USA - No new players added to preliminary squad

COLORADO SPRINGS (Olympics) - USA Basketball will not add any players to their preliminary squad for the Olympics despite the injuries that have ruled Chauncey Billups, Dwight Howard and LaMarcus Aldridge out of the London Games.

Lamar Odom, a co-captain with Billups on the FIBA World Championship squad two years ago, was named in the original 20-man squad but is apparently out of contention after being deactivated by the Dallas Mavericks.

Howard underwent back surgery on Friday and isn't expected to play again until after the Olympics.

Jerry Colangelo, the USA Basketball chairman, said to ESPN.com: "We're not going to add anyone.

"Even with the losses, we still feel like we're pretty well covered."

The loss of Howard, Aldridge and Odom has raised questions about the USA frontcourt but coach Mike Krzyzewski still has 2008 Olympian Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, 2010 world champions Tyson Chandler (New York) and Kevin Love (Minnesota), and newcomer Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers) available.

The other 12 players in the preliminary squad - LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony – are still able to play.

Colangelo, meanwhile, says a lot of agents have been calling and asking that their players be included on the USA select team that will scrimmage against the Olympic squad in the build-up to London.

“That’s very positive,” Colangelo said.

To play on the select team would enhance a player's chances of making the squad one day to play at the 2014 Basketball World Cup in Spain or the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

FIBA