Bryant pursues missing milestone: Olympic gold

Tag : rolled bronze

LAS VEGAS - Kobe Bryant has won games and NBA titles and fans alongthe way.
He has a lucrative contract, money-spinning endorsements and movesenvied by players around the world.
Now Bryant is going after the one thing he doesn't own, somethingthat could earn him, and the other 11 members of the U.S. Nationalbasketball team, the respect it lost four years ago - an Olympicgold medal.
The United States, a perennial powerhouse in internationalbasketball, lost its swagger four years ago, when the Americansfinished preliminary play at 3-2 and then were forced to settle fora bronze medal after losing to Argentina in the semifinals.
Bryant and the others say this Olympiad will be different when theteam plays in Beijing.
"What we have is a determination to win," Bryant said after thefirst day of practice at Valley High.
"We have guys who work extremely hard, play hard, play welltogether and go out there and do what we do best."
Bryant has put aside the Lakers' loss to Boston in the NBA Finalsand re-ignited his passion for the sport he dominated this pastseason. He said he is looking forward to the competition andpressure the United States faces heading into the Olympics.
"There is pressure every time we play, pressure to win, especiallyfor us, USA Basketball," Bryant said. "It comes with the territory.It comes from playing sports. Pressure comes along with it.
"But everyone is used to dealing with it. We thrive on it."
Bryant put winning a gold medal above winning the Larry O'Brientrophy or MVP honors because "you're playing for your country.You're not playing for a region, a state ... you're playing for theUnited States of America and that has more importance."
With so many international players competing in the NBA, Bryant issure to see some familiar faces when he arrives in China. There'sone player, however, he is eager to come up against - teammate Pau
Gasol, who will be playing for Spain.
"(Before he left) he said he was going to go for gold. Obviously,"Bryant said, laughing. "We all are. It's going to be fun. I lookforward to seeing him."
JAMES HURTING
Forward LeBron James suffered a mild sprained right ankle duringTuesday's scrimmage and is considered day-to-day for the rest ofthe week.
Team USA is preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games with fourpractices at Valley High and will play the Canadian National teamFriday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
U.S. coach Mike Kzyzewski said he didn't think the injury wasserious, but had to wait for further evaluation before knowing theextent of the sprain.
James, who landed on Kevin Durant's foot during a scrimmage againstthe Select team, limped out of the gym without talking toreporters.
LOVE ALSO GONE
Former UCLA star Kevin Love left Las Vegas on Monday night afterinjuring his right ankle during the afternoon practice. He said herolled his ankle twice within minutes.
Love, a rookie with the Minnesota Timberwolves, missed his team'sfinal Summer League game last
Sunday because of an Achilles' tendon injury. The team said theinjury wasn't serious and the move was precautionary.