Team USA Basketball minicamp set for July

Get ready for the next wave of Dream Teamers.

USA Basketball's senior men's national team will begin its next four-year cycle in Las Vegas on July 22 with a four-day minicamp highlighted by a Blue-White intrasquad game July 25 at the Thomas & Mack Center.

USA Basketball and Las Vegas Events recently came to an agreement on a four-year deal to have the national team train in Las Vegas each summer through the 2012 Olympics. Details on tickets and the time for the July 25 game will be released later.

According to USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo, the Las Vegas camp, which will be conducted either at Cox Pavilion or Valley High School, will focus on the younger players who will be part of the 2012 Olympic team and beyond.

"With any team, there's always going to be turnover," Colangelo said Wednesday. "Our attitude is to keep our core guys together while bringing in some fresh faces."

Colangelo said 24 players will be invited to the minicamp. He has received commitments from 19, including Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, Portland's Greg Oden, Minnesota's Kevin Love and Memphis' O.J. Mayo.

"It's a natural progression to have the minicamp and maintain the pipeline," Colangelo said.

The minicamp will be coached by Toronto Raptors coach Jay Triano. Assisting him will be Detroit assistant coach Dave Cowens, Utah assistant Tyrone Corbin, New Orleans assistant Kenny Gattison and Minnesota assistant Jerry Sichting.

Colangelo said this summer's coaching staff is just for this minicamp. A decision on Team USA coaches for the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London will not be made until the fall. He also said the list of players to be invited won't be finalized until winter.

"That discussion is for another day," he said. "Right now, the focus is on the young guys, getting them into the system and getting them comfortable."

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