Shaquille O'Neal believes the United States needs Allen Iverson on its national team if it has any chance of returning to dominance.

"I'm very disappointed," O'Neal said after leading the Miami Heat to a 106-105 overtime victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. "He's one of the best players in the game, and we're going to need a pesky guy like him to go up against the European pesky players that they have."

Even fellow all-star T-Mac backed Iverson:

"I feel it's a lack of respect," said McGrady, who also was not invited. "Of all the guys who didn't go the last time, he chose to go. He was the true veteran who did everything. I just think it's only right to invite him back."

O'Neal disappointed with Iverson's exclusion from USA national team

By JENNA FRYER, AP Sports Writer
March 6, 2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal believes the United States needs Allen Iverson on its national team if it has any chance of returning to dominance.

Iverson was left off the list of 23 players selected Sunday to the USA national team that will compete in this summer's world championship and the 2008 Olympics.

That's a mistake, said O'Neal.

"I'm very disappointed," O'Neal said after leading the Miami Heat to a 106-105 overtime victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. "He's one of the best players in the game, and we're going to need a pesky guy like him to go up against the European pesky players that they have."

Iverson was on the '04 team that won a bronze medal in Athens, but wasn't picked this time when USA managing director Jerry Colangelo filled out the roster. Although Iverson's age -- he will be 33 in 2008 -- was one of the reasons given, Colangelo said he was satisfied with the scorers he had selected and was looking for guards who were more focused on distributing.

New Orleans rookie Chris Paul and Detroit's Chauncey Billups were among the point guards selected over Iverson.

"Our job description kind of fit the mold of a few other players," Colangelo said. "It's not as much as to why he wasn't selected, it's why we selected who we did. That's no discredit to Allen at all or for other big name players. It was not an All-Star team that was selected.

"It was trying to build a team that had the composition that we were looking for."

And that includes O'Neal, who has an open invitation to join the team.

O'Neal, who celebrated his 34th birthday, promised Monday that he is considering joining the team but that family obligations will be the deciding factor.

"I'll have to have a conversation with my wife," he said. "I'm having child No. 6 this summer, and I never really left my babies in the summer before.

"So I'll have to have a conversation with the boss, and then we'll see."

O'Neal played on the 1996 team, starting three of eight games during the USA's gold medal run.

McGrady: Iverson deserved invitation from Team USA

By PHIL JASNER
jasnerp@phillynews.com

HOUSTON - For purposes of full disclosure, Tracy McGrady readily acknowledges that Allen Iverson is "a real good friend."

He readily acknowledges "there is some bias" in his opinion.

But...

The Houston Rockets star firmly believes that Iverson, the 76ers' star guard, should at least be included in the group trying out for the U.S. National Team, from which the nation's 2008 Olympic team will be selected.

The team has been selected by Jerry Colangelo, managing director of the men's senior National Team, and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who will be the head coach.

Various sources have confirmed that Iverson was not one of the 22 NBA players to receive a contract from USA Basketball. The formal announcement will be made Sunday on ABC-TV; the invitees will include two college players and one high school player.

But not Iverson.

"I feel it's a lack of respect," said McGrady, who also was not invited. "Of all the guys who didn't go the last time, he chose to go. He was the true veteran who did everything. I just think it's only right to invite him back."

Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy trod carefully on the subject.

"Any time you're in charge of making a decision like that, there is going to be somebody left off you can make a case for, whether it's the All-Star Game, All-NBA or the Olympics," Van Gundy said. "Iverson certainly doesn't need the Olympics to validate that he's one of the top five to 10 players in the league and, without question, one of the top five competitors. It's a difficult decision."

Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks has voiced his surprise for 3 days at the decision not to invite Iverson, a four-time scoring champion.

"All I know is, the players they have, Allen is in the [same] echelon," Cheeks said. "I don't know their criteria for making the [list], but I do know he's in [that] echelon. I know Allen is one of the top players in our league. I am surprised, based on the way he has played."

Presumably, Colangelo and/or Krzyzewski will offer explanations Sunday. Van Gundy was not about to speak last night for anyone else.

"If I had left [Iverson] off, I'd tell you what I thought," Van Gundy said. "I feel for Mr. Colangelo; with the number of guys who want to play, coming to a decision must be difficult."

And then Van Gundy smiled.

"If I were the coach of one of those other [national] teams, I'd be breathing a little bit of a sigh of relief," Van Gundy said. "But not too much, because now they're just going to be throwing [the ball] ahead to Dwyane Wade and LeBron [James] instead of A.I. So there's not too much relief."