Olympic team to be named Monday

DURHAM — Former Wake Forest star Chris Paul will find out Monday if he has been chosen for one of 12 spots on the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team that will compete at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in August.

National team coach Mike Krzyzewski said he and national team managing director Jerry Colangelo will name the team during a 10 a.m. press conference on Monday in Chicago.

The press conference will be held at the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.

“This is really the toughest decision that U.S. basketball has had to make since the introduction of the pro players [in 1992],” Krzyzewski said. “Before, you just selected a team and none of the players really did anything to be considered for a selection. The pool of players that we have have all made commitments and have given time and effort.”

Paul will be considered for a point guard spot, Krzyzewski said.

“There are always changes,” Krzyzewski said. “Hopefully Kobe [Bryant] doesn’t get hurt in like the next two games. ... You know he has a good shot to make the team.”

Bryant is competing with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. Bryant, Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James, Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony and Orlando Magic Dwight Howard are widely considered locks for the team.

The U.S. is trying to win gold after settling for bronze in Athens in 2004, a disappointing finish that included an opening-game loss to Puerto Rico.

Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins, Krzyzewski’s former Duke assistant, will see out his three-year commitment to USA Basketball as the NBA player liaison.

Mike Schrage, Duke’s former director of basketball operations, will not serve his role as video coordinator for the U.S. team in Beijing. Dawkins hired Schrage as an assistant on his Stanford staff.