Danny Granger will get another shot at gold.
The Pacers forward was among the 27 players named to the 2010-12 USA Men's National Team program by USA Basketball. Granger was selected last year but could not serve last year as a sore knee kept him out of the Team USA minicamp last July in Las Vegas.
"This is a great honor, not only to be selected with this group of players, but to have the opportunity to represent the United States,” said Granger. “I think any athlete in any sport relishes the chance to wear that uniform.”
Granger is the Pacers' leading scorer at 22.4, adding 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
Nine players from the 2008 team that won gold in the Beijing Olympics are on the roster: Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and Deron Williams.
It's a group long on star power but could benefit from Granger's long-range shooting ability.
The next step for Team USA will be choosing the squad for the 2010 FIBA World Championship Aug. 28 through Sept. 12 in Turkey. The U.S. is in Group B along with Brazil, Croatia, Iran, Slovenia and Tunisia. The 2012 Summer Olympics are in London.
If Granger makes the team for the World Championship, he might compete against former Pacers draft picks Stanko Barac (Croatia) and Erazem Lorbek (Slovenia).
Players look to warm up over break
Travis Diener appears to be going the wrong way.
While most of the rest of his teammates are heading for warm climates during the All-Star break, Diener will head north to his hometown of Fon Du Lac, Wis., to spend time with family and friends.
"It's worse here than it is there, actually," Diener said.
T.J. Ford, the team's union representative, will head to Dallas for the Players Association meetings. Brandon Rush, after spending a few days in his hometown of Kansas City, also will head to Dallas for the All-Star festivities.
"This is my first time going to the All-Star game," Rush said, "so I wanted to experience it one time."
Tyler Hansbrough, who's having his North Carolina No. 50 retired tonight, will remain in Chapel Hill through the break. "That's paradise for me," he said.
Earl Watson will head to Los Angeles to be with his wife and infant daughter.
"I haven't seen my daughter as much as I would like to the first four months of life," he said. "So I'll spend some time with her and who knows what? Every day's an adventure when you have an infant child."
Josh McRoberts and Dahntay Jones will stay in Indianapolis. McRoberts isn't a big fan of travel and Jones said he "just wants to relax."
Most of the rest of the team is heading, as Solomon Jones put it, "to the bottom of the map."
Solomon Jones and Troy Murphy both are heading for Florida, while Granger, A.J. Price, Roy Hibbert are traveling to Mexico.
Mike Dunleavy didn't reveal specifics other than to say, "get out of town and get someplace warm."
Foster gone but not forgotten
The Pacers have spent so much time without Jeff Foster this season (he played in just 16 games), it's easy to overlook what they've missed.
Coach Jim O'Brien said the team missed Foster "dramatically."
"(He's the team's) best low-post defensive player, best rebounder, great leader when he's in uniform, gets us into the passing game, was our best plus-minus guy," O'Brien said. "It is what it is but he's certainly somebody we miss. You put Tyler (Hansbrough) on top of that and you become very lean at the big spots."
Foster will have back surgery after the All-Star break and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
"We miss everything about him," said O'Brien. "We think the surgery will allow him to come back fresh next year and we need him to come back. … He's a role-model from the standpoint of his work ethic, how he practices, and what he brings to the ballclub. He's very important to what we do."
