2008 US National Team

[Federoy]

I don't understand Chris Sheridan's picks for the national team...

Starters: Kidd, Bryant, James, Anthony, Howard
Reserves: Wade, Boozer, Bosh, Paul, Williams, Redd and Chandler

His bench is way too guard heavy. I'm sorry, Wade doesn't deserve to be on this team. He's coming off major shoulder surgery, and he hasn't played a full season in two years. Plus, the team has enough slashing guards/small forwards in Bryant, James, Paul, Williams, Anthony and possibly Johnson. Since Wade doesn't bring anything different to the table, such as outside shooting or awesome defense, his role is essentially moot because others perform it already.

No Amare Stoudemire? He must be smoking rocks. If Stoudemire has concerns about injuries (as all the players do), then just play him in limited minutes (15-20 per, which is about what most players get anyways in a 40 min. game). The notion of leaving him off the team because he expressed those concerns is ridiculous. The US needs his size and rebounding on the inside.

As seen in 2004, I don't think Carlos Boozer fits the international game. He's too slow and lumbering to play help defense against high post screens/picks or d-up European big men who like to shoot from the outside. Also, he has a tendency to disappear in big games, and his freethrow shooting (a BIG US achilles heal) and mid-range shot is too inconsistent. He doesn't seem like the kind of player the US needs to be successful.

Mike Redd over Mike Miller? Sure, I believe Redd is overall a better player than Miller, but the US needs speciality players from the outside, and statisically, Miller is better than Redd at both 3pt.% and 3pt. made according to the league's official stats. It doesn't make sense to have a streaky shooter like Redd on the team when he can't consistently knock down the three when the US faces a zone heavy opponent. Despite the defensive liability, I'll take Miller over Redd all day.

Personally, I like Deron Williams, but in my book he's the odd man out when you consider that Paul, Kidd, and even James or Bryant can run the point effectively. The US would be better off acquiring another hustle player who can defend like Bruce Bowen or Tayshaun Prince. His outside shooting is definitely a bonus, but a third point guard in the mix might be one too many.

[Lebron23]

Official 2008 USA Olympic Basketball Team Thread

Team USA update: Who will make the Beijing roster?


By Chris Sheridan
ESPN.com
(Archive)

Updated: June 16, 2008



The plan has changed for Team USA as the countdown to Beijing can now be tallied in weeks rather than months.

Tryouts in Las Vegas for the final two or three roster spots are out, suddenly deemed impractical and unfair.

Bringing an extra big man may be out, too, although that decision is still being debated at the highest levels of USA Basketball.

And going young seems to have an edge over going old as Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski and managing director Jerry Colangelo whittle down the roster to choose the 12 players who will don red, white and blue this summer in an attempt to end the eight-year gold medal drought that has changed the landscape of international basketball.

"We're at 13 or 14 right now," Colangelo told ESPN.com. "The bottom line is: When we pick the 12, we're going to war with those 12."

It's your turn, SportsNation. How would you construct Team USA? What would your Olympic roster look like? Rank 'Em

Colangelo said the roster should be finalized and announced sometime between June 20 and 25, and the team will report to Las Vegas for a team meeting on June 27 and a practice on June 28 before the official 12-man roster is submitted to the United States Olympic Committee on July 1.

The Americans will also list six alternates, but USOC and IOC rules make it extremely difficult to alter the 12-man roster afterward unless one of the 12 sustains a verifiable injury.

The U.S. team's main training camp begins in Las Vegas on July 20. It plays an exhibition against Canada on July 25 and boards a commercial flight to Asia on July 26, not to set foot again on American soil until the gold medal winner has been determined.

So who's going?

And whose stock has risen and fallen since the Americans dominated the Tournament of the Americas last summer?

Here's a look at how ESPN.com is handicapping the roster race, from those who are locks to those on the bubble to those on the national team's full 33-man roster who are completely out of the picture, based upon conversations with USA Basketball officials and sources throughout the NBA:

LOCKS


Carmelo Anthony

Pencil him in -- no, go ahead and use indelible ink -- as the starting power forward.

