USA - FIBA Worlds would be a dream for Curry

LAS VEGAS (FIBA World Championship) - Stephen Curry already has a silver medal from the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship, but the Golden State Warriors star is dreaming of a chance to compete for honors at senior level this summer.

Curry is at the USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas, where he is battling for a place on coach Mike Krzyzewski's final 12-man roster.

He might be hoping his younger brother, Seth Curry, a FIBA U19 World Championship gold medallist, can put in a good word for him, having just transferred to play for Krzyzewski at Duke, but then again he may not need the help after a sparkling debut NBA season in which he averaged 17.5 points and 5.9 assists after being drafted seventh overall.

"It would mean a lot (to be selected)," he said. "It’s the highest level to represent your country. The talent that is on this team is incredible so to be a part of that roster would be a dream come true for me. Just to be tourist overseas for a little bit would be great too. I’ve never really been overseas."

Curry could be part of a smaller line-up for the United States, who have lost big men Amare Stoudemire, David Lee and Robin Lopez in the first few days of camp.

Krzyzewski is now looking for players who can be versatile and fill in where needed.

"Versatility is a good thing for us, and the defensive pressure," Krzyzewski said.

"We have to not just play hard, we have to play so we don't waste that effort by fouling or gambling. The guys have got to know what we want them to do and how it fits their skills." That also creates a big opportunity for players like Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant and Lamar Odom, who are able to move around. "We have a lot of long guys with length," said Iguodala. 

"Myself, (Rajon) Rondo. We are not big but we have length. We can cover the floor pretty easily. That is something that will help out our game a lot. Create turnovers and get some easy baskets. "This is the perfect fit for me. I can come in and play wherever coach needs me to play.

Mainly I’m out there to defend the other team’s best player. Also I need to finish the fast break, get some open looks and knock the shots down. I’m simplifying my game up to help the team win." Olympic gold medallists Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul both visited practice on Thursday, but the team is having to adjust without any of the veterans of the Beijing campaign on board.

"It's not so much lineups," Krzyzewski said. "Our team, just like the (2008) Olympic team, even though it's not the same personnel, has to be the same as far as knowing how to play three or four minutes and somebody else is going to come in. How do you adjust to that? And how do you adjust to only playing two minutes in a half?"

FIBA