Young NBA standouts will test US team before qualifier

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-08-07 10:19

Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala and Toronto's Jason Kapono were among 10 young National Basketball Association players named Monday to be scrimmage opponents for the US team of NBA stars.

The US NBA squad will gather next week here in the US gambling mecca for a August 15-21 training camp that will decide the final 12-man US roster for the August 22-September 2 FIBA Americas tournament at Las Vegas.

The tournament finalists in the 10-nation field will qualify for next year's Beijing Olympics. Three other teams will advance to a qualifying event a year from now that will finalize the roster for the gold medal showdown in China.

Other members of the US scrimmage roster are Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye, Houston's Aaron Brooks, Seattle's Monta Ellis, Seattle's Jeff Green, Dallas' Devin Harris, Minnesota's Al Jefferson and New York's David Lee.

New Seattle coach P.J. Carlesimo, an assistant coach on the 1992 US Olympic "Dream Team", will guide workouts for the select team, which includes the deadliest 3-point shooter in the NBA last year in Kapono.

"This select group are players we felt would give our senior national squad the best possible opportunity to prepare," US managing director Jerry Colangelo said.



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