COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Elton Brand, Richard Jefferson and Nick Collison completed the roster for the U.S. basketball team that will compete in this summer's Olympic qualifying tournament.

The U.S. team will try to secure one of three Olympic berths from its region for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Collison will be the only college player on the 12-man roster. Already on the team are Ray Allen,, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Jermaine O'Neal, Mike Bibby and Karl Malone.

The United States finished sixth at last year's world championships in Indianapolis, forcing it to play in the qualifying event in Puerto Rico.

Other strong teams in the region include Argentina, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Venezuela.

Brand played on the team that finished sixth at the worlds. He averaged 18.5 points and 11.3 rebounds with the Los Angeles Clippers last season despite missing 20 games because of injuries.

Jefferson averaged 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds to help New Jersey reach the NBA Finals for the second straight season.

"If I was on a team fortunate enough to win a gold medal that might be bigger than an NBA championship,'' Jefferson said.

"With all the stuff going on, the war time, and all the different things happening in this country, you know, to find a way to represent your country in any way, through athletics, through serving in the armed forces, you should be very proud and honored.''

Collison had career averages of 14.8 points and eight rebounds for Kansas, which lost to Syracuse in the NCAA finals in March. He could be a lottery pick in the NBA draft next month.

"It's neat having three young players who are good kids and who can contribute to our team,'' U.S. coach Larry Brown said. Brown resigned as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers this week.

The U.S. team plans to begin training camp during the second week of August, possibly in New York.

The team probably would play an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden or the Meadowlands before leaving for the tournament in San Juan, which runs Aug. 20-31.

Ten teams will compete in Puerto Rico. Three from Central America will be determined during a tournament in Mexico June 17-21, and four from South America will come out of qualifying July 21-27 in Uruguay.