Bryant, Anthony, James lead US team in FIBA Americas

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets, and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers will lead Team USA in the FIBA Americas Championship which starts Wednesday in Las Vegas, according to www.fiba.com. Team USA is looking at qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Returning again to the team are New Jersey Nets' Jason Kidd, who was the 2000 Olympic team playmaker, and 2004 Athens Games bronze medalist Amaré Stoudamire of the Phoenix Suns. The American hosts will face Venezuela in the opening game on Wednesday (Thursday in the Philippines) at the Thomas & Mack Center. Seattle SuperSoncis forwards Kevin Durant, the second overall pick in the NBA Draft this summer, and Nick Collison did not make the cut. James and Anthony led the team that was upset by Greece in the semi-finals of the 2006 World Championships in Japan before beating Argentina in the bronze medal game. The US is one of 10 teams competing for two spots in the Beijing Games. The Americans, mentored by coach Mike Krzyzewski, will face teams from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Also in the team are Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard (who is also making a comeback to the team), Chauncey Billups and Tayshawn Prince of the Detroit Pistons, Mike Miller of the Memphis Grizzlies, Michael Redd of the Milwaukee Bucks, Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz, and Tyson Chandler of the New Orleans Hornets. - GMANews.TV