http://0rz.tw/0fQBk

Jerry Colangelo, the czar of Team USA's mens basketball program, told me a
few minutes ago that DeMarcus Cousins will be invited to play for the Select
team at the pre-Olympic training camps in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.
Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski also planned to add a few players to its
list of 20 Oympic finalists later today. The number of finalists had been
trimmed significantly because of season-ending injuries suffered by Derek
Rose, Dwight Howard, Chauncey Billups and LaMarcus Aldridge. Lamar Odom was
bypassed for obvious reasons - he was dropped by the Dallas Mavericks after
enduring a miserable season - though there been some speculation that he
could be among the additions.

Cousins, 21, had hoped to be named to the Olympic team - which was highly
unlikely - but last week said he would accept an invitation to play for the
Select team. Consisting mostly of younger NBA players, the Select team's role
is to practice and scrimmage against the Olympians. More importantly,
Cousins' inclusion adds him to the national team's pool of candidates who
will be named to the 2014 World Championship and 2016 Olympic squads.

"They haven't called yet," said Cousins' agent, John Greig, "but my
expectation is that he would accept. He takes seriously the responsibility of
representing your country."