USA - Kobe a good bet to be in London

LOS ANGELES (Olympics) - Kobe Bryant has been the inspiration for the Los Angeles Lakers in their last five NBA title wins.

He was also a driving force for the United States in their gold-medal run at the 2008 Beijing Games.

On Monday, the 33-year-old was confirmed as one of the 20 finalists for Team USA's squad for the London Olympics.

Bryant, despite suffering a wrist injury in the pre-season that is still bothering him, is scoring points by the bucket load in this NBA lockout-shortened campaign and the way USA coach Mike Krzyzewski talked about him after the squad announcement, Bryant seems a lock for Britain this summer.

"I think Kobe really wants to be in London," said Krzyzewski, who coached the United States to gold at the Beijing Games and then led an entirely different team to the top of the podium at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul.

"Again, depending on injury, that will be his choice.

"It would have to be something very, very serious because I know he has a number of years left.

"I know he would want another Olympic championship.

"He's about championships.

"We need him because of that mentality, to be one of the leaders for our team."

Bryant is averaging 32 points per game this season - tops in the NBA.

Prior to Monday night's win over the NBA champions Dallas Mavericks, Bryant had poured in 40 or more points in four consecutive games.

Jerry Colangelo, the president of USA Basketball, said of Bryant: "Obviously he is such a competitor, he'll do anything to play. He'll take any role he's asked to take.

"In this particular case, Kobe is going to keep us posted and we'll watch him as closely as we can.

"We don't want to put him in any jeopardy whatsoever, and we won't."

Another injury concern right now is Dwyane Wade, who recently said he'd believed Beijing would be his last Olympics but that some of the USA teammates encouraged him to continue playing through London.

"I also think the power of prayer worked," Krzyzewski said with a chuckle.

"I didn't say anything to him, but I certainly said a few prayers hoping that the other guys would have an influence on him."

Wade averaged a team-leading 16 points per game on the USA team at the Beijing Games.

The 20 finalists for the 12 spots in the USA Olympic consist of eight gold-medal winners from Beijing and 10 from the world-title squad of 2010.

Portland Trail Blazers center LaMarcus Aldridge, who has been in the Team USA set-up, and Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin were included on Monday.

"This will be the most talented of the three teams that I've had the opportunity to coach," Krzyzewski said.

"We'll have a combination of the two teams."

Colangelo said he expects practices to get underway on July 6.

FIBA