Colangelo says Shaq hasn't ruled out playing for U.S. team

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Colangelo says Shaq hasn't ruled out playing for U.S. team
Colangelo says Shaq hasn't ruled out playing for U.S. team

January 7, 2006

PHOENIX (AP) -- Jerry Colangelo, putting together the U.S. basketball team for the 2006 world championships and 2008 Olympics, said Shaquille O'Neal has not ruled out participating.

Colangelo, managing director of USA Basketball, spoke to O'Neal on Thursday as part of his meetings with NBA players prior to training camp later this year.




"I thought that going in that he had indicated there wasn't much interest and he felt it was time for others to step in," Colangelo said Friday night. "After I spoke with him, he said `Now you've got me rethinking about it.'

"We'll see," Colangelo said.

He said that he felt he should speak to O'Neal "out of respect for him."

Colangelo also met with O'Neal's Miami teammate Dwyane Wade.

"He's one of the up-and-coming young stars of the game," Colangelo said, "and he was very interested."

Colangelo is solely responsible for selecting participants in this year's training camp. Players must make a three-year commitment to participate in the camps and exhibition games leading up to the compe ions.

The shake-up of the USA basketball followed the team's bronze medal performance in the Athens Olympics.

[TDMVPDPOY]

this team is goin tobe ed up with kome n shaq, they wont even pass the ball