Irving among 19 on USA basketball roster


Associated Press

Coach Mike Krzyzewski hopes Derrick Rose’s NBA comeback begins in a USA uniform.

Even if Rose isn’t ready, the Americans have plenty of talent for another run at a world championship.

Rose and four returnees from the 2012 Olympic men’s basketball champions were among the 19 players selected Monday for this summer’s U.S. national team roster.

Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, James Harden and Anthony Davis were the four holdovers from London, and there were new additions of Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan and Chandler Parsons, who is leaving Houston for Dallas.

Players will report to training camp this month in Las Vegas, where Rose will try to show he’s recovered from his latest knee surgery.

“We’d like to see him play like the Derrick of old, because he’s one of the best players in the world, an MVP in the NBA,” Krzyzewski said during a conference call. “What we’ve heard is that he’s in great shape.”

The rest of the roster: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson (Golden State), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland), Blake Griffin (Clippers), Paul George (Indiana), Damian Lillard (Portland), Gordon Hayward (Utah), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento), Bradley Beal (Washington), Andre Drummond (Detroit), Kenneth Faried (Denver) and Kyle Korver (Atlanta).

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said the roster could be trimmed to 15 after the camp in Las Vegas that begins July 28, with the final 12 selected before the Americans depart for the World Cup of Basketball in Spain in late August.

The Americans previously announced a 28-player pool in January, though it was planned that players such as two-time Olympic champions LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul would sit out this summer and perhaps come back at the 2016 Summer Games.

“To maintain the continuity, we need turnover in every competition so that players who aspire to represent the USA on the national team level have a real opportunity,” Colangelo said.

Also missing from the original pool is NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard of San Antonio and Portland All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was expected to play this summer. Colangelo said Leonard wanted additional rest after the Spurs’ lengthy season. He did not give a reason for the absence of Aldridge, who has pulled out in the past.

“We could only offer an opportunity and then they can either accept or not,” Colangelo said.