LONDON (AP) - Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon is the latest NBA player to be selected to the fledgling British basketball team that's trying to qualify for the 2012 Olympics.
Gordon, who turns 25 on April 4, moved to the United States shortly after he was born in London.The former Connecticut star was drafted by the Bulls in the first round in 2004. He was one of two Bulls players to appear in all 82 games last season, averaging 21.4 points.
British Basketball named Gordon and Bulls teammate Luol Deng to its 33-man squad Tuesday to play in Eurobasket qualifiers.
"He has been very positive about playing and we are going to meet with him again in Chicago within the next two weeks," British Basketball performance manager Ron Wuotila said of Gordon.
"The prospects are bright for our senior teams this summer due to the talent included on these squad lists. There are a number of younger players on the list who can contribute in the near term and are embarking on a 10-to-15-year career that will ideally include years of British representation."
Deng made his competitive debut for Britain in August 2007. The 22-year-old Sudanese native moved to London as a child to escape the conflict in his homeland.
Between 15 and 20 British players will be invited to a training camp in May or June to prepare for September's EuroBasket qualifiers against Israel, Czech Republic and Bosnia.
The winner of that group will qualify for the 2009 European Championship in Poland. Basketball's world governing body, FIBA, has ruled that a British team must qualify for the 2009 or 2011 Europeans in order to play at the 2012 Olympics.
England, Wales and Scotland compete individually at world championships and Commonwealth Games, but are part of a combined Britain team for the Olympics.
Other American-based players on the roster are forward Kieron Achara from Duquesne; center Andy Betts from Arizona State; forward Matthew Bryan-Amaning from Washington; forward Dante Cunningham from Villanova; forward Ben Eaves from Rhode Island; guard Paul Guede from Tallahasse Community College; guard Matt Guymon from Oklahoma City University; guard Justin Robinson from Rider; and forward Shane Walker from Maryland.
The British women's 27-player squad includes former WNBA player Megan Moody and eight players who are playing for U.S. colleges.
