USA – Team USA hope busy LeBron can play in Turkey

CLEVELAND (2010 FIBA World Championship) – USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo will not read too much in LeBron James’s comments regarding his status as doubtful for this summer’s FIBA World Championship.

On Wednesday night, James told the Associated Press that the likelihood of him playing for the USA in Turkey in August and September is not looking all that good right now because he has a hectic schedule once the NBA season ends.

“I got a really, really, really, really, really busy summer,” said the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar.

When asked how he rated his chanceas of being in head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s side that will open play in Istanbul’s Group B, he added: “It’s very, very shady right now. I’m probably not playing. There are a lot of decisions I need to make this summer before I decide to get back out on the court.”

James, who has represented the USA at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games as well as the 2006 FIBA World Championship, made it clear that the desire – or potential lack thereof – to represent his country was not the issue.

“I would love if I had the opportunity and the time to play and represent my country and go out there and do that,” said the six-time NBA All-Star, who is one of few to have played for the USA each summer between 2006 and 2008. “But there’s a lot of things that I need to take care of first.”

James’s biggest priority will be to determine where his long-term future lies. He headlines the 2010 NBA free agent class and all season long rumours have swirled over whether he should stay in Cleveland – which is close to his home town of Akron, Ohio – or move to a bigger market, with his name being linked to New York, Chicago and Miami.

However, Colangelo is not too worried by what James has to say at this time of the year.

“Why speculate now when it’s still too early?” he asked rhetorically. “I don’t even care at this point. I’ll care when we get to July.”

The USA Basketball chairman however did warn that players who miss out on the FIBA World Championship without good reason would not be allowed to play in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“If someone chooses not to play this summer just because he chooses not to play, there’s no guarantee he’ll be in London,” he warned. “There are no free passes, regardless of who it is.”

FIBA