2010 WC absentees

[mvblair]

Rondo won't even get an invitation.

Four Join US Roster, Rondo Out - May 5, 2010, by Chris Sheridan, ESPN News

...Jerry Colangelo, managing director of the U.S. federation, said Rondo had declined the invitation through a phone call from his agent, Bill Duffy, who said Rondo would be unable to attend because of unspecified family commitments.

[DarkoMVP]

That team has 3 top 10 players (Durant, Paul and Deron). Besides, the problem with those previous teams was not talent, it was 1. selfish players 2. lack of experience together and 3. lack of shooting. That proposed team, though, has good shooting with Durant and the guards besides Rose. It is also not a selfish team - instead of Marbury or Iverson, it has the best two point guards in the game, and for example, Boozer and Love are very good passers for big men. The one problem is lack of experience, but certainly it would still be a top 3 favorite - it would only not get top 6 in the same sense that any team might in a single elimination tournament.

[kerdito]

That team has 3 top 10 players (Durant, Paul and Deron). Besides, the problem with those previous teams was not talent, it was 1. selfish players 2. lack of experience together and 3. lack of shooting. That proposed team, though, has good shooting with Durant and the guards besides Rose. It is also not a selfish team - instead of Marbury or Iverson, it has the best two point guards in the game, and for example, Boozer and Love are very good passers for big men. The one problem is lack of experience, but certainly it would still be a top 3 favorite - it would only not get top 6 in the same sense that any team might in a single elimination tournament.

Previous teams had shooting problems? they had very good shooters on each team: Carmelo Anthony, Micheal Redd, Pierce, Finley, kirk Hinrich, Joe Johnson.
I agree on the experience thing, it was a totally new thing for all those players and they needed someone to step up in big games, they got that guy in both Kobe and Kidd in the last Olympics and Lebron gain the needed experience and showed what he can really do.

[J-Mart]

Tony Parker

[mbenga]

Marc Gasol has confirmed he'll play.

[rikhardur]

Marc Gasol has confirmed he'll play.

You bad boy

[Victorious]

And off course Greece is the main threat for USA after Spain because they beat them in WC 2006, not having in mind that since that time (when Kakiouzis and Dikoudis were doing big things and that team still was demolished by Spain in the final) they don't have a single new addition that could make a valid difference, I presume Not that I'm denying Greece is the final 4 contender.

That Greece team included players who were too young and inexperienced (Vasilopoulos and Bourousis) or to slow (nightmare Papadopoulos).

Now Bourousis and Sofo have become solid centers. Vasilopoulos and Zisis can not be guaranteed a place in the NT roster even though they've become better. And players who no longer play for the team have been replaced with younger ones with equal (if not more) talent. Like Printezis for Dikoudis.

Roster wise, I think Greece of 2010 can assemble the most talented Greek team ever, but the chemistry is much more important and that is still a question mark. If coach Kazlauskas does a good job, Greece IMO should be right under Spain and USA.

[Victorious]

Marc Gasol has confirmed he'll play.

First he said he wouldn't play so that Kobe would decide not to play either. When Kobe said the word, Gasol changed his mind and officially confirmed to play.

He's an opportunistic manipulator.

[mvblair]

Looks like Dwight Howard might need to be added to the list of USA absentees:

Howard Wavering About Playing for US - By ANTONIO GONZALEZ, Associated Press, May 31, 2010

Dwight Howard might not play for USA Basketball at this summer’s world championships...

It was the first time Howard has publicly wavered about playing in this summer’s world championships. He had stayed firm on his commitment all season even as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and other stars expressed doubts about participating because of impending free agency.

“I haven’t decided what I’m going to do,” Howard said after the Magic’s end-of-season meeting. “I’m just going to get some rest and think about that later on.”...

Howard said he would let USA Basketball know of his intentions “soon.”....

LeBron, Wade, Howard, and Bosh are all uncommitted right now.

[Gytaz]

Jasikevičius is officially out too. Looks like Lithuania won't have any high quality guards once again (Kaukėnas is questionable too, Šiškauskas definitely out), let's just hope that Kemzūra injects some young talent instead of Delininkaitis, Lukauskis and similar players. On the other hand, the return of Macas, if he's ready, would be cool.

[Straight forward]

Jasikevičius is officially out too. Looks like Lithuania won't have any high quality guards once again (Kaukėnas is questionable too, Šiškauskas definitely out), let's just hope that Kemzūra injects some young talent instead of Delininkaitis, Lukauskis and similar players. On the other hand, the return of Macas, if he's ready, would be cool.

Looks like? One quality guard is out. We still have 3. Let see how many of them will come.

[Gytaz]

Looks like? One quality guard is out. We still have 3. Let see how many of them will come.

Well, actually both Kaukėnas (already) and Gecevičius (still) aren't at their peak. At least, they're not what we used to have, when we were getting medals in EC and the Olympics. Macijauskas hasn't played for a very long time, so it's questionable if he'll even be good enough to make it to the final roster. Pocius is young and he should probably be taken to the NT, but he's not ready to be a big part of it. How's Seibutis doing, btw? Haven't heard much about him for some time.

[Hot Spot]

Finally Pau Gasol on his website has declared, that he will not play at the World Championship 2010

http://www.paugasol.com/PauNews/Noticias/actuales,circunstancias,desaconsejan,participacion,Mundial,18761,6,2010

[planaria]

You can add Kobe Bryant, also.

[Dtown]

You can add Kobe Bryant, also.

Yes seems Kobe will be get knee surgery after the finals, not a huge shock. It seems every game he was playing with some new ailment.