But even though last year's experience gave Iguodala exposure to Team USA's coaching staff and familiarity with the international game, the versatile swingman said he doesn't think he has much of an advantage over the other players in camp.

"You start from square one each time you come out here and play, but I think the main thing the coaches look for is how much a guy has improved every year," he said. "And I think I've been able to improve every year. And they've had more time to see me than the other guys, that's about the only advantage."

While Iguodala hasn't had the opportunity to play alongside many of the other players in camp, there is at least one familiar face present. Sixers forward Thaddeus Young also was invited after averaging 15.3 points per game in his second NBA season.

Young said he has leaned on his Philly teammate for advice since finding out last month that they were invited to audition for Team USA.

"I've just been asking a lot of questions and trying to figure things out," he said. "Dre's been a big help to me. He's been helping me from Day 1 since we found out we made the team."

Iguodala said he has tried not to bog down Young with too much information.

"I told him to just go play and not worry about making mistakes," he said. "There's going to be a lot of mistakes made just learning [about international play]. It's about having fun."

While the athletic Young is known mostly for his shooting ability, he said he is willing to check his ego at the door and do whatever he has to in order to represent his country on the Basketball court.

"I'm willing to put aside whatever it is to work as a team and go out there and focus and win games," Young said. "It's not all about scoring. We've got a lot of scorers here, but it's the small things we need to do. And I'm willing to go out there and do the small things."

Iguodala, who led the Sixers in scoring last season at 18.8 points per game, also said he is focusing on other areas of his game in order to make an impression on the Team USA coaching staff.

"We're going to be able to put the ball in the hole without a problem," he said. "My main thing will be out there playing defense, making some things happen, getting some steals. I think I'm an underrated passer, I can create a little bit for other guys, so I'll just do all the little intangibles as well as be a guy who can score for my team."

Young said he was excited by the prospect of representing the United States at the 2010 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics.

"It's a big honor," he said. "Anything with 'USA' on your jersey, it's big. We have a chance to do something special."

Iguodala called being on Team USA "the in thing," an attitude that had been absent from the program earlier in the decade before Mike Krzyzewski took over as coach in 2005.

"It's something that everybody wants to be involved with now, so everybody wants to go out and play hard," Iguodala said. "You just go out there and try to prove to [the coaches] that you're dedicated to this and you're showing a commitment that you want to come out and play for your country."