Patriot Games: Jazz players going global News Utah Jazz

The Beijing Games are far in the rear-view mirror, the Summer Olympics in London aren't for another three years, and the World Championships won't take place until 2010. So when it comes to global hoops competitions, this is an off year. That hardly means everybody's taking a long summer siesta and saying "sayonara" to their national teams and international play. Au contraire. Case in point: Of the 12 players currently under contract with the Utah Jazz , at least six will likely participate with their national teams this offseason in one form or another. Paul Millsap, Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver have each been invited to participate in a USA Basketball mini-camp this week in Las Vegas, while Deron Williams and assistant coach Tyrone Corbin have agreed to assist in Sin City, as well.

Meanwhile, Kyrylo Fesenko (Ukraine) and Kosta Koufos (Greece) are in Europe to play for national bragging rights. And they aren't the only big guys across the pond in action with Jazz ties. A pair of post players whose NBA rights are owned by the franchise ? second-round picks Ante Tomic and Goran Suton ? will also play in the upcoming major European tournaments in Poland and Finland. Some off year, eh? And there could be more. It's possible, though not likely, that Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur could still suit up for their native lands, even though all indications are that they won't. That's not to mention what's in store for Carlos Boozer. He doesn't have any national team requirements, but later this summer, the two-time Olympian will represent the NBA and the Jazz ? assuming he's still a Jazz representative by then ? in a Basketball Without Borders program in South Africa. Though Jazz brass keep their fingers crossed that no injuries will occur while their highly paid players lend their services to their respective countries, the organization tries to be amenable and supportive when players seek to share their talents with their national teams. Players don't have to ask for permission to play for the national teams, but they do have to alert their NBA bosses if they are going to play internationally for their country. Obtaining insurance on their hefty pro contracts is one of the main reasons. National federations, FIBA (the international Basketball body), the NBA and its teams are all kept in the loop as to whom is playing for whom. When it comes to representing one's country, O'Connor calls it "an opportunity of a lifetime to do it." "We encourage it," he added, "because we think it's an honor and something that's fun for those guys to do." It wouldn't be a popular or politically correct move, O'Connor suggested, if the Jazz tried to keep players from hooping it up for their homelands, either. "It's very difficult to say to somebody, 'Don't go to the Olympics ... We don't think it would be good for the Jazz ,' " he said, adding that players might say something to the effect of "Oh. OK. See ya later," in response. O'Connor said he's "thrilled" with Millsap, Brewer and Korver being in Las Vegas this week for the U.S. men's Basketball mini-camp. Millsap, it should be noted, is still deciding whether or not "personal issues" will keep him from participating. Still, the power forward admitted to being flattered to get an invitation from Team USA. "It was a great feeling," he said. "It's an honor for them to want me down there. I would love to play for our country. Deron and Booze did it these past few years, and it would be a great experience for me to do that." Millsap added that he doesn't think missing the mini-camp would shut the door on any future playing possibilities with the U.S. "I think it's a test a little bit to see how they do," O'Connor said. The players, he believes, will work hard to get into shape. Instead of just playing hours and hours of pick-up ball, he envisions them trying to tweak the technical parts of their games as well as doing running and shooting. And then they'll take to the court against top-notch competition. Taking part with 20-plus other younger American standouts in more or less of a tryout situation for Team USA ? for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey ? has multiple benefits, according to O'Connor. USA Basketball invited Corbin to be one of five coaches at the camp, and the national organization asked Williams, the Jazz's star point guard who's verbally agreed to play again in 2010, to attend in an advisory role. "I'll be talking to players," Williams said at his recent charity golf tournament. "If they (USA Basketball) want me to do anything, I'm happy to do it." ? With this being a non-Olympic year, the Jazz won't discourage players from participating on the international scene. But they aren't broken-hearted that some of their veterans like Kirilenko and Okur might take some time off instead, either. Kirilenko led Russia to the European championship and was named tournament MVP in 2007, so not having him on the Russian squad would be the equivalent of not