Team USA's Jerry Colangelo: 'LeBron James has 2016 Olympics place'

USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo has revealed that LeBron James has a place in his country's roster for the 2016 Olympics if he wants to participate in the Games.

The 30-year-old has represented Team USA at the Olympics three times, winning the gold medal in Beijing and again in London in 2012.

James has refused to commit himself to participate in Rio de Janeiro until after the 2015-16 NBA season, but Colangelo is adamant that he is willing to wait for the Cleveland Cavaliers star.

"He will be in town during the course of this week‎," Colangelo told ESPN. "He won't be participating in any practices to the best of my knowledge, but he knows he has a [roster] spot.

"If he wants to perform - and I believe deep down inside he does - then I would expect that he will be playing for us next summer."

Team USA are currently staging a minicamp for players to earn selection for the roster at Rio next year.