Sorry, but I just can't get excited about the upcoming World Championships in basketball.

a) It's baseball season.

b) If baseball players are on strike, pro and college football will nicely fill the void.

c) I'm opposed to public executions.

	Kansas forward Nick Collison should be a starter, not an alternate, for Team USA.

Which is what the Dream Team concept amounts to. Once again, we're sending pros to do an amateur's job. All because the NBA sees it as another way to sell jerseys in Peking and other far-flung places. Did you catch the U.S. opponent for its opener Aug. 29 in Indianapolis? Algeria.

Algeria couldn't even make the NCAA tournament field. In a play-in game against Colgate. But we're going to send Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, Elton Brand, Antonio Davis, Baron Davis, Michael Finley, Raef LaFrentz, Shawn Marion, Andre Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, Paul Pierce and Ben Wallace to Indianapolis to play against Algeria, with only one issue to be resolved.

The final margin of victory.

If it's not by at least 20 points, check the sidelines. My guess is, John Thompson will be coaching the Red, White and Blue.

The so-called alternates on Team USA are Bulls' No. 1 pick Jay Williams and Nick Collison, a Kansas senior. At this point, after so many ersatz Dream Teams and lopsided wins, they should be starting, with maybe a few pros sprinkled in who have yet to reach drinking age. I can accept a roster featuring Eddy Curry or Tyson Chandler or Darius Miles.

I'd even rather have LeBron James wearing PF Flyers and posterizing some French stiff. But what's Reggie Miller doing on this team after winning an Olympic gold medal in 1996, winning a gold medal in the World Championships in 1994, and playing in 15 NBA seasons? Other, that is, than providing a hometown draw? What's the point?

Sure, I once loved the idea of putting pros in the Olympics and other international competition. But that lasted about one blowout and involved a particular Dream Team that happened to have Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, along with an entire wing of the Basketball Hall of Fame on its roster.

Ten summers ago in Barcelona, to see all those immortals on one team, that was a basketball fan's dream. Not to mention Chuck Daly's. In true Guy V. Lewis spirit, he just rolled the ball out and watched a bunch of opponents get steamrolled. For what should have been a one-time deal, why not? Did it really hurt?

After one typical win when hardly anyone but Christian Laettner broke a sweat, against a country that probably doesn't even exist anymore, an opponent complained of some rough-house tactics by the NBA'ers. Remember Charles Barkley's classic response:

	Now, the biggest suspense is whether anyone can play the U.S. within double digits. I'm guessing there is a team. Unfortunately, it's on the Rucker courts in New York City on Wednesday nights.

"Why don't ya'll take your ass-kickin' like men and go on home?"

Man, it's been one major ass-kickin' ever since.

After Michael, Larry and Magic covered up a corporate logo with the Stars and Stripes and were awarded the gold, the concept ran its course.

How do I know this? Because in 1994, the Dream Team had someone named Derrick Coleman on the roster. Much to Don Nelson's chagrin.

Now, the biggest suspense is whether anyone can play the U.S. within double digits. I'm guessing there is a team. Unfortunately, it's on the Rucker courts in New York City on Wednesday nights. If we send George Karl and our U.S.A. team down to New York, at least they'll get a game.

Even if the U.S.A. were to lose, it wouldn't be Munich in 1972 all over again. With as many talented international players as the NBA features, it's very possible. I just don't see what we're getting out of it -- other than keeping the "NBA" name in the news during another snorer of an offseason.

So don't expect me to turn my TV on to watch the U.S. play China and Yao Ming. I couldn't care less about Dirk Nowitzki's German team, either, although chances are, they can't play much worse defense than the Mavericks.

There's only one way I'll ever turn on a World Championship game with NBA players running up the score on Algeria, or some other unfortunate nation.

If you say my only other alternative is watching the WNBA.

Mitch Lawrence, who covers the NBA for the New York Daily News, writes a regular NBA column for ESPN.com.