HoopsHype.com Rumors

USA Basketball executive director Jerry Colangelo maintains that he wants to speak with Krzyzewski in an effort to persuade the Duke coach to stay on board. But sources believe Krzyzewski became burned out on his Olympic obligation last summer in London and is inclined to listen to his wife, Mickie, who wants him to back away from the added stress and travel obligations that come with the job. CBSSports.com

Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Doc Rivers, Coaching, Jerry Colangelo, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski, Brazil 

Rivers was in London for the Olympics as a studio analyst for NBC Sports, and he made his presence felt around the team -- staying in the team hotel and eating meals with the players. During the Celtics' run of success during the now-crumbling Big Three era, Rivers forged strong relationships with some of the biggest stars in the game -- many of whom will still be with Team USA in Rio. Also, there's a feeling among some involved in Team USA that Rivers' personality and skilled handling of star egos would provide a more natural transition. "With Doc, I think it would keep the same chemistry going," one person briefed on the matter said. "If Pop comes in, he would want his own way of doing it -- kind of the Spurs' secretive way of doing things -- and out of Jerry's norm." CBSSports.com

Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs, Doc Rivers, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball 

USA Basketball may not have a coach yet for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, but there is a center who is volunteering his services. Los Angeles Lakers big man Dwight Howard, who won Olympic gold with the U.S. in the 2008 Beijing Games but had to miss last summer's London Games while recovering from back surgery, said he wants to be back on the team in 2016. "No doubt," Howard said Thursday when asked if he wanted to play in Brazil. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Dwight Howard, USA Basketball, Team USA 

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich reiterated previous comments he’s made about the possibility of coaching USA Basketball’s senior team, saying it would be flattering to be considered before Wednesday’s home loss to Phoenix. “Anybody would feel honored to have their name mentioned as far as the Olympic movement is concerned,” he said. “There are a lot of people who can fill that role. That goes without saying. Anybody would feel humbled and honored to even be talked about in that regard.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball 

But USA Basketball spokesman Craig Miller told Fox 29;s Maximum Sports on Tuesday that Popovich’s resume and past experience with the team made him an “obvious” candidate. Miller also addressed an alleged disagreement/misunderstanding between Popovich and Colangelo during the last round of hiring. “Jerry’s not going to put himself in a position where he’s not picking the best candidates,” he said. Tony Parker joked after practice on Tuesday that the French Federation would be thrilled to have his long-time Spurs coach. Popovich, a wine and food connoisseur, said he’d consider it on one condition. “Only if training camp is in Leon,” he said. “Paris is OK, but Leon is where all the food started.” San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball 

Marc J. Spears: Clipper Chauncey Billups, a member of 3 USA teams, named an athlete representative for USA Bball's Men's Development National Team Committee Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

Los Angeles Clippers, Chauncey Billups, USA Basketball 

Colangelo, chairman of USA Basketball, said Tuesday by phone that Golden State Warriors forward David Lee, a former University of Florida star, approached him at All-Star Weekend earlier this month in Houston to indicate his desire to play for Team USA. And Colangelo is intrigued. “He’s had a heck of a year,’’ Colangelo said. “He’s been healthy. He’s been with us before but he had injuries.’’ FOXSports Florida

Golden State Warriors, David Lee, USA Basketball, Team USA 

In an interview Tuesday on ESPN Radio, Krzyzewksi reiterated he wouldn’t return after having won Olympic golds in 2008 and 2012, the Worlds gold in 2010 and a Worlds bronze in 2006. He said, “My stance hasn’t changed. I've loved, loved, loved, and it's been an honor being with the USA Basketball team. And to coach the team and work with Jerry these seven years have been marvelous.’’ But Colangelo won’t consider anything official until he talks with Krzyzewski. “We haven’t had a conversation,’’ Colangelo said. “All I’ve heard (about Krzyzewski saying he won’t return) is second hand… Until he and I have a final meeting after this season, then I’ll know one way or another. I always have a Plan B or Plan C in place.’’ FOXSports Florida

Coaching, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski 

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will not return to coach USA Basketball after the Blue Devils' season, he said Tuesday. Talking in a phone interview with ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in the Morning", Krzyzewski said USA Basketball will likely name his successor this summer in preparation for the 2014 world championships in Madrid. "I've loved, loved, loved, and it's been an honor being with the USA Basketball team," Krzyzewski said. "And to coach the team and work with [chairman and president Jerry Colangelo] for seven years has been marvelous. "And we're in a good spot," Krzyzewski added. "We need to keep building." ESPN.com

