Role call for the Games
Colangelo eyes players who can fill US needs
Forget a candy store. USA Basketball mastermind Jerry Colangelo is like a kid in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.
Just four years ago, NBA stars were turning down USA Basketball left and right for the 2004 Athens Olympics. An inexperienced team loaded with young players brought back home a disappointing bronze medal.
But now that Colangelo is running the show, he will be the one turning down the stars at the end of next month when he solidifies the new "Dream Team" for this summer's Beijing Olympics.
"Everyone wants to play," Colangelo said. "I love that. The attitude is where we want it to be. We are sorting through this. We want to put the best team forward and we'll cover everything. We said it was not going to be an all-star team. We need role players."
USA Basketball will have a mini-camp with about 15-17 players in Las Vegas from June 27-29 to determine which 12 will go to China. The Olympic roster must be set by July 2.
"I'm just looking for an opportunity to get in and make the team," said Hornets center Tyson Chandler. "It would be a great accomplishment. All I want is an opportunity, and just to be able to go try out with the caliber of guys, I'll feel very fortunate."
NBA fans probably assume that New Orleans guard Chris Paul (second in MVP voting), Utah guard Deron Williams (future All-Star), and Seattle forward Kevin Durant (Rookie of the Year) have earned roster spots. But Colangelo already has a team full of stars with the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Cleveland's LeBron James, Denver's Carmelo Anthony, and Orlando's Dwight Howard; he is looking to fill out the roster with players who fit roles.
That's why versatile Detroit forward Tayshaun Prince is expected to make it over Durant. That's why veteran guards Jason Kidd of Dallas and Detroit's Chauncey Billups should get the nod over the younger Paul and Williams. And while Milwaukee's Michael Redd isn't considered a marquee name, his deadly outside shot makes him a virtual lock.
"A guy like Tayshaun Prince, with his length, smarts, and his ability to guard four positions, is as valuable as a scorer," Colangelo said. "You got Michael Redd. You've got to have shooters. When our coach looks down the bench, he needs a guy who can hit four or five shots.
"We're going to stay true to what we said. It's not an all-star team. It's a team of different components."
The Globe has penciled in Kidd, Billups, Redd, Prince, Bryant, James, Anthony, Howard, Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, and Toronto forward Chris Bosh. That would leave two roster spots open.
So what about guard Dwyane Wade? Believe it or not, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP is on the bubble because of the injury woes that ended his season early. Colangelo had hoped to meet with Wade in Chicago last Wednesday, but Wade didn't get back from the draft lottery in time.
Forward Elton Brand also has injury concerns, and if Colangelo isn't convinced that a player is 100 percent healthy, he's not going to risk taking him to Beijing in place of someone who is.
"It's a matter of convincing me you're healthy," Colangelo said. "I have 12 spots. I look at the spots like they're valuable real estate. They have to be healthy. They can't be 50 percent. They can't be 80 percent. They have to be 100 percent healthy.
"It may be difficult to determine who is on the team, but it's a far cry from what it was back in '04 when players pulled out. We had young players like Carmelo, LeBron, and Amare. Young players are not good for this team. We're past that. We put the infrastructure in."
Bubble players include guards Wade, Paul, Williams, and Atlanta's Joe Johnson, forwards Bosh, Durant, Utah's Carlos Boozer, the Lakers' Lamar Odom, and Chandler. Celtics forward Kevin Garnett would be a lock if he wanted to play, but he's not interested.
The guess here is that the final two spots will come down to Odom, Boozer, Paul, and Williams, depending on need.
While it won't be easy for Colangelo to choose, it's a good problem to have.
"Right now, we're down to 15 names," Colangelo said. "We have to cut to 12. It's a son of a gun. It's really tough. We're just trying to ride it out."
So the names won't be foreign to you...
For the time being, the international thrill is gone in the NBA.With an infusion of talent in recent years, the NBA seemed to be on a path to where there would be as many international players as American players. Stars such as Yao Ming, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Pau Gasol, and Dirk Nowitzki helped the NBA become popular worldwide.
But with disappointing lottery picks such as Darko Milicic, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Saer Sene, Fran Vasquez, and Yaroslav Korolev in recent years, the excitement about overseas players was tempered. Only two international players were selected in the top 20 of last year's draft. The only international players likely to go in the top 20 this year are Italian small forward Danilo Gallinari and French swingman Nicolas Batum. This year's international crop seems to be the weakest in years.
Even so, there are still a lot of names to start becoming familiar with as the predraft camp in Orlando approaches.
With the 30th and 60th overall picks, the Celtics could take a chance on an international prospect, hoping that he ends up better after more seasoning overseas. Remember, Ginobili was the 57th pick in the 1998 draft, Parker was the 28th pick in 2001, and Leandro Barbosa was the 28th pick in 2003.
Here are the Globe's Top 10 international prospects for this year's draft, which will be June 26.
1. Danilo Gallinari, 19, SF, Italy, 6-9, 212 pounds
Comment: Had a spectacular season for AJ Milano. Good height at small forward. Strong scorer and deep-range shooter. Weakness is lateral movement and slow feet. Should be a lottery pick.
2. Nicolas Batum, 19, G-F, France, 6-10, 210 pounds
Comment: Very athletic. Had an inconsistent season for Le Mans. Very long arms. Not a great shooter. Great basketball instincts. Plays a little bit like Indiana's Danny Granger and Detroit's Tayshaun Prince. Very quiet demeanor. Potential lottery pick.
