With some stars to be unavailable, Colangelo works to build training camp numbers

Colangelo working on numbers for training camp

NEW YORK — Jerry Colangelo says he hasn’t been told “no” yet, though he realizes he will soon.

Injuries and other priorities could knock out many of USA Basketball’s biggest stars this summer, so Colangelo is lining up some college seniors to come to camp and work against the Americans.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and others are expected to sit out, but USA Basketball’s chairman plans to have a list of 35 to 40 players available before the Americans report to Las Vegas later this month.

“What we’ll have in camp in three weeks, we think we’re going to have 25 of our people ready to practice, plus the extra guys,” Colangelo said this week.

Camp will include few, if any, of the 2008 Olympic gold medalists. James, Wade and Chris Bosh have personal business once they’re done with free agency, and Kobe Bryant may want to rest the nagging injuries he battled across the second half of last season.

Some could return when the Americans reconvene for camp in New York in early August in advance of the world championships in Turkey.

“LeBron, Kobe, Dwyane Wade, Bosh, in all probability they will not be practicing or participating, but we expect them to be around,” Colangelo said. “Or you have some questions on injuries with Kobe’s injury, Deron Williams’ injury, Chris Paul being available. It’s just total speculation now.”

Williams hurt his elbow in the playoffs, while knee surgery was among the injuries that sidelined Paul for 37 games last season.

There are more than 30 players on the national team roster for the three years that will culminate with the 2012 Olympics, so the Americans are prepared for the inevitable withdrawals that will come in the next few weeks.

But they’ll need some guys to scrimmage against, which is where the college players would come in. Colangelo didn’t specify who would be on that list, though Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski recently said Final Four most outstanding player Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith of his national championship team would be in Las Vegas.

“I think that it’s a foregone conclusion that a number of the guys who represented us in the Olympics for one reason or another will not be participating probably this summer,” Colangelo said. “Many of them will not and that’s OK with us, because we have such a deep roster.”