U.S. Picks Brand, Wallace

Elton Brand of the Clippers and Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons were selected to fill the final two roster spots for the United States team that will compete in the World Championships this summer.

The choice of the power forwards reflected the concern of the American team that it needed size to enhance its chances of winning the tournament.

Brand, a tenacious rebounder, will provide scoring punch from the low post. Wallace is not known for scoring but led the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots.

The selections were made Thursday by the USA Basketball Selection committee but have not been announced publicly. Two executives with knowledge of the committee’s choices, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the selections to the Associated Press.

Players who have already been selected to play for the United States in the tournament, scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 8 in Indianapolis, are Jason Kidd, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Michael Finley, Shawn Marion, Antonio Davis, Jermaine O’Neal, Paul Pierce, Raef LaFrentz and Andre Miller.

The selection committee also was expected to select a player to fill an open spot on the roster as an alternate. Duke point guard Jay Williams, expected to be one of the top picks in the NBA draft, has already been named an alternate.

George Karl of the Milwaukee Bucks will coach the team.

Several NBA players will be competing for foreign teams in the 16-nation field.

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The Clippers announced Saturday that the average price of a season ticket will increase from $35 to $40 next season.

The Clippers, 39-43 last season, averaged a franchise-record 18,053 at Staples Center and had 25 sellouts, including 16 in a row to end the season.

“After maintaining such relatively low ticket prices for so long, we are restructuring our pricing for next year as a crucial first step in the acknowledgment of the growing challenges we face,” said Andy Roeser, Clipper executive vice president, in a prepared statement.

Roeser said last month he expects the team’s payroll to increase from a league-low of about $34 million, perhaps surpassing this past season’s salary cap of $42.5 million. Ticket price hikes could offset some of that increase.

Center Michael Olowokandi and point guard Jeff McInnis are eligible to become free agents July 1.

Forwards Brand and Lamar Odom and guard Corey Maggette are eligible for contract extensions.