NEW YORK — A dozen years after shunning college players, the U.S. Olympic basketball team turned Friday to a pair of players who jumped to the NBA right out of high school: LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire.
The NBA's last two rookies of the year were among five players added to this year's Olympic Dream Team, along with New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury, New Jersey Nets forward Richard Jefferson, and Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion.
"It's a dream come true for me to represent my country," said the 19-year-old James, who will become the youngest U.S. Olympic men's basketball player since Spencer Haywood in 1968.
James won the rookie of the year award after joining the Cleveland Cavaliers straight from high school — a feat accomplished for the first time just a season earlier by Phoenix's Stoudemire. Marbury, at a Manhattan news conference arranged by the United States Olympic Committee, said he was proud of his selection.
"This is a high honor for myself," Marbury said. "Playing in the Olympics is a heartfelt thing. I'm just happy they chose me."