He was Team USA's most consistent performer two years ago at the World Championship in Japan, and again last summer in Vegas, where he admitted he enjoys FIBA basketball more than NBA basketball.

Carlos Boozer

He brings a physical, low-post offensive game that will be utilized against opponents who will be able to slow the pace and make it a battle of half-court sets.

The none-too-proud owner of a bronze medal from 2004, Boozer is one of four or five Athens Olympics veterans who will be taking another shot at the gold.

Chris Bosh

With the Americans short on big men -- especially if Tyson Chandler does not make the final 12, he could end up as the default backup center behind Dwight Howard.

And given Howard's shaky free-throw shooting, Bosh could be the center Americans will have to use if they find themselves in a tight fourth quarter.

Kobe Bryant

That banged-up pinky will remain banged up until the end of August, because Bryant has said nothing is going to keep him from his quest to restore American dominance to the world of international basketball.

If last summer is a precursor, Bryant will ask for and receive the defensive assignment of guarding each opponent's best perimeter player.

Dwight Howard

A prediction: If the Americans go with only three traditional bigs, there will come a game against a physical opponent in which a referee with an agenda (go ask Tim Duncan if this ever happens in FIBA competitions) will whistle him for three quick fouls, forcing the U.S. team to play Bosh or Boozer in the middle.

LeBron James

Speaks more Mandarin than anyone else on the team, and wants more than anything to stop being referred to in FIBA circles as LeBronze (for his third-place finishes in Athens and Japan). He's also the morning-line favorite to lead the team in entourage size.

Most important is whether he can shoot anywhere near 76 percent from the field as he did last summer.

Jason Kidd

The elder statesman, the distributor, the only guy on the team bus who can brag (as he did last summer) that he's gone 38-0 in international competitions with the senior national team.

He'll be the starter, but Coach K and Jerry Colangelo have already decided they're bringing three point guards to China, so Kidd could end up being no more than a 22-minute player.

Michael Redd

The designated zone buster -- something the Americans didn't have in Athens when they faced 40 minutes of zone defense in every game (with the exception of their semifinal loss to Argentina, when Manu Ginobili and Co. played them straight up).

It remains to be seen whether being the subject of trade rumors will be a distraction to Redd when he's half a world away from Milwaukee.

Dwyane Wade

Colangelo visited him last week in Chicago, where Wade has been working out with trainer Tim Grover.

"I liked what I saw physically, though his timing is still a little off, but by July 20 he'll be fine. I also think his focus is back where it needs to be," Colangelo said. Wade will come off the bench as the sixth man.

ON THE BUBBLE


Chauncey Billups

Again, Colangelo and Krzyzewski have already decided to bring three point guards, and the guess here is that Mr. Big Shot will be the odd man out from the foursome that also includes Kidd, Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

His recent hamstring injury doesn't help his cause, nor does the slippage in his game that has been evident for the past two seasons.

Tyson Chandler

It appears it'll come down to him or Tayshaun Prince for the final roster spot. In his favor: He blocks shots and rebounds, and he's a banger down low (remember, FIBA basketball is much, much more physical than NBA basketball).

Working against him: He's a poor free-throw shooter, which opponents will exploit.

Chris Paul

His lack of size and lack of experience were exploited by opponents in Japan, where Coach K took the starter's job away from him and gave it to Kirk Hinrich.

But he has grown substantially as a player in the two years since, and his speed and penetration skills are factors the Americans will need to exploit in their favor. Probably belongs on the lock list, not the bubble list, but we're being extra cautious here.

Tayshaun Prince

He can defend four positions with his length, he can play inside and outside, and he can make free throws and bust zones.

But he'd pretty much be the 12th man, and conventional basketball wisdom says you always protect yourself by bringing an extra big man in case injuries and/or fouls become a factor.

Amare Stoudemire

May have talked himself off the team when he told the Arizona Republic at the end of April that he was concerned about the long-term strength of his post-microfracture knees -- and how it will impact the value of his contract extension.

Colangelo has asked for total focus and commitment, and the 33-man roster is littered with guys who have wavered their way into watching the Olympics from their couches.

