by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
When the United States Olympic basketball team travels to Athens for the 2004 Summer Games, the chartered flight will be loaded with some of the NBA’s biggest names. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd and Vince Carter have all committed to play and several other big names — Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to name two — are still being courted.
There’s a distinct possibility that team may spend a week in Jacksonville getting ready to defend the gold medal they won in the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia. According to Sports & Entertainment director Mike Sullivan, Jacksonville is being considered by United States Basketball officials as the training site for the team the U.S. will send to the Olympics.
“I don’t know who else they are looking at, but basically we are one of the front-runners, if not the front-runner,” said Sullivan.
Late this year, the new $130 million arena will be open, making it the newest in the country. Sullivan said USA Basketball officials have visited Jacksonville, indicating the arena is one of several positive factors working in Jacksonville’s favor. In addition to the weather and East Coast location, the fact the Orlando Magic have used the University of North Florida as a preseason training facility the past couple of years has also played a role.
“Through the Magic, USA Basketball has connections here,” said Sullivan. “The team would practice at UNF and play one game in the arena at the end against a national team from another country.”
Sean Ford of USA Basketball declined to comment on the situation or what other cities USA Basketball is considering.
“We haven’t even qualified for the Olympics yet and our focus is on qualifying,” said Ford, also declining to comment on visiting Jacksonville.
Sullivan said no time table has been established by USA Basketball, but added getting the team for even a week in late July or early August — and the positive national coverage that would ensue — would be great for Jacksonville, especially with the Super Bowl six months down the road.
“It would be a major, major coup,” said Sullivan. “We have never been in the running for anything like this before. USA Basketball has been here. We sat down, talked about some of the details and we’ll move on from here. It looks good for us.”
Sullivan also said he understands USA Basketball has extended an offer to Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown to coach to the national team and 76ers star point guard Alan Iverson has agreed to play on the squad.