Saying “I’ll play for any team, as long they don’t send me to the CBA”, Sixers guard Allen Iverson repeated his desire to stay in Philadelphia during a news conference Friday, but was also quick to question whether he’s been surrounded by the right talent. From the Delaware County Times’ Caryl Kaufman.

Asked if the Sixers had surrounded him with the type of players needed to win a championship, Iverson was blunt.

“Obviously not, because it hasn™t happened,”
he said. “This year everybody was talking about Chris (Webber) and myself not being able to mesh and we ended up being the highest scoring duo in the league, so obviously we meshed together. But there just wasn™t the other pieces we needed. We didn™t get it done as far as stopping people. We just didn™t have a good season and it makes me feel kind of bad that I had a strong season and we didn™t make the playoffs. I think if I am there, we need guys around me and Chris that™s gonna give 110 percent every night, night in and night out, and play every game like it™s their last.

“I don™t think the answer is getting rid of me,” Iverson said. “Anybody who looks at any Philadelphia 76ers game can see what I bring to the table every night. But me leaving might be the answer. I have no idea. It depends on what you™re getting for me. It depends on the chemistry on the team once I™m gone. You won™t know until it happens. Hopefully the best thing happens for both parties.”

After averaging 24.8 PPG for the T-Wolves, Randy Foye (above) was named the Las Vegas Summer League’s MVP. Before we put too much stock in that, keep in mind that Nate Robinson made the Second Team All-Stars after New York’s 5 games.

Kobe Bryant has been ruled out of Team USA’s World Championship campaign after undergoing minor knee surgery yesterday. Along with Paul Pierce and J.J. Redick bailing, The Association’s Craig Kwasniewski can read the writing on the wall.

The NBA is all about trends, remember how everyone starting wearing tights after Kobe was dropping 61 on Dallas? Or most recently, you have Wade and Melo copying LeBron’s 3-year contract extension, nixing their original max deals.

Well the union of the NBA and Team USA is soooo 1992. It’s no longer cool to win the gold for your country. Just like the summer of ’04, I expect many other players to follow suit and “have surgery” or “family obligations” that will pull them from the ’06 World Championships.