Deng, Gordon and Pops Mensah-Bonsu bring NBA experience to the GB squad

NBA stars Luol Deng and Ben Gordon have both been named in the 27-man Great Britain squad for the team's selection camp in London in August.

With Great Britain not represented at the Beijing Olympics, coach Chris Finch's squad are seeking to qualify for the 2009 European Championships.

Several British Under-20 players, including Dan Clark and Ryan Richards, have also been called up.

Great Britain visit Israel for their opening qualifier in September.

Deng, 23, has played NBA basketball since 2005 and won the All-NBA Sportsmanship award in 2007.

DEBATE: 606 Gordon and Deng are nowhere near enough to get Britain anywhere near qualification vinaldo

Although Britain's young talent can take inspiration from Deng and Gordon, who both made the NBA All-Star Game All-Rookies Team in 2005, Finch is hoping his European-based players will provide the core of his team.

"It is by far the strongest list of names put out in the history of any of the home countries or GB, we're really fortunate to have such a quality group," said Finch.

Chris Haslam, Chris Sanders, and Roger Huggins, who has retired from internationals, are all missing from the team that achieved promotion from Division B last summer.

Joel Freeland, Steven Hansell and Yorick Williams return to the squad, having been absent since playing in the first round of qualifiers in 2006.

Britain missed out on the qualifying competition for the 2008 Olympic basketball tournament, having restarted the national team programme too late.

GB women's squad will also train together in July at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff under coach Mark Clark.

The squad will be without Kristy Lavin, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament earlier in the year, and the 6ft 4in Azania Stewart, who has college commitments

Based in Cardiff, the women's squad will play warm-up games against Norway, the Netherlands, and Croatia before their opening qualifier against Ukraine in August.

GB men's squad: Kieron Achara (Duquesne - US), Robert Archibald (Mariupol - Ukr), Andy Betts (Seville - Spa), Eric Boateng (Arizona St - US), Flinder Boyd (Rosalia - Spa), Daniel Clark (Estudiantes - Spa), Luol Deng, Ben Gordon (both Chicago Bulls - US), Ben Eaves (Rhode Island - US), Germayne Forbes (Boulazac - Fra), Nick George (Alicante - Spa), Paul Guede (Tallahasse CC - US), Matt Guymon Oklahoma City - US), Joel Freeland, Ryan Richards (both Gran Canaria - Spa), Steve Hansell (Apoel Nicosia - Cyp), Jarrett Hart (Keravnos Nicosia - Cyp), Dzaflo Larkai (Bellarmine Uni - US), Steve Leven, (Newcastle), Richard Midgley (Everton), Pops Mensah-Bonsu (Treviso - Ita), Mike Lenzly, Nate Reinking, Andrew Sullivan (all Mons - Bel), Justin Robinson (Rider - US), Shane Walker (Maryland - US), Yorick Williams (Milton Keynes).

GB women's squad: Kim Butler (Kosit - Slo), Kate Butters (Nottingham), Joanna Claydon, Georgia Jones (both Manchester), Stef Collins (UWIC), Chantelle Handy (Marshall - US), Meagan Hoffman (Alvargomez - Spa), Lucy Hutchinson (Sheffield), Sally Kaznica, Harriett Yea (both Rhondda), Johannah Leedham (Franklin Pierce - US), Nikki Luckhurst (Tulane - US), Rosalee Mason (Chieti - Ita), Sarah McKay, Megan Moody (both Cadi La Seu - Spa), Julie Page (Saarlouis - Ger).