Mayo, Stuckey net Select Team spots

O.J. Mayo and Rodney Stuckey won't be finished playing basketball in Las Vegas when the NBA Summer League ends this weekend.

The two players have been selected to the 12-man USA Basketball Select Team, which will practice against the U.S. Olympic squad next week at Valley High School.

Mayo, a rookie guard with the Memphis Grizzlies, and Stuckey, a second-year guard with the Detroit Pistons, will go up against Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and the rest of Team USA during its pre-Olympic training camp.

"We had a lot of success with the select team last summer, so it was an easy decision to bring them back," said Jerry Colangelo, managing director for Team USA. "We're looking for this select group to really compete and help prepare our senior team for Beijing."

Joining Mayo and Stuckey will be Kevin Durant and Jeff Green of Oklahoma City, Kevin Martin of Sacramento, Andre Iguodala of Philadelphia, Al Horford of Atlanta, Luther Head of Houston, LaMarcus Aldridge of Portland and Derrick Rose of Chicago, the No. 1 pick in June's NBA Draft.

Two additional spots will be filled from players participating in the summer league and will be announced this weekend. P.J. Carlesimo, who coached the Selects last year, is back and will be assisted by Jay Triano.

"We have to see who's available," said Colangelo, who will arrive in Las Vegas on Saturday. "Right now, it's kind of a moving target. We may add two. We may add one, or we may keep the roster where it is. I'm not sure."

Colangelo said Minnesota rookie forward Kevin Love is a possibility. For all the players chosen, it's a way to get indoctrinated into the national team program.

"It's all part of the infrastructure we put in place three years ago," Colangelo said. "It's part of a conduit. Bringing these young players in to work with the senior national team puts them into the pipeline for future national teams."

Mayo and Stuckey were excited about joining the Selects.

"It's a great opportunity for me, and I'm proud to represent the Grizzlies organization," Mayo said. "I want to do my part so I can help Team USA win the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China."

Stuckey said: "It feels great to be selected. It will be a great experience for me to play against some of the best guards in the game, and it also gives me a chance to work on my skills for next season. I'm looking forward to it."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.