Team USA a 'distinct possibility' to return

by Brian Mahoney
AP Basketball Writer

Article Last Updated; Friday, May 22, 2009 8:23AM

LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and the core of the Olympic basketball champions could be back in USA uniforms next summer for the world championships.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo met with half of the team during the NBA All-Star break and said it's a "distinct possibility" that some of the gold medalists will play in Turkey in 2010.

During the meeting, which also included Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Chris Bosh, Colangelo said he wanted only a two-year commitment this time, with those years being 2010 and 2012. If the Americans win the world championships, they would automatically qualify for the London games and not have to play in 2011.

"They said they bought into that, let's do that," Colangelo said. "Now I think it's important, as far as I'm concerned, that's what they indicated then. I think that's really where they are. A lot of things could happen between now and 2010, and we just have to play it by ear. I think right now we have the buy-in."

Colangelo said he is giving coach Mike Krzyzewski time to decide if he wants to return and expects to have a coach in place in the fall. New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, a U.S. assistant the last three years, is a leading candidate if Krzyzewski doesn't return.