Danny Manning, the third-leading scorer on the 1988 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team, again has answered the call of his country.

Manning, Kansas University’s director of basketball operations, recently accepted Jerry Colangelo’s invitation to join a 20-person committee to help select of the U.S. Olympic basketball team and its coaches.

The esteemed group – which includes Larry Brown, Bob Knight, Dean Smith, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, among others – held its first meeting two weeks ago in Chicago.

“I’m honored (and) feel very fortunate to be part of this group,” Manning said Tuesday after serving as guest speaker at KU coach Bill Self’s basketball camp.

“Hopefully, I’ll be able to go into the meetings and listen and maybe can throw something out to help push us in the right direction.”

The group is committed to helping U.S. hoops rebound from six losses in the 2004 Olympics and 2000 World Championships.

Kansas University director of basketball operations Danny Manning, center, talks about teamwork with campers at KU coach Bill Self's basketball camp. Manning spoke to campers Monday at Horejsi Center.

“We all understand and realize you have to have a team. And a team is not necessarily the best players, it’s a team that fits together the best,” Manning said.

“We have to understand that international basketball has come a long way. They (foreign players) are not in awe. They are not shocked. They don’t want our autographs anymore. They are trying to kick our butts. That’s how it should be. We have to step up and answer the call.”

Manning played on the last Olympic team made up of all collegians, which placed third in ’88. The Dream Team concept, which consisted of NBA players, took hold in ’92. The U.S. won the next three Olympics, then staggered to a third-place finish in ’04.

“It was hard to compete against professional teams,” Manning said of the pre-Dream Team concept. “I think college guys can get it done … if there’s enough time to prepare. With the schedule we’ve been working with in the past, it’s too hard and they’re too good.

“They are too good for us to throw together a team and think we’re just going to go out there and win.”

Colangelo, the Phoenix Suns chair and CEO who recently was hired as managing director of the U.S. senior men’s hoop program, has hinted there could be tryouts for the U.S. squad.

• 6Sports video: Manning speaks at camp’s opening day

Some NBA players have hinted they don’t want to try out.

“Some guys will, some guys won’t,” said Manning, who played 15 seasons in the NBA. “I don’t know if the situation will call for tryouts. I think you have to have a core. You have to have a nucleus of guys just like on any team. You build around the nucleus. Whether it’s tryouts or however you phrase it, we have to get a pool of players, probably 30 or so, that would fit the mold of what we’re looking for to represent our country and go from there.”

Manning said committee members were serious about helping the U.S. regain hoops dominance.

“Everyone who is on this committee is committed to USA Basketball, to stay there and man the ship as long as we’re asked,” Manning said.

Bill Self basketball campers, from left, Luke Faulconer, 10, Leawood; Ryan Rahmeier, 10, Topeka, Kalvin Murphy, 11, Prairie Village; and Conner Heying, 10, Overland Park listen to Kansas University director of basketball operations Danny Manning.

Manning says his current role might be more rewarding than coaching the U.S. team.

“It’d be interesting down the road,” Manning said of possibly coaching. “Personally I think it’d be more fun to put it together, be involved with the selection of a coach, be involved with a selection of all the players, the assistant coaches and help build it.”

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Finals talk: Manning has ties to NBA finalists Detroit and San Antonio.

“I was fortunate enough to play for coach Brown and ‘Pop’ and also play for R.C.,” Manning said of Pistons coach Brown, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Spurs GM R.C. Buford, who all coached Manning during his KU days.

“They are all great teachers. They are getting the job done. It’s obvious with their teams in the Finals.”

As far as who he wants to win … “The Pistons, it was the last team I played for. I got to know Joe (Dumars, GM) and the people running the team. I know quite a few players on the team. This is a series where you do not dislike a team or player. The character makeup of both teams is wonderful. They are all good guys. You hate to see one team lose but unfortunately that is going to happen.”

The esteemed group – it consists of U.S. Olympic coaches Larry Brown, Chuck Daly, Bob Knight, Pete Newell, Dean Smith, John Thompson, Rudy Tomjanovich, Lenny Wilkins and players Manning, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Bill Bradley, Doug Collins, Clyde Drexler, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Chris Mullin, Oscar Robertson, David Robinson and Bill Russell – held its first meeting two weeks ago in Chicago.