Deron Williams

The higher-ups in USA Basketball see him as a long-term asset who can fill Kidd's role as team leader at the 2010 World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 London Olympics. He's a better shooter than Kidd and he's stronger than Paul -- the latter factor being something to focus on when the Americans have to defend teams with tall point guards.

Don't forget: Greece's big backcourt overwhelmed the Americans in Japan.

OUT OF THE MIX

Gilbert Arenas: His bridges were burned in '06.

Shane Battier: Ankle surgery knocked out a Coach K favorite.

Bruce Bowen: Like Arenas, complained too much after '06 cut.

Elton Brand: Still recovering from major Achilles injury.

Nick Collison: In the mix for 2010 and 2012.

Kevin Durant: Will practice against Team USA in Vegas with select team.

Kirk Hinrich: A fifth wheel behind point guard foursome listed above.

Antawn Jamison: Was on Japan team in '06, but played little.

Joe Johnson: Coach K loves him, but superfluous for an already-small roster.

Shawn Marion: Came up lame the last two summers. Might be an alternate.

Brad Miller: Like Jamison, went to Japan but didn't play much.

Mike Miller: The weak link on the '07 team.

Adam Morrison: Recovering from torn knee ligament.

Greg Oden: Recovering from microfracture surgery.

Lamar Odom: Didn't play in '06 or '07.

Paul Pierce: Also squeezed out by not playing in '06 and '07.

J.J. Redick: Only on roster as option for 2010 and 2012.

Luke Ridnour: Battling Redick for 33rd man status.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=TeamUSA-080615

[Phantim3dx]

lebron23 you have insulted my ability to post news on these boards and in this thread by copying what i wrote(well not really write, but what i cited from espon) and pasting them again. i challenge you to a duel, by means of 1v1 hoops

[mvblair]

... i challenge you to a duel, by means of 1v1 hoops

I think a Pokemon duel would be much cooler.

His bench is way too guard heavy. I'm sorry, Wade doesn't deserve to be on this team. He's coming off major shoulder surgery, and he hasn't played a full season in two years. Plus, the team has enough slashing guards/small forwards in Bryant, James, Paul, Williams, Anthony and possibly Johnson. Since Wade doesn't bring anything different to the table, such as outside shooting or awesome defense, his role is essentially moot because others perform it already.

That's what I think too. In fact, I'd guess that most people who follow international ball would say that Wade is not only a redundant player, but he is also simply a poor performer in FIBA games. (And NBA games if you ask me. As I said, I think he's not much better than a good player on a bad team with a great play-off run).

No Amare Stoudemire? He must be smoking rocks....The US needs his size and rebounding on the inside.

Well, as you know, I dislike Stoudemire on the team, but we just don't have any other options besides him and Howard, and perhaps Boozer. After those guys, the next choices are Okafor (great defender) and Aldridge (rising player).

As seen in 2004, I don't think Carlos Boozer fits the international game. He's too slow and lumbering to play help defense against high post screens/picks or d-up European big men who like to shoot from the outside.

That's the problem with all our big men, in my opinion. None of us can defend the Nowitzki-type big men. Boozer is more representative of that inability. Great in the post and he could bang with the best of them, but what happens when Bargnani gets hot from the outside and Lithuania starts running pick-and-pops? We're stuck.

... It doesn't make sense to have a streaky shooter like Redd on the team when he can't consistently knock down the three when the US faces a zone heavy opponent. Despite the defensive liability, I'll take Miller over Redd all day.

Me too.

Personally, I like Deron Williams, but in my book he's the odd man out when you consider that Paul, Kidd, and even James or Bryant can run the point effectively. The US would be better off acquiring another hustle player who can defend like Bruce Bowen or Tayshaun Prince. His outside shooting is definitely a bonus, but a third point guard in the mix might be one too many.

I think everybody would rather see Bowen, Prince, or Battier on the team instead of a third PG. Personally, I can't see Kobe or James playing PG. Well, actually, they might be pretty good considering some of the European PGs are so big themselves...Kidd's defensive liability could be more than made up for by having James and Kobe defending the PGs.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this team shapes up.

