USA - Durant, Love will play in 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup

LAS VEGAS (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - The United States have received a shot in the arm a year ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain with Kevin Durant and Kevin Love announcing they will play.

The superstars were in the gold-medal winning American sides at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 London Olympics.

"To represent your country, you can't really take that for granted, so I knew last summer I was going to commit and play this next World Cup," Durant said on Wednesday at the conclusion of the USA's mini-camp in Las Vegas.

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity, man, playing against the best in the world with the best in the world, so it should be fun."

Durant averaged 22.8 points per game in 2010 and 19.5 last summer in London.

USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo and national team coach Mike Krzyzewski were hoping to have some experience in the team, and now they know they will.

"I've been a part of the World Championship team in 2010 and the 2012 Olympic Team in London, just coming off of last summer and then heading forward, just being a part of the family," said Love, who averaged 11.6 points and a team best 7.6 rebounds at the Olympics.

"Jerry and Coach keep mentioning being part of the USA Basketball family, and heading forward we are looking for bigger and brighter things."

Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski are elated.

"Kevin Durant and Kevin Love have officially announced that they will be a part of our future going forward, including the World Cup next summer, and it means a great deal to us because of how committed they are to our program and we are very appreciative of their early commitment," said Colangelo.

"We think it will certainly send a message to some of our other guys, who have indicated they are interested, and so we are very excited."

Two of the 'other guys' could be James Harden and Russell Westbrook, players Colangelo spoke about before the start of the mini-camp.

Westbrook was also in the USA side in Turkey and London, while Harden competed for the Americans at the Olympics.

The mini-camp saw a lot of youngsters looking to enhance their chances of making the USA World Cup squad.

“It's an exciting day and no more appropriate time to do it than when we are also adding this influx of new, young talent," said Krzyzewski.

"For these veterans, although they are not old guys yet, for these veterans to make that commitment is a huge step. You have gold medal winners in two events. Both of them were 21-year-old guys when we won in Istanbul (2010 FIBA World Championship) and then at 23 they won gold medals (in the 2012 London Olympic Games).

"They now are the leadership. They are part of the leadership of our program, and they've been committed."

By winning the gold medal at the London Games, the United States qualified directly for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

FIBA