USA – Howard among those ready to go for gold-medal chasing Team USA

NEW YORK (2010 FIBA World Championship) - No player has more incentive to represent the United States at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey than Dwight Howard, a member of the Americans' gold-medal winning 'Redeem Team' at the Beijing Games.
 
Howard, who led the Orlando Magic into the NBA Finals earlier this year immediately after his Olympic triumph with Team USA, has some unfinished business from three years ago when it comes to Turkey.
 
He and his national side fell one game short of reaching the FIBA World Championship Final in Japan.
 
"I would love to play," said Howard this week in New York at an interview to promote his appearance on the cover of NBA Live '10.
 
"I have no problem with it. I want to be on the 2012 Olympic team. If that means (USA Basketball Managing Director) Mr. (Jerry) Colangelo wants me to play at the World Championship next summer, I'm there."
 
Howard felt the sting of the 101-95 Semi-Final defeat to Greece in 2006 as much as any player.
 
He had looked unstoppable in the first half, pouring in eight points and pulling down six rebounds, yet was used sparingly after the intermission when Greece rode their pick-and-roll offense to an unlikely victory.
 
"I want to play, I want to get out there and help my team win," a frustrated Howard said at the time.
 
Deron Williams, a guard for the USA in Beijing, and forward Carmelo Anthony have publically committed to playing in Turkey.
 
The most popular player at the Olympics, Kobe Bryant, said earlier this year that his intention is to play.
 
“The chance to represent your country, that’s not even a thought-process for me,” he said.
 
“If they want me to be on it, I’m all game.”
 
One stumbling block for the Americans could be uncertainty over LeBron James, due to the More Than A Game documentary about James and his high school teammates from Akron.
 
"We haven't finished all the logistics of when the movie will be shot, if I decide to play on the team next summer, when I'll have to report," James said.
 
"I don't have an answer right now."
 
Spain, the gold-medal winners in 2006, looked better than ever at last month’s EuroBasket in Poland when Los Angeles Lakers superstar Pau Gasol led them to their first European title.
 
"It puts more emphasis on how we're better prepared with more people in the pipeline, and they want to participate," Colangelo said to ESPN.com.
 
"That's the good news."
 
FIBA