LAS VEGAS – Nasa gym sina Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony at Chris Paul at maaari silang samahan ni LeBron James sa Miyerkules.
Nagbalik si Dwight Howard sa hangaring makala-rong muli sa Olympics, habang nagpakita naman ng interes si NBA MVP Stephen Curry ng NBA champions na Golden State Warriors na mapasama sa Team USA.
Bagama’t halos isang taon pa ang layo ng 2016 Olympics ay maraming players ang U.S. na nagpakita ng interes na makasama sa Rio de Janeiro.
Binuksan ni coach Mike Krzyzewski ang US basketball team minicamp kung saan halos tatlong dosenang pinakamahuhusay na players sa NBA ang gustong maikunsidera sa final roster ng Team USA.
Limot na ang nakaraan kung saan walang mahanap ang U.S. na mga interesadong players sa Olympics.
Bagama’t ang ilan sa mga players ay hindi pa mas-yadong kondisyon, tinanggap ng players ang imbitas-yon sa Las Vegas.
“Over the years there’s been continual buy-in and a lot of success, so where it was not an ‘in’ thing to play for USA Basketball back in 2005, today, as indicated by who’s here, and the great interest in wanting to be part of USA Basketball, it just says that our players really did buy in to the whole program and that makes you feel pretty good,’’ sabi ni USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo.
Nakilahok sina Durant at Anthony, naputol ang mga seasons dahil sa injuries, sa drills na tila isang shooting.
Maaaring makagawa sina Anthony at James ng U.S. history kung makakalaro sila sa ikaapat na pagkakataon sa Olympics sa 2016.
Kasama si Paul, maaaring sila ang maging unang men’s basketball three-time gold medalists.
“I’ve been part of USAB since I was 18 years old. It’s like, you look back at all of it, I have a chance to do something special here, playing in my fourth Olympics, going for my third gold medal,’’ sabi ni Anthony. ‘’Myself, LeBron, CP, can go for three, so there’s some history here to be made.’’