HoopsHype.com Rumors

Hornets forward Lance Thomas will participate with the USA Basketball Select Team in Las Vegas, agent John Spencer told HoopsHype. Thomas won the bronze medal with the U.S. squad at the Panamerican Games last year. Sulia

New Orleans Hornets, USA Basketball, Lance Thomas 

Chase Budinger: "Playing for the Latvian team would be an honor, especially because of my grandparents, but then I would lose the opportunity to represent the U.S. team, which has always been my dream." tvnet.lv

Houston Rockets, USA Basketball, Team USA, Chase Budinger, Latvia 

The United States Olympic men's basketball team will open play in London against France at 9:30 a.m. EST on July 29. The Americans then will meet Tunisia at 5:15 p.m. on July 31, in their second of five preliminary-round games. The U.S.' next two games are scheduled for Aug. 2 at 5:15 p.m., and Aug. 4 at 9:30 a.m. Opponents for those matchups won't be determined until the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament wraps up next month in Caracas, Venezuela. The U.S. will close preliminary-round play against Argentina at 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 6. The top four teams from each preliminary-round group will advance to the Olympic quarterfinals on Aug. 8. ESPN.com

USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Dwyane Wade agent Henry Thomas doesn't deny Wade could drop out of Olympics. Decision won't be made until after season. “I don’t know yet,’’ Thomas said of whether Wade will play in the Olympics. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, all he’s focusing on is another championship (to add to the one he won in 2006).’’ Sulia

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, USA Basketball, Olympics 

With Dwight Howard sidelined, do you feel like Spain is going to have the best inside game at the Olympics? Marc Gasol: At the end of the day, it's about finding a balance and playing together. We have to play defense, which is what then makes it easier for us to run and score. Who's the third favorite after the U.S. and Spain at the Games? MG: Argentina has to be up there. They have a terrific team. Better than France? MG: Yeah, France too. But the Argentines have played together for a long time. France has a lot of talent and a good mix of veterans and young guys. But Argentina... I've always loved how they play. HoopsHype

Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard, USA Basketball, Spain, Argentina, France, Marc Gasol, Olympics 

Hayward (6-8, 210, Butler) was one of two Jazz players to appear in all 66 games (58 starts) in 2011-12, averaging 11.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 30.5 minutes during his second NBA season. "The USA Select Team was a vital part of the USA Men's National Team's training in 2007, 2008 and 2010, and again in 2012 we'll utilize this team of select NBA players to help get our National Team ready for the very competitive summer that is ahead of us," said Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball chairman. "Being chosen for the Select Team is quite an honor, and it's an important step in becoming involved in USA Basketball's National Team program in the future. In the past, current national team finalists like Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala, as well as many other outstanding players got their USA National Team start through the Select Team." Deseret News

Utah Jazz, Gordon Hayward, USA Basketball 

Brian Mahoney: Pop was angry that Colangelo's explanation for choosing Coach K made it sound a bit like Pop wasn't interested in the job. Twitter

Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

Brian Mahoney: Pop maintained he said he'd be honored but never heard anything about it again. Either way, Krzyzewski has been good and so would Pop. Twitter

Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

Of course Doug Collins, with his history as an Olympian on the cheated 1972 U.S. team, and his connection with Krzyzewski through his son, Chris, the Duke assistant, would be an outstanding choice if interested. So would Rick Carlisle. So would North Carolina's Roy Williams or Michigan State's Tom Izzo, if Colangelo decided to go the college coach route again. But Popovich is head and shoulders above anyone else. And he's due. "I just think it's his turn," a veteran coach with vast international experience said of Popovich Sunday. "I like Coach K, but I thought it was (Popovich's) turn before. There's no doubt in my mind that Pop should be the coach. He's earned the right." NBA.com

Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

Were the U.S. team's terrible showings in '02 and '04 -- the impetus, after all, for bringing Colangelo in the next year and giving him the power to unilaterally pick future teams -- held against Popovich? (A source close to James said Sunday that James thinks "very highly" of Popovich, echoing public statements James has made, and would have no problem playing for Popovich in future international competitions.) Or is there some other reason -- or someone else that Popovich has rubbed the wrong way? NBA.com

LeBron James, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

Popovich will never talk about this, but there are enough people who will. They make it clear that the Air Force Academy graduate, who spent five years on active duty for his country after graduating, and captained the Armed Forces team that won the 1972 AAU championship -- earning an invitation to try out for the '72 Olympic team in the process -- was terribly hurt when he didn't get the call after Brown. NBA.com

Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

Reached Sunday for further comment, Colangelo demurred, saying via text he didn't want to talk further about the coaching search. "It is best to wait until after the Olympics," he said in the text. NBA.com

Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

The selected players of the Team USA Select team are: Ryan Anderson (Orlando); DeJuan Blair (San Antonio; DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz); Paul George (Indiana); Taj Gibson (Chicago); Gordon Hayward (Utah); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland); Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio); Jeremy Lin (New York); Klay Thompson (Golden State); and John Wall (Washington). Sulia

Derrick Favors, DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George, John Wall, Gordon Hayward, DeJuan Blair, DeMar DeRozan, USA Basketball, Jeremy Lin, Taj Gibson, Ryan Anderson, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard 

Sam Amick: USA Basketball also announced former Toronto head coach Jay Triano & longtime Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins as co-head coaches. Twitter

Toronto Raptors, Coaching, USA Basketball, Jay Triano 

Featuring nine players owning USA Basketball experience, including the 2011-12 NBA Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving and the 2010-11 NBA Rookie of the Year runner-up John Wall, USA Basketball today announced 13 players for the 2012 USA Men’s Select Team that will train against the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team during its July 6-12 training camp in Las Vegas, Nev. USA Basketball

John Wall, USA Basketball, Las Vegas, Team USA, Kyrie Irving 

Named to the 2012 USA Basketball Select squad were: Ryan Anderson (Orlando Magic / California); DeJuan Blair (San Antonio Spurs / Pittsburgh); DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings / Kentucky); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors / USC); Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz / Georgia Tech); Paul George (Indiana Pacers / Fresno State); Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls / USC); Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz / Butler); Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers / Duke); Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs / San Diego State); Jeremy Lin (New York Knicks / Harvard); Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors / Washington State); and Wall (Washington Wizards / Kentucky). USA Basketball

USA Basketball, Team USA 

Given some past performances by NBA players in the Olympics, it's not always the case that players are truly focused on the same goal. Sometimes players' own agendas can be an issue. Pistons coach Lawrence Frank was asked this week in a radio interview with Jim Rome whether that could be a concern with this summer's U.S. team in London. "It depends on the fabric of your team," Frank said. "It starts with your best player. Many times if your best player is your hardest worker, he's your most unselfish player and his heart is for the team, the rest of the guys are going to fall in line. If your best player is opposite of that, it's, as we say in the coaching business, rent don't buy." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, USA Basketball, Lawrence Frank 

This summer's team will be coached by Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, who led the 2008 team to Olympic gold and was an assistant to Chuck Daly on the 1992 Dream Team that also won. Rome asked Frank why NBA players respect Krzyzewski so much. "He's a transcendent figure in basketball," Frank said. "His success, his class, his professionalism -- everything he stands for is obviously Hall of Fame worthy." Detroit Free Press

Detroit Pistons, USA Basketball, Lawrence Frank, Mike Krzyzewski, Hall of Fame, Chuck Daly 

Hibbert has requested that the Jamaica Basketball Association (JaBA) release him so he may try out for the United States basketball team. His agent, David Faulk, also emailed JaBA asking for an immediate release. However, according to JaBA president Ajani Williams, the association has not yet honoured the request due to FIBA processes and statutes governing such a transfer among other considerations. Hibbert is eligible to play for Jamaica because his father was originally from Jamaica. On February 9, 2012, Hibbert was selected to his first All-Star game as a reserve for the Eastern Conference. jamaicaobserver.com

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert, USA Basketball, Jamaica 

After Howard and Portland big man LaMarcus Aldridge were knocked out of Olympic consideration due to recent injuries, there were some feelers from USA Basketball about Hibbert possibly being named to the Olympic pool. But Hibbert said he was unsuccessful in dealings with FIBA, the governing body of international basketball, to be allowed to switch countries and now considers it a dead issue. "They had a rule that we didn't know about when I played with Team Jamaica that I can't play for Team USA again," Hibbert said. "We had international lawyers looking at it and they say it's very doubtful… If I knew that two years ago, I wouldn't have played for Team Jamaica, but whoever thought Dwight Howard and LaMarcus Aldridge would be hurt at my position?" FOXSports Florida

Indiana Pacers, Roy Hibbert, USA Basketball, Jamaica