FIBA, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski 

A person close to USA Basketball told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday morning that it is highly unlikely Colangelo can convince Krzyzewski to return. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the coaching situation. USA Today Sports

FIBA, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Mike Krzyzewski 

He had the opportunity to be an Olympian last year, but Kyrie Irving passed on playing for Australia to preserve his chance of playing for Team USA in the future. In a few weeks, he’ll get a little closer. Irving will be one of about two dozen players invited to Las Vegas at the end of July in preparation for the 2014 FIBA World Cup team (formerly known as the FIBA World Championship). No invitations have been formally extended yet, but USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo confirmed in a phone interview on Saturday that Irving will be among those invited. “You can be assured that he’ll be one of the invitees,” Colangelo said. “He’s already established himself as one of the top three or four point guards in the league.” Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Las Vegas, Kyrie Irving 

Whether or not Irving follows with similar success remains to be seen, but Colangelo is anxious to see what he does in the coming years. “Kyrie is special,” he said. “He’s put himself in a little bit of a different class already.” Akron Beacon Journal

Cleveland Cavaliers, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Las Vegas, Kyrie Irving 

Portland Trail Blazers rookie point guard Damian Lillard continues to take the league by storm and now he's well on his way to taking his game global. CSNNW.com has learned that the three-time NBA Rookie of the Month and NBA Skills Challenge champion is on the verge of being invited to participate in the USA Men's Basketball National Team mini camp. CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Damian Lillard 

“Damian is definitely on our radar,” Director of USA Basketball Jerry Colangelo told CSNNW.com. “He's one of the bright young stars we have in this game and certainly his chances are very high that he makes our list.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Damian Lillard 

Lillard will have the opportunity to showcase his talents in front of Colangelo and whoever the coaching staff may be during scrimmages and drills. If Lillard fares well, he could be selected to the Men's National Team roster in hopes of competing at the 2014 World Championships. The rookie out of Weber State has accomplished so much in so little time and apparently he's not anywhere close to being done. “We're watching him,” Colangelo said. CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Damian Lillard 

That experience has Lopez still hoping that he can enjoy the full experience at some point in the future, as he said he would welcome the opportunity to get a second chance either at next year’s World Championships in Spain or in the Olympics in Rio in 2016. “Definitely,” Lopez said after participating in the Shooting Stars competition during Saturday night’s All-Star Festivities. “No question. It’d be a huge honor. I’d love to, and if I got the opportunity I would definitely take advantage of it.” Lopez said he has expressed similar sentiments to Jerry Colangelo, the director of USA Basketball. “I have run into him, and I definitely talked about my interest,” Lopez said. New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Brook Lopez 

Colangelo was quoted in Saturday's Daily News of New York as saying that the Brooklyn Nets point guard ''was not in the best shape'' and ''a little overweight'' last summer. The headline for the story said Colangelo called Williams ''unfit.'' ''I said a lot of things which basically said, look, our players are better off with us, we take care of our players, they're important assets, and on and on and on,'' Colangelo said. Yahoo! Sports

Brooklyn Nets, Jerry Colangelo, Deron Williams, USA Basketball 

''And I said and by the way, he wasn't in the best of shape, and that's true, because if you remember he didn't even practice with us the first week because of contract and so forth. I certainly never said he was unfit to play USA Basketball.'' Yahoo! Sports

Brooklyn Nets, Jerry Colangelo, Deron Williams, USA Basketball 

On Saturday, Stefan Bondy quoted Colangelo in a Daily News story headlined, "Brooklyn Nets star Deron Williams unfit at Olympics, according to USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo." Colangelo told Bondy, "Deron Williams, for the Olympics, was not in the best shape. He was a little overweight, and I told him that at the time." Early Sunday, after the AP report, Bondy posted audio from his interview with Colangelo. Colangelo said he would talk to Williams, a fellow University of Illinois product. ''My plan is to give Deron a call and tell him exactly what took place,'' Colangelo told AP. ''It wasn't meant to embarrass him at all.'' NetsDaily

Brooklyn Nets, Jerry Colangelo, Deron Williams, USA Basketball 

A day before playing in his first All-Star game, Brook Lopez said he has talked to USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo about playing for the national team. “It would be a huge honor, definitely,” Lopez said. “If I got the opportunity I would definitely take advantage of it.” Lopez, 24, was invited to Team USA training camp before the 2010 World Championships but he withdrew after catching mono. The U.S. will play in the 2014 World Championships in Spain. Colangelo told NBA.com that David Lee, Stephen Curry and Paul George were “on the radar” for making that squad. New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Brook Lopez