Iverson ‘not bitter’ about Team USA snub
76ers star not among 22 players invited to tryout camp for ’08 Olympics
Darren Hauck / APPhiladelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson said Wednesday that he isn’t upset about not being one of the players invited to try out for the U.S. basketball team that will compete at the world championships this summer and 2008 Olympics.
updated 12:21 p.m. ET March 2, 2006
Allen Iverson is looking forward to spending the summer at home with his family rather than in Japan with Team USA.
The Philadelphia 76ers star said Wednesday that he isn’t upset about not being one of the players invited to try out for the U.S. basketball team that will compete at the world championships this summer.
“I just wasn’t picked. I’m not bitter. I’m not mad,” Iverson said after a win over the Rockets. “It just means I’ll get to spend more time with my wife and kids over the next three summers. I still hope they bring back the gold. I’m just honored to have played before.”
Iverson, who co-captained the Americans to a disappointing bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics, said he is worried more about rings than medals these days.
“There’s only one thing I still haven’t done and that’s win (the championship),” Iverson said. “That’s the only thing I want now.”
USA Basketball director Jerry Colangelo will invite 22 players to Las Vegas tryout to for the 15-man team that will compete in Japan this summer and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
On Thursday, Miami Heat guard Dwyane accepted an invitation to try out for the U.S. basketball team that will compete at the world championships and the 2008 Olympics.
Wade played for the 2004 team that won a bronze medal in Athens.
“I can honestly say if I had gotten (the gold) the first time, it probably would have been a different scenario this time around,” he said.
Shaquille O’Neal also has been invited to play, but Wade doesn’t expect his Heat teammate to accept.
“I’m not going to try to convince him,” Wade said. “It’s going to be hard to convince him anyway, with a new baby on the way. I just wanted to make my decision before him, so if that helped him any ...”
Washington teammates Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison and Toronto’s Chris Bosh all said Wednesday that they expect to get invitations.
Arenas was vocal in his disappointment when he didn’t get picked by Eastern Conference coaches for the All-Star game. Commissioner David Stern appointed him to replace the injured Jermaine O’Neal, and Arenas has been taking his frustration out on opponents ever since.
The talkative guard said before Wednesday night’s loss to Indiana that he and Jamison will be in Vegas.
Many of the NBA’s biggest stars have declined to play on the team, saying the three-year commitment Colangelo is requiring would be too much wear and tear on their bodies.
That’s not a problem for Arenas, who plays all summer long.
“Like I told Colangelo, I’m going to be playing anyway if you don’t pick me,” Arenas said. “I’m training all year ’round anyway, so it doesn’t affect me.”
Arenas scored 28 points against the Pacers and is averaging 34.2 points a game since the All-Star break.
Before scoring 27 points in a loss to the Hawks on Wednesday night, Bosh all but confirmed he’s one of the invitees.
“I expect to be there,” Bosh said.
Detroit’s Chauncey Billups said he will be joining Team USA, too, but not for the world championships. His wife is due to give birth this summer and Billups said he’s been granted an exemption.
“I’m excited to have the USA across my chest,” Billups said after a loss in Denver on Wednesday night. “I’m glad they thought I was capable enough to regain our dominance. So I am proud of that, and I am definitely looking forward to it.”
ESPN.com first reported the list of invitees that Colangelo plans to announce on Sunday.
Memphis forward Shane Battier was named in the report, but he isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Until I get the call from Jerry Colangelo himself, I’m not going to start popping the champagne bottles quite yet,” Battier said.
Seattle’s Rashard Lewis and Luke Ridnour, Orlando’s Dwight Howard and New Orleans’ Chris Paul all have confirmed that they expect to get invitations.
“It’s sort of like I got it, but I’ve got to make sure I get a confirmation on it,” Howard said late Tuesday night. “I’ve talked to (Colangelo) a couple of times and I also met him at All-Star weekend, so I finally met him for the first time. He’s awesome. I can’t wait to get USA basketball on top.”
When hired to remake the team, Colangelo vowed to choose team players over superstars in hopes of avoiding some of the selfishness and lack of cohesion that doomed the 2004 team.
“I’m very surprised that Iverson didn’t make it,” Howard said. “I think he was one of the best leaders the team had in the Olympics, but I think what they’re trying to do for the Olympic team is get a group of guys that’s willing to play team ball. I’m not saying that Iverson isn’t like that, but I think they’re doing a youth movement for the Olympics. I think the older legs are getting brittle, so they might need some young fresh legs out there.”
Howard said the commitment didn’t bother him.
“Oh, yeah. I mean, the NBA is a lifelong commitment. So, Olympics? Three years?” he said. “Hopefully I’ll be able to play in three Olympics. That would be awesome.”
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