![]() David Lee chats with Knicks fan Spike Lee during the NBA Draft in late June. Later this month, David Lee will be in Las Vegas to help the latest "Dream Team" prepare for international competition.
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On Monday, Knicks forward David Lee was one of 10 top young NBA players named by USA Basketball to the USA Basketball Men's Select Team that has been chosen to help prepare the 2007 USA Senior National Team for the Aug. 22-Sept. 3 FIBA Americas Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Joining Lee on the USA Basketball Select Team are LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers), Aaron Brooks (Houston Rockets), Monta Ellis (Golden State Warriors), Channing Frye (Portland Trail Blazers), Jeff Green (Seattle SuperSonics), Devin Harris (Dallas Mavericks), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers), Al Jefferson (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Jason Kapono (Toronto Raptors).
Newly named Seattle SuperSonics head coach P.J. Carlesimo, who served as an assistant with the 1992 U.S. Olympic “Dream Team” and has been a head or assistant coach of five other USA Basketball teams, has been chosen head coach of the USA Select Team and he will be assisted by Toronto Raptors assistant coach Jay Triano.
“By definition this is a select team, one primarily made up of young NBA players. We have the Rookie of the Year from the 2007 NBA Summer League in Aaron Brooks, we have the best 3-point shooter in the league last season in Kapono, and we have others whose NBA futures are very promising. Basically this select group are players we felt would give our senior national squad the best possible opportunity to prepare for the FIBA Americas Championship,” said USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team managing director Jerry Colangelo.
The select squad will begin training Aug. 14 in Las Vegas and will scrimmage against the USA Senior National Team from Aug. 15-20. The USA Senior National Team's Aug 15-21 training camp will help determine the 12-member USA squad that will compete Aug. 22-Sept. 2 in the FIBA Americas Championship 2007.
Seventeen members of the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team are expected to participate in the Aug. 15-21 training and that roster includes: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), Shane Battier (Houston Rockets), Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons), Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Tyson Chandler (New Orleans Hornets), Kevin Durant (Seattle SuperSonics), Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls), Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets), Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies), Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons), Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks), J.J. Redick (Orlando Magic), Amare Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns) and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).
Duke University Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski is head coach of the USA Senior Team program. Serving as assistant coaches are Syracuse University and Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Phoenix Suns head mentor Mike D'Antoni and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.