Brighton Bears coach Nick Nurse is close to helping a new American club into the NBA.

But he insists he will be back in Sussex to re-launch the dormant Bears.

The Bears coach is in Brighton today to help preparations for the club's annual Summer Camp.

He is taking a break from work with an ownership group looking to get a new franchise off the ground in Des Moines, in his home state of Iowa.

The new club are likely to gain approval for the NBA Development League if they can tie up a lease agreement to play at the impressive Wells Fargo Arena, which was built last year.

Des Moines would start their first 50-game season in November next year.

Nurse recently withdrew Bears from the British Basketball League for the coming campaign but said he planned to bring them back in 2007/08.

He last night described himself as "just a cog in the wheel" at Des Moines and re-iterated his commitment to the Bears though he also hinted for the first time they might end up in a league other than the BBL.

He said: "The Bears will continue to pursue opportunities as they arise.

"If better opportunities do arise as far as a league to play in we will try to adopt a similar approach with finding local investors to help stabilise the Bears in Brighton.

"We will continue our discussions with the BBL as well and next season make plans to play there if that is where we feel we need to be."

Bears' community and youth links are still up and running and the Summer Camp offers the chance to win a dream basketball trip to the United States.

Daniel Hildreth and Phil Waghorn head a coaching team offering specialist tuition and the chance for game practice.

The camp, which runs from Monday to Friday, is being held at the Brighton Centre and is open to boys and girls aged seven to 18 at a cost of £125 for the week.

The week's MVP will win a trip to a week-long basketball camp in the USA, flights included. More details at brightonbears.com.