Howard says he wants to play for Team USA in 2012 Olympics

By Chris Mannix, SI.com

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Dwight Howard says he is open to playing in the 2010 World Championships as part of his commitment to Team USA. Bob Rosato/SI Related Links DAN PATRICK: Howard talks VC, top-5 players

NEW YORK -- With Dwyane Wade and LeBron James wavering on their commitment to USA Basketball next summer, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard wants to make one thing clear: He's in.

"I would love to play," Howard said in an interview to promote his appearance on the cover of NBA Live '10. "I have no problem with it. I want to be on the 2012 Olympic team. If that means [USA Basketball Managing Director] Mr. [Jerry] Colangelo wants me to play at the world championships next summer, I'm there."

Howard joins Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Utah's Deron Williams in publicly committing to playing in London in '12. Last February, Colangelo said he received a commitment from eight members -- Wade, James, Howard, Anthony, Williams Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul -- of the '08 team to play in the 2010 World Championships in Turkey. However, Wade told ESPN this week that he will wait and see how the season goes before making a decision on the world championships while James told local reporters last month that his plan to film a movie could interfere with playing for Team USA.

Colangelo told SI.com over the summer that he will talk to each player again during the NBA regular season and that there was no specific timetable for when players had to commit.

Colangelo added in July that he hoped that the pending free agency of some player -- including Wade, James, Bosh and Carlos Boozer -- would not have an impact on their decision to play. Colangelo is hopeful that their contract situations would be resolved before any team minicamp, which would likely take place in mid-July of 2010.