Kobe Bryant reportedly had surgery and won't play for Team USA this summer.
Bryant had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Friday and will need eight to 12 weeks to recover, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported Saturday.
While Bryant will not participate in the team's training camp next week, he will get the chance to compete for the Olympic team, a USA Basketball spokesperson told the paper.
The sugery was a "minor treatment" of cartilage and to remove scar tissue. The Lakers begin training camp Oct. 2.
"We trust that Kobe will have a total and speedy recover, and we are pleased that he expressed a willingness to remain as involved with our team as possible through this process," Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball Senior National Team managing director, said in a statement issued by USA Basketball to The Press-Enterprise. "Kobe being with the team will add to our team chemistry, and his presence will help provide valuable off-court leadership."
USA Basketball announced Thursday that Bryant's L.A. teammate Lamar Odom and Paul Pierce would miss training camp later this month. Another player, J.J. Redick, had recently said he wouldn't take part when camp opens Wednesday in Las Vegas because he has been out with a back injury.
After training camp, the roster will be whittled from 24 to 15 players, then trimmed to 12 for the World Championships, which begin Aug. 19 in Japan.
The U.S. is in Group D with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, China and Senegal.
The winner of the 24-nation World Championships receives an automatic berth to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. If Team USA does not win, it must qualify through the 2007 FIBA Tournament of the Americas.
Bryant had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Friday and will need eight to 12 weeks to recover, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported Saturday.
While Bryant will not participate in the team's training camp next week, he will get the chance to compete for the Olympic team, a USA Basketball spokesperson told the paper.
The sugery was a "minor treatment" of cartilage and to remove scar tissue. The Lakers begin training camp Oct. 2.
"We trust that Kobe will have a total and speedy recover, and we are pleased that he expressed a willingness to remain as involved with our team as possible through this process," Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball Senior National Team managing director, said in a statement issued by USA Basketball to The Press-Enterprise. "Kobe being with the team will add to our team chemistry, and his presence will help provide valuable off-court leadership."
USA Basketball announced Thursday that Bryant's L.A. teammate Lamar Odom and Paul Pierce would miss training camp later this month. Another player, J.J. Redick, had recently said he wouldn't take part when camp opens Wednesday in Las Vegas because he has been out with a back injury.
After training camp, the roster will be whittled from 24 to 15 players, then trimmed to 12 for the World Championships, which begin Aug. 19 in Japan.
The U.S. is in Group D with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, China and Senegal.
The winner of the 24-nation World Championships receives an automatic berth to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. If Team USA does not win, it must qualify through the 2007 FIBA Tournament of the Americas.