[JGX]

Billups is out, citing "personal family reasons":

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=3449236

I wonder if the family reasons are real, or if they gave him a chance to pull out before he didn't get selected.

Hollinger has a column on the US team selection:

http://www.nysun.com/sports/usa-soon-to-decide-whom-to-bring-to-beijing/79972/

[mvblair]

Billups is out, citing "personal family reasons":

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=3449236

I wonder if the family reasons are real, or if they gave him a chance to pull out before he didn't get selected.

Good question. Given our PGs (Kidd, Williams, Paul), Billups might be thinking that he's the odd man out.

Hollinger has a column on the US team selection:
http://www.nysun.com/sports/usa-soon...beijing/79972/

[/QUOTE] Another nice article. Thanks for the link. Hollinger says that Billups would be better than Paul because he's more physical. But Paul was so brilliant in the Play-Offs that I jumped on his bandwagon. Hollinger is also right that we should add Bosh. Bosh can shoot from the outside, opening things up in the cutting lanes for Bryant, James, Anthony, and...cough, cough....Wade.

[Phantim3dx]

another article from espn, i hope no one else posted before me, if so mods please remove this

tanks matt for making my day that much more horrible for mentioning Wade's name...

by the time olympic bball rolls around and wade is on the lineup ill become a full fledged alcohol for the month of august; if he isnt i'll still be a full fledged alcoholic, i'll jsut do it more classier, with wine


http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/...ory?id=3448635

U.S. basketball roster for Olympics to be released next week

ESPN.com news services




Updated: June 17, 2008, 10:56 PM ET

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DURHAM, N.C. -- Calling it "the toughest decision" facing USA Basketball since it began using professional players, U.S. Olympic team coach Mike Krzyzewski said the 12-man roster for this summer's Beijing Games will be released Monday.
Krzyzewski, Duke's Hall of Fame coach, said the roster will be announced during a news conference in Chicago.

Sheridan: USA Roster Odds

What will Team USA's 12-man roster look like in Beijing? Chris Sheridan has the latest word. Story
• Vote: Your picks?


"The pool of players that we have have all made commitments and have given time and effort," Krzyzewski said Tuesday during his annual summer news conference in Durham. "Really we have more people qualified for those 12 spots than we can take, so that's what makes it tough. There will be people we've coached, either last summer or the summer before, who will not be on this team."
Earlier this month, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said the U.S. would pick its squad without a tryout. There are more than 30 players in the national team program, but he said officials are down to about 14 names.
The deadline to submit the roster is July 1. The U.S. team will go to Las Vegas to train in mid-July and play an exhibition against Canada before opening the Beijing Games against the host Chinese on Aug. 10.
Last year, the U.S. team started Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd and Dwight Howard en route to an unbeaten showing in an Olympic qualifying tournament. The roster also included Amare Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups, Deron Williams, Michael Redd, Tayshaun Prince, Tyson Chandler and Mike Miller.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Kidd received a phone call Monday to let him know he would be a part of the team going to Bejing. Colangelo would not disclose the makeup of the team but spoke highly of Kidd's credentials.
"Jason is a great candidate to be one of the 12 because he is a leader, he is the ultimate distributor at the point guard position, and he has great relationships with many of the guys who will be on this team," Colangelo said, according to the Dallas Morning News. "He's undefeated in international play in his career. If you had a ledger sheet and put down the plusses and minuses, it's pretty overwhelming on the plus side."
ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher reports that Billups has withdrawn his name for consideration for Beijing, citing personal family reasons.
"We understand the level of pressure that's involved in this and to me the pressure can be looked at in two different ways: It can inhibit you or it can excite you," Krzyzewski said of expectations to win the gold medal. "My feeling is it will excite our group. They want that pressure. The most foolish thing you can do is … be arrogant and just say it's going to happen. To me, we have to show the respect of preparation to do it."
Krzyzewski said USA Basketball has talked with players to make sure they don't have any family or health issues that would prevent them from being committed to the team. He said potential choices also have been spoken to about how their roles might change, going so far as to tell some, "You may be the 12th man. You may not be a starter. Are you able to handle that?"
Their responses, he said, have typically been, "Whatever you want."
"This team has a chance to be incredibly unique," he said. "How it's been put together has shown a tremendous amount of respect for worldwide basketball. We've said, 'It's the world's game, not the U.S.'s game.'"
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Phantim3dx]

you guys can go tot his site and rank who you want. this was my result of who i wanted on the team

