Bryant Is Off Olympic Team

Faced with the possibility of a sexual assault trial in late summer, Kobe Bryant on Friday withdrew from the U.S. Olympic team.

In a statement, Bryant’s representatives left open the possibility that Bryant would try to reclaim his roster spot if the case were dismissed or a trial scheduled for a later date.

The deadline for USA Basketball to submit its roster to the U.S. Olympic Committee, according to spokesman Craig Miller, is in mid-July, though Miller said the Senior National Team committee hoped to replace Bryant much sooner than that.

USA Basketball will not offer a place on the 12-man team contingent on Bryant’s availability.

This week, Judge Terry Ruckriegle asked prosecutors and Bryant’s defense team for possible trial dates. Both responded with dates in late August or shortly thereafter, casting serious doubts on Bryant’s Olympic participation.

The U.S. Olympic team will open Aug. 15 against Puerto Rico in Athens. The gold medal game is Aug. 28. Training camp opens July 26.

A release from Bryant’s agent read, in part, that Bryant was “unlikely” to play in the Olympics and that he “expressed his intentions at this time to allow USA Basketball ample time to seek a replacement player.”

The announcement was made late Friday afternoon, after Bryant had addressed the media at the team’s El Segundo practice facility. The Olympics were to be his first international participation.

“It’s unfortunate that Kobe is unable to participate this summer,” Jim Tooley, executive director of USA Basketball, said in a statement. “We appreciate the timing of his decision. This will allow USA Basketball the time needed to identify the best possible replacement.”

Shaquille O’Neal has said he is considering an invitation to play in Athens. Karl Malone has been named to the team but is having second thoughts and is believed to be leaning against playing.

*

Bryant, who left the team on at least one occasion to spend time with his family in Newport Beach, is pleased with Coach Phil Jackson’s decision to return to Los Angeles between Games 1 and 2.

“I like it,” Bryant said. “You don’t want to stay up there for too long.”

Said O’Neal: “It’s different. We’ve never done anything like that before. So, hopefully it helps us before it hinders us.”

Game 4 is May 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Staples Center. Bryant has pretrial hearings May 10-12 in Eagle, Colo., which means he will fly from court to court for the fourth time this season.

*

O’Neal averaged 16.2 points in five games against the Houston Rockets. In the series, he took 35 fewer shots than Bryant, despite outshooting Bryant, 51.5% to 38.6%.

Malone said he’d noticed “a different kind of attitude” in O’Neal since the first round ended Wednesday night.

“He’s excited about the series,” Malone said. “And we’re excited about getting him the basketball too.”

O’Neal said he was all for taking a greater role in the offense, but first explained why he hadn’t spoken to the media for a few days.

“Because,” he said, “I ate a chicken sandwich and the bone got caught in my throat and I couldn’t get it out. I tried to -- hyuet! -- but it just wouldn’t come out.”