LeBron, Steph Curry expected at USA Basketball minicamp
LeBron James, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony are among 34 players expected next week at the U.S. men's Basketball minicamp, indicating their possible interest in chasing a third Olympic gold medal.
Kevin Durant, Paul George, Blake Griffin, and Kevin Love are also expected after pulling out last summer as the Americans begin preparations for the 2016 Olympics.
The Americans will bring 26 players from their national team pool and eight newcomers to Las Vegas for two days of light workouts and an intra-squad exhibition game that will resemble an All-Star game.
Not all players will be on the court as a number are still recovering from injuries sustained during the NBA season, but USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo wanted anybody interested in going to Rio de Janeiro to join the team for what he said will be a "celebration" of the past decade of basketball accomplishments for the top-ranked Americans.
"With this being a summer where we do not have an official competition that we need to prepare for, this year's minicamp is an opportunity to continue and expand the brotherhood and camaraderie that has been built," Colangelo added Thursday in a statement.
NBA MVP Stephen Curry and fellow All-Star Klay Thompson were two of the four members of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors attending, most for any team.
The other confirmed national team participants announced Thursday were: James Harden and Dwight Howard (Houston), Anthony Davis (New Orleans), DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay (Sacramento), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland), John Wall and Bradley Beal (Washington), LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio), DeMar DeRozan (Toronto), Andre Drummond (Detroit), Kenneth Faried (Denver), Gordon Hayward (Utah), Chandler Parsons (Dallas) and Mason Plumlee (Portland).
Chicago's Derrick Rose decided Thursday not to participate. Howard is rejoining the Americans after last playing in 2008, while new Spurs teammates Leonard and Aldridge would take part after pulling out multiple times in recent years.
The Americans will work out Tuesday and Wednesday and the game is Thursday night on the campus of UNLV. James will be gone by then with a previous commitment in Ohio.
He, Anthony and Paul all won gold with the Americans in 2008 and 2012. The Americans have also won two straight world titles and have lost just one game since Colangelo started the national team program in 2005.
The Americans were the first team to qualify for Rio by winning last summer's Basketball World Cup. Rose is the only member of that 12-man team not taking part next week.
Added to the roster for camp: Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes (Golden State), Victor Oladipo and Tobias Harris (Orlando), Jimmy Butler (Chicago), Mike Conley (Memphis), DeAndre Jordan (Clippers) and Michael Carter-Williams (Milwaukee).