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sport...d=1&listId=142

Rank 'Em: Olympic Dream Team

Created: June 11, 2008, 11:02 AM

• 1. 1.Anthony
  2. 2.Bryant
  3. 3.Howard
  4. 4.James
  5. 5.Kidd
  6. 6.Prince
  7. 7.Williams
  8. 8.Boozer
  9. 9.Bosh
  10. 10.Redd
  11. 11.Stoudemire
  12. 12.Battier
  13. 13.
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  • 

[mvblair]

you guys can go tot his site and rank who you want. this was my result of who i wanted on the team

I'm not sure how accurate this is compared to what I really want:

1.Paul
2.Bryant
3.Anthony
4.Bosh
5.Howard
6.Kidd
7.Iverson
8.Prince
9.James
10.Stoudemire
11.Chandler
12.Battier

They left a couple names off the list that I would love to see, namely Miller, Stojakovic, Yao, Nowitizki, Nash...

[damelo]

Why not send Boston Celtics squad? They have bo foreigners, and they played good collective ball game, no?

[mvblair]

Why not send Boston Celtics squad? They have bo foreigners, and they played good collective ball game, no?

Honestly, I have never had a problem with the idea of sending a regular NBA team. Detroit and Boston are the only two NBA teams that don't have at least one essential international player. Boston played magnificent as a team. They've got what we want in an Olympic team: a couple stars and a lot of good role-players (and even their stars have roles). Plus, they've got lots of time together, which is crucial.

[Phantim3dx]

id love the idea too, but it also comes down to business and marketing and some more...

if you send the celtic then marketing is specifically geared toboston and celtics, but if u send a bunch of superstars then it benefits everyone and the league...

god i should have been a business major, im just bad at taking calculative risks and handling money, not enough jewish blood in me . just joking guys, if i offend anyone i didnt mean to

[mvblair]

The scrolling news on ESPN is reporting that Tayshaun Prince will play and Amare Stoudemire declined an invitation.

I'm glad Prince was chosen. As much as I criticized Stoudemire up there, he, Bosh, and Howard are the top three American big men that we can chose. It'll be disappointing if he doesn't play, especially for Colangelo's master plan of getting players with three year commitments.

[Lebron23]

Chris Paul will be on U.S. Olympic team

Posted by Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune

June 19, 2008 1:20PM

Hornets star point guard Chris Paul will be one of the 12 members of the U.S. Olympic basketball team, sources close to the player said Thursday.

The team will be officially announced Monday in Chicago.

This will be the 23-year-old point guard's first Olympic experience.

http://blog.nola.com/hornetsbeat/2008/06/paul_will_be_on_us_olympic_tea.html

It's a great addition for the USA Team because CP3 is the best PG in the NBA last season, and i think he learn to play under the International Rule after the USA team captured the Bronze Medal in the the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

His Team finished with an 8-1 record, and they defeated the Argentinian National Team for a 3rd place finished in the World Championship.


2006 FIBA World Championship Stats

7.0 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.4 rpg, 2.0 spg. ( 23.4 MPG)

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/06_wcm/teamPlay/play/p/competitioncode//eventid/3507/langlc/en/playernumber/49588/roundid/3507/season//teamnumber/379/fe_teamPlay_playStat.html

[Phantim3dx]

give us a follow up, because if this is true im happy! now the other factor is d wade not being on the team

The scrolling news on ESPN is reporting that Tayshaun Prince will play and Amare Stoudemire declined an invitation.

I'm glad Prince was chosen. As much as I criticized Stoudemire up there, he, Bosh, and Howard are the top three American big men that we can chose. It'll be disappointing if he doesn't play, especially for Colangelo's master plan of getting players with three year commitments.