and National Team managing director Jerry Colangelo. They come back and they help establish that culture”.

Howard played with them in 2008 but was forced to withdraw from the 2012 team because of back surgery.

Though still almost a year away, it’s clear the U.S. has plenty of players who want to go to Rio de Janeiro. Others might have to wait until Tokyo in 2020, but the process for that has already begun.

For now, he’s done what is necessary to give himself the option if he wants it.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star has played in three Olympics and won two gold medals along with Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul. However, both men left the door open for players such as Bryant and former league MVP Derrick Roseto make the team, even though they were not present for the camp.

“It seemed like interest started to wane around 2000 and 2004”. If he wants to shoot, he is going to shoot.

“I don’t think it will be factor, ” Anthony said.

As one of the many players who has had the misfortune, perhaps, of living through the LeBron/San Antonio Spurs era and who had a brush with athletic mortality via last season’s foot surgery, Durant took more of a macro approach to the medal vs. ring question.

In fact, it felt like 2004. And as he sat at the podium after a successful and injury-free scrimmage on Thursday night, he wore the look of a man who is enjoying watching the fruits of his labor and planning coming to fruition.

Playing in Beijing was a no-brainer, with the U.S. reputation to fix and sneakers to sell in basketball-crazed China.

The fans at the Thomas & Mack were grateful for the big names who did play, including Clippers forward Blake Griffin, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard, Golden State’s Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Barnes and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.

It was still unclear as of Wednesday afternoon how numerous more than 30 players in camp would play today, but Colangelo said the Americans would come up with about 20.