From Deseret News archives:

Utah Jazz: Team USA eyeing Jazz duo

Published: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 12:11 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
CHICAGO — With the chance of giving the Utah Jazz their first dynamic Olympic duo since Karl Malone and John Stockton a dozen years ago, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams have the eyes of USA Basketball's top brass Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski.

And maybe the right ties, too?

Boozer and Williams are two of the 33 players currently on the U.S. Men's Senior National Basketball Team roster, hoping to be named to the Olympic squad to compete this summer in Beijing.

"I admire what these guys have done — those two guys are going to be in the mix," said Krzyzewski, the Duke University head coach who doubles as the same for Team USA, during Tuesday's session of the 2008 Olympic Media Summit.

Boozer played his three-year collegiate career at Duke for Krzyzewski, who this summer coached the United States — with Williams as a reserve guard — to a 10-0 record at the FIBA Americas Olympic qualifying tournament in Las Vegas.

"He's sugar-coating this," interrupted Colangelo, the Phoenix Suns chairman and U.S. team's managing director, with a quick quip. "The fact is that Boozer played for him at Duke, and Deron Williams played at my alma mater, the University of Illinois, so they have great shots."

Story continues below
Of course, Boozer and Williams' top priority is their day jobs — leading the Northwest Division champion Jazz into tonight's regular-season finale at San Antonio, followed by the NBA playoffs.

And Colengelo, Krzyzewski and staff won't pare down the roster to 15-18 finalists until a couple of weeks after the NBA Finals.

The Olympic roster of 12 players and three alternates is due June 30, with the team returning to Las Vegas in July for a week's worth of practice and an exhibition game before leaving for four exhibitions in Asia prior to its first Beijing Olympics contest on Aug. 10.

Krzyzewski and Colangelo say Boozer won't be discounted by his U.S. team absences the last two summers. He missed the '06 World Championships because he was still nursing his prolonged hamstring injury, and he asked to be excused last year because his wife, CeCe, was expecting twins.

"Carlos will be contesting for a spot, even though he didn't play the last two years," Krzyzewski said. "He did play in the 2004 Olympics, and he was willing to play last year.

"He is one of the best players. Obviously, I coached him in college, but that's not why — if he's picked — that he'll be picked."

And Krzyzewski was doubly pleased with Williams last summer in Vegas.

Recent comments

Stockton and Malone are still and will be the best duo ever. Boozer...

Stockton and Malone | April 16, 2008 at 11:45 p.m.

That's exactly why they need Kidd, to get the ball to all the...

PG gets ball to shooters | April 16, 2008 at 8:21 p.m.

You are all wrong. In International play shooting the ball is a must....

Anonymous | April 16, 2008 at 6:39 p.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

That game was amazing! I think this will really help the sport grow in Utah....

Real Champions

Congrats on a great win. Utah as a whole should be proud not just of a major...

Congrats Real Salt Lake! but, they aren't the first major sports team to...

RSL regroups, dominates 2nd half

I told ALL of you how much i liked NED Pure irony his contributions vs x...

RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks

this is to NevadaUTE @ 10:25!!! I love soccer, I love Real and it brought a...

Real Champions

wow!!! amazing. UTAH JAZZ DO SOMETHING!!!

Glenn Beck to enter politics?

So much fear and anger from Beck lovers. You all lost the last election, we...

RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks

This is the most emotion I have had watching a sporting event since my...

Nicky Rimando is my hero! I love that guy. He has had his detractors, but...

Real Champions

Two stars means nothing! We played as a team and it showed! I'm still in...

Advertisements