Las Vegas – Although saying goodbye early was tough, Chauncey Billups left his first USA Basketball experience to keep a promise.
Billups was a part of the first session of the U.S. national team’s seven-day training camp, which ended Monday. The Detroit Pistons guard will not play in the world championship next month in Japan, because he has committed to spend most of his offseason with his newborn daughter in Denver. The former University of Colorado star will remain on the national team and hopes to make the Olympic team for the 2008 Beijing Games.
“It’s a great honor to wear those three letters (USA) on my chest every day, because it’s something so huge,” Billups said. “It’s not just your local city, a certain region. You’re representing an entire country, a country that has been so dominant for so long as far as basketball and has taken a step back (recently). A chance to regain that dominance is unbelievable. I think we’ve got the right mix. …
“Going to a camp like this, you want to finish it out. You want to go on that same journey with those guys and be there on the same team. You want to go through the whole thing. It’s tough that I can’t.”
USA Basketball planned to trim its 24-man active roster to 15 today, but managing director Jerry Colangelo said it was possible the active roster would be set at 16.
Players most likely to be cut are guard Luke Ridnour, forward Adam Morrison and guard Kirk Hinrich, although one might be asked to stay.
Team USA is loaded with guards and small forwards. Ridnour and Morrison play only one position. Hinrich has been hampered by a leg injury. Colangelo said officials spoke to three players Monday about cuts, but wouldn’t reveal them.
“It’s always hard when you tell somebody they are not going forward,” Colangelo said. “But this one is a little easier than when we have to go from 15 or 16 to 12.”
The active roster must be trimmed to 12 players by Aug. 19. Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony is expected to make the team that plays in Japan.
Billups probably would have been the starting point guard in Japan. Colangelo said reigning NBA rookie of the year Chris Paul likely will start at the point. Gilbert Arenas, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade also could play point guard.
“He’s proven himself time and time again,” Paul said of Billups. “I really wish he could play on the team. It would be a great learning experience for me. The whole week, he has been in my ear telling me different things.”
Pistons coach Flip Saunders attended practice Monday and believes the U.S. camp experience was good for Billups.
“He’s getting a good foundation and a good start, so when it comes down to those (Olympic) Games and the selection and everything else, he’s not behind the 8-ball,” Saunders said.
Billups travels to Los Angeles today to film an Adidas commercial with Arenas, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady. Billups said he will get his first signature shoe next season. He will be in Denver for his annual basketball camp for underprivileged children Aug. 4-5 at the Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center.
“That’s something I take pride in doing,” Billups said of the camp. “I’m always going to do that.”
Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
