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Kidd, Mourning and Payton named US Olympic captains

SI At The Olympics • Grant Wahl: Women's Soccer -- One-on-One with April Heinrichs • Brian Cazeneuve: Pinning away • Tim Layden: U.S. track coach faces tough call • Leigh Montville: A movable feast More Features • Viewers' Guide: What to watch for • Quiz: Today's Tester • Closer Look: Michael Lewis -- U.S. soccer team uses its heads Multimedia • Photo Gallery: Athletes arrive • Photo Gallery: Let the games begin • Multimedia Central: Photo Galleries, Audio and More

KAPALUA, Hawaii, Aug 31 (AFP) - Miami center Alonzo Mourning and guards Gary Payton of Seattle and Jason Kidd of Phoenix have been elected captains of the United States Olympic men's basketball team.

The 12-man US collection of National Basketball Association talent favoured to win a third consecutive US Olympic gold medal at Sydney voted Wednesday night upon the honor during the fifth day of their training camp here.

"They're great picks and it is an added honor to what they're already experiencing," said USA coach Rudy Tomjanovich.

"It's an honor to have been voted a tri-captain by my teammates and to serve as a captain along with Gary and Alonzo," Kidd said. "These are 12 great players and it's an honor to just be one of them and to be selected as a captain is icing on the cake. We're all looking forward to being part of the Olympic experience and representing our country."

"It's an honor to be elected captain of the 2000 Olympic basketball team," said Mourning. "It makes me feel good that my teammates look to me as a captain and I'm flattered by it. I know that there are a lot of guys on this team that are captains on their selected (NBA) teams, but by putting myself, Gary and Jason on that pedestal as being a captain of a team that is going to be part of history makes me feel good and I'm proud to have the opportunity."

"It's a nice little thing for us," Payton stated. "Now I've just got to prove I'm a leader, get out and keep the guys going. It's a big honor for me that the guys wanted to vote me to be one of the captains, so I'll take it and try to be the best captain I can be."

Other members of the US team include Vancouver's Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Ray Allen of Milwaukee, Toronto's Vince Carter, Minnesota's Kevin Garnett, Miami's Tim Hardaway, New York's Allan Houston, Denver's Antonio McDyess and Portland's Steve Smith.

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