COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Two-time Olympic gold medalist Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz and rising NBA star Mike Bibby were added Monday to the national team that will compete in the Olympic qualifying tournament in August.

	Bibby

	Malone

The selection of veteran Malone and Bibby, who led the Sacramento Kings to last season's NBA Western Conference Finals, completes half of the 12-player roster that will be finalized later this spring. Ray Allen of Seattle, Tim Duncan of San Antonio, Jason Kidd of New Jersey and Tracy McGrady of Orlando already were selected.

Malone, 39, could become only the second player, after David Robinson, to represent the United States on three Olympic teams. The 6-foot-9 forward, second on the NBA career scoring list, was chosen as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

"I don't think you can have a better representative than Karl for our USA team," said USA head coach Larry Brown, coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. "He stands for everything that's important about our sport. He's been a star for a long time and a great example for young players. It's going to be an honor for all of us to work with him."

Bibby led Arizona to the NCAA championship in 1997. Bibby, a 24-year-old guard, is completing his fifth NBA season and starred for the Kings during last season's playoffs.

"He's a young, up-and-coming star,'' Brown said. "He's very team conscious and should fit in extremely well.''

USA Basketball will select the rest of the 12-man team this spring, adding two or three more NBA players and three or four role players from other pro leagues or college.

The qualifying tournament involves 10 teams from North, South and Central America and is set for Aug. 20-31 at San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A team of NBA players finished in sixth place at last year's world championships in Indianapolis, forcing the United States to play in a qualifying tournament.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.