James to meet with Colangelo to discuss next Olympic team

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
CLEVELAND -- WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, LEBRON JAMES SHOULD HAVE A BETTER FEELING ON WHERE HE STANDS WITH USA BASKETBALL.
JAMES SAID WEDNESDAY THAT HE HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH PHOENIX SUNS CHAIRMAN JERRY COLANGELO, WHO IS USA BASKETBALL'S MANAGING DIRECTOR, AND IS TRYING TO SET UP A MEETING WITH HIM SOON. COLANGELO HAS CONTACTED ABOUT 40 PLAYERS AND IS HOLDING MEETINGS WITH POTENTIAL MEMBERS OF NEXT SUMMER'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM AND 2008'S OLYMPIC TEAM.
FRUSTRATED AT OLYMPICS
AFTER BECOMING FRUSTRATED WITH PLAYING TIME AND COACH LARRY BROWN DURING THE 2004 ATHENS OLYMPICS, JAMES WAS LUKEWARM AT BEST WHEN CONSIDERING REJOINING USA BASKETBALL. HE HOPES THE MEETING WITH COLANGELO WILL REKINDLE HIS INTEREST.
"I WANT TO GET A FEEL FOR HIM, AND I'M SURE HE WANTS TO GET A GOOD FEEL FOR ME," JAMES SAID. "THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE A BETTER ANSWER."
COLANGELO, THE MAN TASKED WITH REBUILDING USA'S BATTERED BASKETBALL IMAGE AFTER A SIXTH-PLACE FINISH AT THE 2002 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND A BRONZE AT THE '04 OLYMPICS, IS LOOKING FOR A THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT FROM PLAYERS. IT INCLUDES THIS SUMMER'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN JAPAN, ALONG WITH NEXT SUMMER AND BEIJING IN 2008.
HE HAS PLANS TO CONDUCT A TRAINING CAMP IN JULY, WHERE A ROSTER WOULD BE FORMED FROM 20 OR SO PLAYERS TRYING TO MAKE THE TEAM. COLANGELO SAID HE'S ALREADY RECEIVED COMMITMENTS FROM EIGHT PLAYERS TO TRY OUT.
THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT
THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN THAT REQUIRING THE THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT AND HAVING TO MAKE A CUT WOULD DRIVE AWAY SOME STARS, MANY OF WHOM ALREADY PASSED ON THE LAST OLYMPICS. JAMES SAID HE'S THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND IS WILLING.
"I'VE MADE IT KNOWN I DIDN'T LIKE THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE OLYMPICS. I DIDN'T LIKE WHAT HAPPENED," JAMES SAID. "BUT IF I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE BETTER, I WOULD MAKE A THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT."