NBA LIVE 2009: CHICAGO BULLS v UTAH JAZZ
Venue: O2 Arena, London Date: 6 October Tip-off: 1930 BST
Coverage: Watch live on the BBC red button and BBC Sport website (UK only) or listen on BBC Radio 5 live  The US team in 2008 included Kobe Bryant and LeBron James |
Olympic basketball champions the USA could play at London's O2 Arena next summer as they prepare for the World Championships in Turkey. The "Dream Team", set to include a host of NBA stars, will play between two and four games around Europe. London, where the Chicago Bulls face Utah on Tuesday, is one venue being considered, BBC Sport understands. Great Britain would need to confirm their own schedule before considering any possible invitation to take part. The top professional basketball players have only appeared in the UK before with their club sides, with the National Basketball Association (NBA) regularly staging pre-season games. Since the first NBA players took part in international competition at the 1992 Olympics, the quality of those in the US team has varied and they came third at the last World Championships in 2006. But the best players in the world - including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James - were part of the "Redeem Team" that beat Spain to take Olympic gold in Beijing.  | 606: DEBATE |
Great Britain will find out in December whether they will be awarded a wild-card entry to the 2010 World Championships as they bid to prove their worth to play at the London Olympics. GB Basketball is likely to have the support of the NBA as it lobbies world governing body Fiba for that spot in Turkey. If GB do not get to play in Turkey, they will take part next summer in qualifying for the 2011 European Championships.
| 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?