<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaquille O'Neal is thinking about it. And that says a lot about the influence of Jerry Colangelo, the managing director of USA Basketball Senior Men's National Team program. O'Neal and Colangelo met Thursday about the possibility of O'Neal playing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. O'Neal hasn't played international basketball since the 1996 Olympics, when he and the U.S. team won the gold medal in Atlanta, and he hasn't seriously considered playing again since. But after talking with Colangelo, O'Neal is at least considering making a comeback on the international scene. ''Jerry Colangelo is a very respected man,'' O'Neal said before the Heat played the Suns in Phoenix on Friday. ``He had a lot to say, and I told him out of respect to him I would really consider it.'' O'Neal, though, has a higher authority he needs to consult before he makes any such decisions: his wife, Shaunie O'Neal. ''I gotta go home now and talk to momma,'' O'Neal said. ``We're having a baby in May, so I've got to talk to her about it. But I told him I'll contact him personally to let him know. But he's a great guy. I really thank him for him for thinking of me.'' It sounds unlikely that O'Neal will play, especially considering the Olympic commitment would require three summers of competition, first in the World Championships this summer, then again next summer and finally in the Olympics. ''That factors in a lot,'' O'Neal said. One factor that won't sway O'Neal is who else will be on the team. Kobe Bryant is expected to play on the U.S. team, which will be coached by Duke head man Mike Krzyzewski. ''Nah, it don't matter,'' O'Neal said. ``Not at all.'' O'Neal said he would be honored to be part of a U.S. team that brought back the gold, but he doesn't consider it his responsibility. ''I wouldn't mind being on that team,'' O'Neal said. ``But I think some of the younger guys should step up. I think it's their responsibility to just step up.''</div> Source
is kobe going to play for team usa? if so can kobe and shaq work together on the usa team? if shaq plays i think kobe will be left off the roster although i think kobe definitly deserves to be on the team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bulldawg03:</div><div class="quote_post">is kobe going to play for team usa? if so can kobe and shaq work together on the usa team? if shaq plays i think kobe will be left off the roster although i think kobe definitly deserves to be on the team.</div> Kobe has already accepted his spot on the team. The 25 selected will be announced during the All Star game and then the team will be trimmed down to 12. This time the team will not be built on just superstars in the league. They are going to bring role players aboard and anyone who accepts their bid had to commit for 2 years of training and practice. Of course if Shaq and Kobe are both on this team it's going to overshadow everything else. Shaq has a medal already, but I wouldn't mind seeing those two play on the same team again. Hopefully it helps mend their relationship and the media can finally let their stupid feud end.
