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USA Basketball revealed today 23 players (complete roster at bottom of page), including 18 who have played previously for USA Basketball teams, who have been named to the historic 2006-2008 USA Men's Senior National Team program. The selections were announced by USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program Managing Director Jerry Colangelo.

" This is the first standing USA Men's Senior National Team and the 23 players selected will give us everything we need to form a great USA team," said Colangelo, who was appointed Managing Director of the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program on April 27, 2005. "We feel we have versatility, shooters, size, quickness, role players, and defensive stoppers. In making the player selections we took into consideration the style of play anticipated to be used by the coaching staff."

"The first major competition we are selecting a team for is the 2006 FIBA World Championship. This is an important competition and we are taking this as seriously as we take the Olympics."

Named to the 2006-08 USA Senior National Team were: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards); Shane Battier (Memphis Grizzlies); Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs); Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards); Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks); Shawn Marion (Phoenix Suns); Brad Miller (Sacramento Kings); Adam Morrison (Gonzaga University); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Chris Paul (New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets); Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics); J.J. Redick (Duke University); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); Luke Ridnour (Seattle Supersonics); Amaré Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns); and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat).

"I was very pleased with the entire selection process. The manner in which it was conducted included all parts of United States' basketball, from the professional level to the colleges and high schools. Everyone was considered. It is obvious that we're not trying to put a collection of all-stars together. The goal is to put together as good of a basketball team as we possibly can. I believe we've done that with this group of players," said USA and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

USA Basketball experience is plentiful among the 23 players with 18 having suited up for USA Basketball previously. Six players, Anthony, James, Marion, Odom, Stoudemire and Wade, were members of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team that captured a bronze medal in Athens, Greece.

Players owning USA Basketball playing experience include: Anthony (2004 Olympics, 2002 Junior World Championship Qualifier, 2001 Youth Development Festival); Battier (2001 Goodwill Games, 1997 Nike Hoop Summit); Billups (1995 U.S. Olympic Festival); Bosh (2002 Junior World Championship Qualifier); Brand (2003 Olympic Qualifier, 2002 World Championship, 1999 Olympic Qualifier; 1998 Goodwill Games, 1997 Nike Hoop Summit); James (2004 Olympics, 2001 Youth Development Festival); Jamison (1995 Nike Hoop Summit); Johnson (2000 U21 World Championship Qualifier, 1998 Nike Hoop Summit); Marion (2004 Olympics, 2002 World Championship, 2001 Goodwill Games); Miller (1998 World Championship, 1997 U21 World Championship, 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival); Morrison (2004 U21 World Championship Qualifier); Paul (2004 U21 World Championship Qualifier, 2002 Youth Development Festival); Odom (2004 Olympics); Pierce (2002 World Championship,1996 U21 World Championship Qualifier, 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival); Redd (1999 World University Games); Redick (2005 U21 World Championship, 2003 U19 World Championship, 2001 Youth Development Festival, 2000 Youth Development Festival); Stoudemire (2004 Olympics); and Wade (2004 Olympics).

USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Notes:

Of the 23 players named to the USA roster, 21 play in the NBA, and two, Morrison and Redick, are collegians.

The 21 NBA players represent 18 NBA teams, with the Los Angeles Lakers (Bryant and Odom), Phoenix (Marion and Stoudemire) and Washington (Arenas and Jamison) the only clubs boasting of two players.

Nine (Arenas, Billups, Bosh, Brand, Bryant, James, Marion, Pierce, Wade) of the selected hoopsters were named to the 2006 NBA All-Star teams.

A member of each NBA championship team since 2000 are part of the USA selectees. Billups (2004), Bryant (2000, 2001,and 2002) and Bowen (2003 and 2005), were each members of NBA championship teams.

By the conclusion of the 2006 World Championships (Sept. 3), 19 of the 23 players will be 28-years-old or younger. Three will be 20 or 21 years old, five will be 22 or 23, four will be 24 or 25, four will be 26 or 27, four will be 28 or 29, and three will be 30 or older.

When training camp opens, Bowen will be the oldest team member at 35-years-old, while 20-year-old Dwight Howard will be the youngest player.

More Info

The 23 selectees are expect to report when the USA opens training in mid-July. The exact training dates and sites will be announced at a later date.

The USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team will compete in the 2006 FIBA World Championship (Aug. 19-Sept. 3 in Saitama, Japan); if necessary the 2007 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament (dates and site TBD); and if the USA qualifies, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games (Aug. 8-24 in Beijing, China).