3. Alexis Ajinca, 20, PF-C, France, 7-2, 205 pounds
Comment: Very long but skinny. Project player. Very good instincts. Solid shot-blocker and rebounder. Very skilled. French kid originally from Morocco. Has gained about 20 pounds and has the frame to get a little bit bigger. Potential late first-round pick.
4. Ante Tomic, 21, C, Croatia, 7-2, 220 pounds
Comment: Very skilled. Played in the weak Croatian league. Can pass well and shoot midrange. Can finish well around the basket. Needs to get tougher. True center with good size. Runs the floor very well. Very good passer in the high post. Potential late first-round pick.
5. Nikola Pekovic, 22, PF-C, Serbia & Montenegro, 6-11, 243 pounds
Comment: Big power forward. Doesn't play above the rim. Had a solid season in Euroleague play with KK Partizan Belgrade. Finishes well around the basket. Very strong guy. Recently signed a two-year contract extension. Second-round prospect.
6. Omer Asik, 21, C, Turkey, 6-11, 230 pounds
Comment: A late bloomer. Very athletic. Strong shot-blocker. Rebounds well. Very limited offensively. Good potential.
7. Goran Dragic, 22, PG, Slovenia, 6-4, 200 pounds
Comment: Point guard who made his mark at the European Championships with Union Olimpija Ljubljana. Lefthanded. Quick. An average long-range shooter. Excellent passer. Gets up the floor quick.
8. Serge Ibaka, 18, F, Congo, 6-10, 220 pounds
Comment: Played in the Hoop Summit in Portland this year. Offensively very limited. Attacks offensive glass and is a great dunker. Finishes well. Shot-blocker. Rebounder. Good big body. Long arms.
9. Semih Erden, 21, C, Turkey, 7-1, 240 pounds
Comment: Center with big body. Decent skill around the basket. Heavy-footed. Has a good touch. Playing in average fashion against strong Euroleague competition.
10. Nathan Jawai, 21, C, Australia, 6-10, 275 pounds
Comment: Big kid who played well in weak Australian league. Heavy-footed, but has big body. Defensively and offensively average. Had a short stint at Midland Junior College in Texas.
Preparing for his solo
The Atlantic 10 tournament. The NIT title game. Those bitter contests vs. rivals Boston College and Temple.Sure, those games were big for University of Massachusetts swingman Gary Forbes. But the biggest games of his basketball career to date will be played without a pep band, cheerleaders, or a paying crowd.
Forbes is one of about 70 players hoping to improve their stock at the annual NBA predraft camp in Orlando this week (Tuesday through Friday). Players will go through strength and athletic testing, a thorough physical, and play games in front of executives and scouts from all 30 NBA teams.
"I'm definitely excited to go there and play for NBA scouts and showcase my talents," said Forbes. "It's a nervous process for me. Everything is on my own now.
"It's a big difference doing things individually, rather than trying to win championships. You're trying to work on individual things to get drafted."
Forbes, the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, helped his stock dramatically by making the all-tournament team at the Portsmouth Invitational, a showcase for college seniors in April. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.1 steals for Norfolk Naval Shipyards.
"He's had a terrific college career," said Celtics general manager Danny Ainge. "He's a well-rounded and versatile player. He played very well in Portsmouth in the camp. He showed that he has an all-around game."
The 6-foot-7-inch, 220-pounder has been working out in Houston for about five weeks with ex-NBA star John Lucas against the likes of Texas guard D.J. Augustin and NBA players such as ex-BC star Sean Williams, T.J. Ford, Cuttino Mobley, and Jeremy Richardson.
After Orlando, he will take part in numerous workouts before the June 26 draft. Forbes has already been contacted by Boston, Milwaukee, Miami, Portland, Seattle, New Orleans, Minnesota, Houston, New York, New Jersey, and the Lakers.
The draft process will cause him to miss his UMass graduation.
"My mom might make me take pictures with a cap and gown," Forbes said.
While Forbes is confident he will be drafted, nothing is guaranteed.
"Hopefully, in Orlando I'll be able to move up on the draft board," he said. "My agent has talked to a lot of teams. Teams are showing interest. There are a lot of loopholes. You never know where you are going. My goal is to go in the first round."
Hawks' eyes
An NBA source said Cleveland assistant general manager Chris Grant is a strong front-runner to become the Hawks' next general manager, with Washington vice president of basketball administration Tommy Sheppard a close second. While Celtics assistant GM Dave Wohl has been mentioned as a candidate, he isn't in the race.Squeeze play
An NBA source said that several teams are expected to try to trade their draft picks in an effort to trim financial commitments from the roster. The days of the maximum 15-man roster seem to be a thing of the past for a lot of franchises. The source also said the Bucks are expected to shop their eighth overall pick and could dangle one of their guards as extra bait.Son rise
Remember the name Josh Kroenke. The ex-Missouri basketball player is the son of Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke and could soon take a major role in the franchise's front office. Josh, who has interned with the NBA, spent the past season quietly working with the Nuggets' front office and getting to know the ins and outs of the organization.Making a comeback
It seems more and more likely that Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau will be back in Boston next season. The Knicks, Mavericks, and Bobcats didn't ask for permission to speak to him before hiring their new coaches, and the Suns and Bulls have yet to ask for permission, as well.A footnote
If you look closely at the sneakers Kevin Garnett is wearing in the postseason, you can see his profile displayed in cool fashion on the outer side of each one. He has been wearing them in practice for a while, though an Adidas representative said the shoes weren't supposed to be worn in games until next season. "I just wear what they give me, man," Garnett said.Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com 