Oden says he’ll skip Team USA camp

Greg Oden's chance to play in the Olympics probably will have to wait until 2012.

The Portland Trail Blazers rookie center apparently will pass on attending USA Basketball training camp next month. Oden told The Associated Press he instead will work out in Indianapolis with Trail Blazers assistant Bill Bayno.

However, USA basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said Monday he has not officially heard from Oden that he is out.

"I haven't spoken to Greg," Colangelo said. "But I'm hearing the same things you are, that he won't be with us."

Oden skipped the July 20-22 minicamp at Cox Pavilion after undergoing a tonsillectomy July 14. He appeared in just two of Portland's NBA Summer League games and still is recovering from his surgery.

Oden also was invited to last year's training camp but did not participate because of a torn ligament in his right wrist.

Colangelo said anyone who misses both years of Team USA's training in Las Vegas would have a tough time landing a spot on the final roster for next year's Beijing Games. To qualify for the Olympics, the Americans must finish first or second in the FIBA Americas Tournament, which tips off Aug. 22 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"If you haven't been here both years, the odds are probably against you," Colangelo said.

Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said Monday that the team supports Oden -- even if it means missing the opportunity to represent his country.

"He's still recovering," Pritchard said. "We have nothing to do with his decision to play or not to play. That's between Greg, his agent (Bill Duffy) and Jerry Colangelo. But we want what's best for Greg."

Oden won't be the only one missing when the team reconvenes in Las Vegas for its Aug. 14-20 training camp.

Shane Battier is out because of family matters. J.J. Redick will join a group of young NBA players that will scrimmage the national team during camp. Chris Bosh might be limited by plantar fasciitis in his right foot that he has been battling since last season.

If Bosh can't play, Team USA would be left with 14 players from the initial 17-man roster. The final 12-player roster must be submitted to FIBA by Aug. 21.

USA Basketball still is finalizing the roster of NBA players that will scrimmage the national team. Several players already have committed to what is being called the NBA Select team, including Nick Collison, Monta Ellis, David Lee, Andre Iguodala, Al Jefferson and Jason Kapono.

Colangelo said he's working on adding a couple of other players and a coach.

"J.J. will go with the Select team," Colangelo said. "We want him to remain part of the camp.

"As for Chris, I talked to him the other day and he wants to play, but his foot has been giving him problems. So we'll play it by ear with him and see what happens."

Colangelo also said the team might move training camp from Andre Agassi Preparatory Academy to another location in Las Vegas because of the extra bodies now involved with the NBA Select team.

"We're looking at several options," he said. "That's not to say we won't be there (at Agassi Prep). But our needs have shifted, and we have to make sure wherever we go we have everything we need."