Feb. 15--NEW YORK -- USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo said Saturday that Derrick Rose will be invited to a Las Vegas minicamp this summer, a critical step for 2016 Olympic participation.
"We're bringing all our players back to Vegas," Colangelo said. "We're going to find out who's committed and who isn't. And we go from there."
Rose played on USA Basketball's team that won gold at the FIBA World Cup in September in Spain. The Bulls guard also owns a gold medal from the 2010 world championships in Turkey that he played in before suffering two serious knee injuries and also missing the 2012 London Olympics.
In September in Spain, Rose said he still would like to participate in an Olympics but stopped short of committing to playing in Rio de Janeiro if he should he make the team. Colangelo said he's "pulling for" Rose to participate.
Rose, a lock for the 2012 gold-medal team before his first knee injury in April 2012, fared well physically on Team USA at the World Cup but shot poorly.
"I had some concerns and reservations after the summer about where he was mentally as well as physically," Colangelo said. "And early in the (Bulls' season), he was kind of up and down and sporadic, still feeling his way. But that was to be expected.
"It seems the last 10, 15 games, his numbers are up and he's more consistent. It seems he's feeling more comfortable within himself. He's a great player and a great person."
