Kidd asked to advise green Team USA
Kidd will be in Las Vegas starting Monday as a special guest of the Team USA coaching staff as preparations begin for the World Championships in Turkey later this summer.
The move hasn't been officially announced yet, but Kidd's presence was requested by Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski, who wants the 37-year-old to serve as a mentor and sounding board for a young squad that will return precisely zero of the 12 players who won gold in Beijing at the 2008 Olympics.
Although Kidd is not scheduled to accompany Team USA to Turkey, ESPNDallas.com has learned that the he'll be with the team for its Las Vegas training camp through July 24 as a player liason.
If he has indeed left the international stage for good as a player, Kidd exits with two Olympic gold medals (2000 and 2008) ... and without ever having tasted defeat in a Team USA jersey (56-0) with the senior men's national team.
Along with Kidd and Mavericks athletic trainer Casey Smith in their staff roles, newly acquired Tyson Chandler will be the Mavs' lone on-court representative at Team USA camp, having received an invitation to join 20 other players in trying out for the national team shortly after Dallas acquired him from Charlotte last week.
The rest of the current Team USA player pool besides Chandler: Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City); Tyreke Evans (Sacramento Kings); Rudy Gay, (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers); Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers); Jeff Green (Oklahoma City Thunder); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); David Lee (Golden State Warriors); Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets); Robin Lopez (Phoenix Suns); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Rajon Rondo (Boston Celtics); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); Amar'e Stoudemire (New York Knicks); Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Bobcats); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Marc Stein | email
Senior Writer, ESPN.comBegan covering the NBA in 1993-94
Has also covered soccer, tennis and the Olympics
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Jeff Caplan
Jeff Caplan joined ESPNDallas.com in December 2009. Jeff covers the Mavericks, Rangers and colleges. He has a wealth of experience in the area, covering multiple beats in his 11-plus years with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Tim MacMahon
Tim MacMahon joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. Tim covers the Cowboys and Mavericks. He has covered the local sports scene from high schools to colleges to pros during his six-year tenure at The Dallas Morning News. MacMahon is a graduate of UNT.
Marc Stein
Marc Stein began writing for ESPN.com in 2000 and signed on full-time in 2002 as Senior NBA Writer. He also makes regular appearances on "SportsCenter," "NBA Shootaround," "NBA Fastbreak," "NBA Coast To Coast," ESPNEWS, ESPN "First Take" and ESPN Radio.
Jeff "Skin" Wade
Jeff Wade joined ESPNDallas.com in November 2009. He is one half of "The Ben & Skin Show," heard weekdays from 9a-12p on 103.3 FM ESPN, and also works as sideline analyst for the TV broadcast of all Maverick home games.
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TEAM LEADERS
| POINTS | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Dirk Nowitzki
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| OTHER LEADERS | ||||||||||||
| Rebounds | S. Marion | 7.4 | ||||||||||
| Assists | J. Kidd | 5.5 | ||||||||||
| Steals | J. Kidd | 1.7 | ||||||||||
| Blocks | B. Wright | 1.3 | ||||||||||
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