NEW YORK — Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler of the Knicks were named among the 20 finalists for the U.S. Olympic roster, but Amar’e Stoudemire was predictably left off.

“It’s definitely not my choice, I would love to play,” Stoudemire said following the Knicks 102-93 loss to the Orlando Magic at MSG. “My loyalty is with USA Basketball, as it always has been.”

In July 2010, then-Knicks GM Donnie Walsh called USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo to say that the team wanted to pull Stoudemire out of consideration for the World Championships because his contract was uninsured related to his multiple knee surgeries. (more…)

JaMychal Green of Alabama scored a game-high 17 points and Syracuse’s Scoop Jardine added 16 points to lead Team USA to a 112-68 win over South Korea Monday in the World University Games in China.

Trevor Mbakwe of Minnesota scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Pitt’s Ashton Gibbs had 14 points and four assists and Michigan State’s Draymond Green finished with 12 points, 12 boards and four steals.

Team USA is now 3-0 entering Wednesday’s game with Finland.

“We’re an unselfish team,” Jardine said. “We don’t have too many superstars. We have a lot of good players, a lot of older players who have played in college three years and when you have a core like that, everybody knows what it takes to win games, we’ve all played in big games and that’s what it’s going to take to win the gold medal.” (more…)

Citing family concerns, Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo withdrew from Team USA Tuesday, leaving the team with the 12-man roster it needs heading into the World Championship.

“Rajon came to us and said he was going to withdraw from the team, that he had some family matters to attend to and some things to take care of before the NBA season. He did an outstanding job during our training, we appreciate the effort and commitment he made to our program and he completely has our support,” said Team USA Chairman Jerry Colangelo. (more…)

NEW YORK – When Team USA takes the court in Madrid today against Lithuania (3 p.m., ESPN) in the first of three exhibitions leading up to the FIBA World Championship, don’t be surprised if they look like the Syracuse Orange on defense.

That’s because Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim and assistant Mike Hopkins helped Team USA and Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski install their infamous 2-3 zone during training in Las Vegas and New York.

“We got one of the best teachers of the zone in Jim and we’ve worked on it both days here [in New York],” Coach K said last week. “And we just need to have it. Whether we use it a lot or a little, it’s there. And we need to practice it like we’re going to use it.” (more…)

Team USA trimmed its roster to 13 players Sunday, cutting Jeff Green of the Oklahoma City Thunder (pictured) and JaVale McGee of the Washington Wizards.

The 13 finalists for the USA World Championship team are: Chauncey Billups, Tyson Chandler, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Eric Gordon, Danny Granger, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom, Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook.

With the departure of the 7-foot McGee, the 7-1 Chandler remains the only 7-footer on the roster. (more…)

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Chauncey Billups may have some insight on what Carmelo Anthony plans to do next season, but he isn’t giving it up.

“Yeah, of course, but I’m not going to let y’all know,” Billups told the media after Team USA practice Friday at the Knicks’ training facility.

“It’s between me and my guy. If y’all have a close personal friend and they’re going through something and the media asks, you’re not going to expose that. That’s what a relationship is all about. When I speak to him, it’s between me and him. Y’all find out when he wants y’all to know.”

Anthony has hinted that he may want to join Amar’e Stoudemire with the Knicks when he becomes a free agent in 2011, but he could also opt to sign a three-year, $65-million extension with the Denver Nuggets. (more…)

NEW YORK – If this does turn out to be Kemba Walker’s last season at UConn, he is making the most of his final collegiate summer.

The 6-foot-1 Walker, a rising junior point guard who starred at Manhattan Rice High School, has already trained with Chris Paul, Deron Williams and LeBron James at their summer camps and this week he is in New York playing with a Select team of college players against Team USA as they prepare for the World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey later this month.

“It’s humbling,” Walker said after practice Wednesday at John Jay College in Manhattan. “It lets you know the things you have to work on and just how close I am and we are to getting to that level.”

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Check out SNY’s interview with Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim in which he talks about Carmelo Anthony’s future. Team USA members also discuss LeBron James, who Tweeted the following a couple days ago: “Don’t think for one min that I haven’t been taking mental notes of everyone taking shots at me this summer. And I mean everyone!”

James also Tweeted that he will be in New York for Thursday night’s Team USA scrimmage at Radio City that will also feature a performance by Jay-Z.

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NEW YORK -- Danny Granger is the latest Team USA member to go down with an injury.

The Indiana forward dislocated a finger on his shooting hand Tuesday when Team USA scrimmaged during the opening day of their training camp here.

“Hopefully, Granger’s not hurt,” Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He just hit his finger on the rim and dislocated [it]. It’s one of those things, where I think he just pulled it back into place.”

The Americans lost All-Star forward David Lee on a similar play during their camp in Las Vegas. Twin centers Brook and Robin Lopez also withdrew for health reasons, leaving a small U.S. team.

The Americans will practice in New York before leaving for Europe next week. The world championships start Aug. 28 in Turkey.

(With The AP)

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NEW YORK — Count Jim Boeheim and Mike Krzyzewski among those who think the NBA and the NCAA have opened up a Pandora’s Box by allowing the Knicks to hire Isiah Thomas as a consultant.

“It’s a conflict [of interest] either way, from college or from the NBA, I just don’t understand why it wouldn’t be,” Boeheim, the head coach at Syracuse and an assistant with Team USA, said after Tuesday’s practice at John Jay College. “You know, you’re a college coach involved with kids and the NBA wants your players or evaluations of your players.

“It seems like it’s kind of a conflict a little bit that you’re coaching kids and then recommending them to pro guys.”

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