The USA Senior National Team coaching staff for 2006-2008 is set. Krzyzewski was named on Oct. 26, 2005, head coach of the USA Senior Team program for 2006-2008. Named assistant coaches were Syracuse University (N.Y.) and Hall of Fame mentor Jim Boeheim, Phoenix Suns head mentor Mike D'Antoni, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.

Additionally, Rudy Tomjanovich, head coach of the gold medalist 2000 U.S. Olympic basketball team and head coach of the Houston Rockets NBA Championship teams in 1994 and 1995, was named Director of Scouting for the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program for 2006-08.

Since first fielding a USA Basketball team of legendary NBA stars in 1992, USA Basketball senior national teams comprised of NBA players have claimed gold medals in eight of 10 major international basketball competitions, while compiling an impressive 74-6 overall record (.925 winning percentage) in those international competitions and a record of 23-1 (.958 winning percentage) in exhibition games.

2006 FIBA World Championship

Held every four years and considered international basketball's diamond event, the US has had mixed results in World Championship play.

Placing sixth and finishing with a 6-3 record in 2002, the 1998 USA World Championship Team originally was to be a team comprising NBA players. But when labor problems in the NBA prevented the use of their players, the USA team ended up comprising American players who were playing professionally overseas, in the CBA or in college. Despite formulating the team just weeks in advance of the Worlds, the US rolled to a surprising 7-2 finish and the bronze medal.

The US last claimed gold at the 1994 World Championship in Toronto, Canada. Behind the play of World Championship MVP Shaquille O'Neal, and Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Joe Dumars and others, the US finished 8-0 to take the gold medal and did so in dominating fashion, winning its eight games by an average of 37.7 points a game.

All told, the USA has won nine medals in World Championship play - three gold (1954, 1986 and 1994), three silver (1950, 1959 and 1982) and three bronze medals (1974, 1990 and 1998). Overall, USA teams have compiled a 97-26 win-loss record in the World Championships for a 78.9 winning percentage.

Complete Rosters | As of March 5, 2006

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	CURRENT TEAM / COLLEGE or HIGH SCHOOL
Carmelo Anthony	F	6-8	230	5/29/84	Denver Nuggets / Syracuse
Gilbert Arenas	G	6-4	210	1/06/82	Washington Wizards / Arizona
Shane Battier	F	6-8	220	9/09/78	Memphis Grizzlies / Duke
Chauncey Billups	G	6-3	202	9/25/76	Detroit Pistons / Colorado
Chris Bosh	F	6-10	230	3/24/84	Toronto Raptors / Georgia Tech
Bruce Bowen	F	6-7	200	6/14/71	San Antonio Spurs / Cal State Fullerton
Elton Brand	F	6-8	254	3/11/79	Los Angeles Clippers / Duke
Kobe Bryant	G	6-6	220	8/23/78	Los Angeles Lakers / Lower Merion H.S. (PA)
Dwight Howard	F/C	6-11	265	12/08/85	Orlando Magic / SW Atlanta Christian Academy
LeBron James	F	6-8	240	12/30/84	Cleveland Cavaliers / St.Vincent-St. Mary H.S. (OH)
Antawn Jamison	F	6-9	235	6/12/76	Washington Wizards / North Carolina
Joe Johnson	G/F	6-7	230	6/29/81	Atlanta Hawks / Arkansas
Shawn Marion	F	6-7	228	5/07/78	Phoenix Suns / UNLV
Brad Miller	C	7-0	261	4/12/76	Sacramento Kings / Purdue
Adam Morrison	F	6-8	205	7/19/84	Gonzaga University '07
Lamar Odom	F	6-10	230	11/06/79	Los Angeles Lakers / Rhode Island
Chris Paul	G	6-0	170	5/06/85	New Orleans/Oklhoma City Hornets / Wake Forest
Paul Pierce	F/G	6-6	230	10/13/77	Boston Celtics / Kansas
J.J. Redick	G	6-4	190	6/24/84	Duke University '06
Michael Redd	G	6-6	215	8/24/79	Milwaukee Bucks / Ohio State
Luke Ridnour	G	6-1	167	2/13/81	Seattle SuperSonics / Oregon
Amare Stoudemire	C	6-10	240	11/16/82	Phoenix Suns / Cypress Creek H.S. (FL)
Dwyane Wade	G	6-4	212	1/17/82	Miami Heat / Marquette
Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski Duke University (N.C.)
Assistant Coach: Jim Boeheim Syracuse University (N.Y.)
Assistant Coach: Mike D'Antoni Phoenix Suns
Assistant Coach: Nate McMillan Portland Trail Blazers

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