Bryant and James named in US team

LA Lakers star Bryant won his first Most Valuable Player award this season

The NBA's Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant and top-scorer LeBron James head the list of 12 players named by the United States for the Beijing Olympics.

Also named are Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Jason Kidd as the US seeks to end a recent run of disappointments.

The US failed to win the gold medal in Athens - the first time an NBA-based team had done so at the Olympics.

The team's officials have promised a 'change of culture' in a bid to improve the men's team's results.

Argentina won gold in Athens, having edged out the United States in the semi-finals. It was the third defeat of the tournament for a US team that was criticised for being under-prepared.

But the team's managing director Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski are confident the current squad will perform better than the team that went to Athens.

"That team didn't have enough practice time," said Krzyzewski. "There were late additions and they were given a short window to prepare and you can't win at that level without preparation."

Bryant led the LA Lakers to the NBA finals this season, while James scorched the league's defences, scoring 30 points per game.

Tayshaun Prince, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Michael Redd and Deron Williams complete the American line-up.

Eight players have been retained from the team which ensured Olympic qualification at the Americas Tournament last year. Bosh, Paul and Wade, who all missed that tournament, return from the 2006 World Championship team.

The squad will train in Las Vegas from 20-25 July before heading to China for warm-up games against Turkey, Lithuania, Russia and Australia.

"I felt the culture certainly needed to change," said Colangelo. "We needed commitments from coaches and players alike for a period of time.

"All that has taken place and we're really enthused about the make-up of this team from top to bottom."

NBA players have been allowed to compete at the Olympics since 1992, where the US famously fielded a gold medal-winning 'Dream Team' in Barcelona.

The US has only failed to win a medal in men's basketball on one occasion - the 1980 Games in Moscow, which they boycotted.

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US team: Carmelo Anthony, forward, Denver Nuggets; Carlos Boozer, forward, Utah Jazz; Chris Bosh, forward, Toronto Raptors; Kobe Bryant, guard, Los Angeles Lakers; Dwight Howard, forward/centre, Orlando Magic; LeBron James, forward, Cleveland Cavaliers; Jason Kidd, guard, Dallas Mavericks; Chris Paul, guard, New Orleans Hornets; Tayshaun Prince, forward, Detroit Pistons; Michael Redd, guard, Milwaukee Bucks; Dwyane Wade, guard, Miami Heat; Deron Williams, guard, Utah Jazz.