The NBA Commissioner David Stern said that they were keen to help in whatever way they can because it would help develop the sport in Britain.

 

In an interview broadcast today by the BBC, he said: "It's a full range of services that we're happy to make to any Olympic hosts.

 

"When we were dealing with the Chinese national team [in the build-up to Beijing 2008] we invited them to participate in our summer league.

 

"They came and they played against good competition.

 

"We also sent an NBA developmental team to play against them and we arranged coaching clinics and visits for them to meet with our coaches."

 

Britain last month secured qualificiation for the European Championships in Poland next year, the first time they will have appeared in the tournament since 1981 and it will help convince international officials that the team is worthy of a spot at the Games in London 2012.

 

Stern, like most international officials, sees Britain as a great untapped market and is desperate for the country to be represented in London.

 

He said: "You have friends whispering in the ear of the international basketball community that a host should - if they make earnest efforts to develop the sport - be in there."

 

Stern is visiting London for the NBA exhibition match tonight between the New Jersey Nets and Miami Heat at the O2 Arena, which will stage the finals of the basketball in 2012.

 

The NBA have arranged a series of events around the match to try to help raise the sport's profile.

 

Stern said: "I think for us the more important thing is to see the kids playing the game.

 

"As I peek around here it doesn't come as any surprise to me that our polling indicates that in young men, 18 and under, the second most-played team sport in the UK is basketball."