Doing patriotic duty

In past Olympics, the U.S. played basketball, whether it dominated (1936-1968, 1976, 1984, 1992-2000) or was upset (1972, 1988, 2004.)

This time, the U.S. men's basketball team is playing another game, hardball.

The 12 players whose selection was announced Monday had one thing in common: They were willing to make a three-year commitment.

In the case of Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, the commitment went beyond giving up part of their summer vacation.

Wade sat out the last five weeks of Miami's season and had to work out last month for U.S. managing director Jerry Colangelo to show he was OK.

Bryant, who played the last half of the Lakers' season with a torn ligament in his right pinkie finger, might still need surgery -- but has put it off until after the Olympics.

Of the 12 players on this team, eight -- Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd, Dwight Howard, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd and Deron Williams -- played on last summer's team that dominated the qualifying Tournament of the Americas.

There were no courtesy selections, regardless of anyone's place in the game. No one who didn't make that commitment was considered.

Asked during Monday's telephone news conference about Boston's Kevin Garnett, who won a gold medal with the 2000 team but was not selected this year, Colangelo said, "We never got any positive feedback of his interest.

"It was more about 'I've been there, I've done that and it's time for someone else to do it.'

"I had a number of conversations with his agent just to check the temperature of the water, and there was never any positive response. We would have loved to have had him . . . but obviously, it wasn't in the cards. . . .

"When I was asked to take on the position of managing U.S. basketball, I felt there were a number of things that needed to change. The culture certainly needed to change. We needed commitments from coaches and players alike for a period of time."

Wade was so gung-ho, he sat on the bench last summer for all of the qualifying games despite not being healthy enough to play.

Bryant wanted to play in 2006, but knee surgery stopped him, so nothing like a little operation on his finger was going to stand in the way this time.

"Obviously, when he sustained the injury [this season], we had a conversation," Colangelo said. "And he immediately said, 'Don't worry about me, I'm playing, I'll take care of that when the Olympics are over if I need to -- relative to potential surgery.