having LeBron James on Team USA. The small forward is caught in a conundrum, because he's trying to gain weight and get stronger as per the Jazz's request while also wanting to play with his national team. The Russian national coach even flew out to the U.S. to try to persuade him to play. Recently, however, his agent, Marc Fleisher, told the Deseret News that his client is "definitely not playing" for Russia this summer. When that quote hit Russia, it apparently created quite the firestorm. Through e-mail, Russian sports writer Alexander Chernykh told the Deseret News that Kirilenko's announcement made national news and that the Russian star told media there that he has not yet completely ruled out participating this summer. Okur's situation in Turkey was complicated because of his hamstring injury, along with some inner turmoil between the country's star center and the national coach. That squabble led to the big Turk inferring that his talents have been misused by the team over the years and to him saying on his personal Web site that he's been "hurt" and used as a "scapegoat." But it seemed to be smoothed over earlier this summer when Okur was presented a prestigious merit award in Turkey by his coach, Bogdan Tanjevic. The Jazz center was quoted on memo13.com as saying, "As you can see, I have no personal issues with coach Tanjevic. And he has none with me." Though Okur has all but ruled out playing this summer in Poland, he definitely wants to be on the national team next year when his country hosts the top international competition next to the Olympics. "Our goal is to win a medal at the 2010 World Championships, just like we did in 2001 during the European championship," Okur said. "We can do that, and I hope I will be with my friends during that period." Participating in the international scene can be a mixed bag for younger players. O'Connor gets concerned that guys who jump into playing with their countries right out of college might eventually suffer because they're not sure what they're getting into. "I worry that they don't know what a full season's like in the NBA," he said. "And they don't know how to pace themselves for that." O'Connor definitely feels "more comfortable" about players who have a bit of NBA experience under their belts, such as the 20-year-old Koufos, a dual U.S.-Greek citizen who is playing for the Greeks this year between his rookie and sophomore seasons in Utah. But O'Connor has mixed feelings about Fesenko's participation with Ukraine. On one hand, the Jazz GM was bothered that the 7-foot-1 center was not with his NBA team for the Orlando Pro Summer League. O'Connor told reporters while in Florida that Fesenko could've learned and benefited from playing on the summer-league squad, and disagreed with the 22-year-old's choice to go home to work with his trainer. But on the other hand? "I'm happy if Fes is playing anywhere. I mean that," O'Connor said on Saturday when asked about Fesenko playing for Ukraine in the European relegation round. Playing for his country, however, was an important duty Fesenko wanted to fulfill this summer. Ukraine didn't qualify for EuroBasket 2009 ? the championships for that continent to be held this September in Poland ? but the country will play in the relegation round in Finland next month to remain in Division A with the top European hoops teams. It's even more personal than that. He"So," Fesenko said, "my team really needs me." Ukraine will fight for positioning with the likes of Hungary, Estonia and the Czech Republic. It's easier to stay in than to get in. Fesenko believes his country and his compatriots need him. "I had to (miss) for two years straight, so I cannot skip this season," Fesenko said. "I'm really excited because a lot of Ukrainian fans hate me for not coming to national team for two years, and I want to bring them their love back ... They think that I get cocky, that I don't care about my team, that I don't care about my country, and that's not true." One of the more interesting situations is that of Suton, whom the Jazz drafted last month with the 50th pick overall. The 6-foot-10 center's shooting abilities are coveted by a couple of countries ? both Croatia and his native Bosnia and Herzegovina. Though the Bosnian coach told the FIBA Web site his country would "do whatever it takes to have Suton on our national team" for a qualifying round to the EuroBasket2009, the Michigan State standout's name most recently appeared on a 24-man preliminary roster for nearby Croatia. During the Orlando Summer League, Suton told reporters he is considering playing with the Croatians if the Jazz didn't mind. O'Connor's response: "As long as he's with us when we need him to be." Suton would be teammates with Tomic if he indeed plays for Croatia. Though he's yet to set foot in Utah ? and won't for at least another season ? Tomic has been playing well for his nation this summer. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 9.8 rebounds and helped Croatia win the recently completed XVI Mediterranean Games in Italy. e-mail: jody@desnews.com