Tyrell
Years ago

Team USA 2012 Team Shortlist

Not sure if it's been mentioned but here is the final shortlist:

The 16 finalists will assemble July 5 in Las Vegas, Nev., for the start of the USA National Team training. The USA's 12-man roster will be announced after the team’s practice on July 7. Finalists contending for a roster spot include: Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks); Anthony Davis (University of Kentucky); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (New Orleans Hornets); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder); AndreIguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); LeBron James (Miami Heat); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder); and Deron Williams (Brooklyn Nets).

I don't know how Lamar Odom is in the line-up!!!
Bosh informed officials today that he is out joining Wade, Rose and Howard. Still it is their gold medal.


http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/bb/in-bb/ln-in-bb/2012-usa-basketball-mens-national-team-loses-chris.shtml?53234

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natwhereyouat  
Years ago

Odom? What a joke!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Odom should def be there

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Doubledoubs  
Years ago

odom definetly should be in the team can play pretty much every position! he is also a great talent, just had a hard season on the crt while dealing with things off the crt

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Libertine  
Years ago

PG - Paul / Westbrook / Williams
SG - Kobe / Iguodala
SF - Durant / Melo
PF - LeBron / Griffin / Davis
C - Love / Chandler

Only real debate for me is who are the 11th and 12th men selected (for me, Iggy and Davis). The first 10 pick themselves.

LeBron proved during the Finals he could play in the 4. Davis is taken as the 12th man, will play on the 2016 team, and is the fifth big in case there is injuries or foul trouble. Iggy is the lockdown defender and 'spark' off the bench (could replace him with Harden for 'sparkiness').

Can't see Gay, Gordon, or Odom touching the team.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Good team Libertine but for me, Odom makes the team over Davis. Basically on the basis that he's got experience in the international scene and that he's got tonnes of versatility unlike Davis at the moment. Actually, I would have Davis over Melo in this team just on balance, I would even have Ryan Anderson in before Melo just on absolute pure balance, but knowing USA basketball they will most likely choose star power over team chemistry.

Melo's an excellent player if he's the number one option but they already have Kobe, Lebron and Durant in the squad whom I believe are much better offensive options and are much stronger on the defensive end too. Other than that, I love the inclusion of AI. He has to be one the most athletic players to play the game since Scottie Pippen. He's also very team orientated which helps under FIBA rules and no doubt he will be one of the beat defenders in any squad.

Here's hoping they get too cocky in the semi finals against the Boomers and they shoot themselves in the foot...... at least for one game.

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Mick  
Years ago

Imagine if Westbrook, Kobe, Melo, Griffin and Love were on the court at the same time. The turmoil created from the zero passes once the ball is over Halfcourt would make them pretty beatable...

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SMA  
Years ago

Odom has stated he will play if use a time machine to take him back to 1984.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

wheres dwayne wade?

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Anonymous  
Years ago

anyways. Its a good team but hardly unbeatable...

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LanceUppercut  
Years ago

Lamar Odom is there because E! has a 2-part episode dedicated to Khloe & Kims reaction to LO playing the Olympics, and its all part of Ryan Seacrest grand plan.

good to see Griffin, at least there should be some impressive dunks, i get sick of seeing lebron do a layup, because he doesn't a jump shot like Bryant

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Aussiebballer  
Years ago

Kobe should let the younger guys play and rest his knees.
He has done it all and it is time for other players to take over the team.
Not having a go at him, it just seems smart for him to take some time off and rest up.
Plus they have plenty of players to replace him, to a degree anyway :)

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Mick  
Years ago

Wade is having knee surgery this Summer.

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AK-47  
Years ago

I'd have a team that looked like this:

C Love/Chandler
PF James/Anthony/Griffin
SF Durant/Iguodala
SG Bryant/Harden
PG Paul/Williams/Westbrook

The depth chart in a 40 minute game would look like this:

C Love(20)/Chandler(15)/Griffin(5)
PF James(25)/Anthony(10)/Griffin(5)
SF Durant(25)/Anthony(10)/Iguodala(5)
SG Bryant(20)/Harden(15)/Westbrook(5)
PG Paul(20)/Williams(15)/Westbrook(5)

Great defenders in Chandler, James, Durant, Kobe, Paul and Iguodala.

Great shooters in Durant, Kobe, Love, Harden, Anthony and Williams.

The weakest spot is probably post play with really on Kobe, LeBron and maybe Durant good post players although Griffin will look good in the post at international level.

Some good distributors in James, Harden, Paul and Williams.

Pretty decent all-round team I think. Not that it matters too much, they'll win Gold anyway!

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LanceUppercut  
Years ago

Strong team AK-47, you're right they're weak in the post, but i doubt that is how they'll score. Griffin really isn't a great post player yet, when he is defended well at the post, he usually travels or turns it over, but an exceptionally gifted athlete who is improving each year..hopefully it will be dunk city from him

I don't see Durant as a good defender, besides his length he never puts his body on the line, rarely comes over on help d, and often seems a little lost on D..but obviously makes up for that as the best scorer and offensive weapon in the NBA.

Is Spain their toughest opponent?

Who will Team USA play for Olympic Warm-up games?

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Ingles13  
Years ago

Stopped reading when you said Kobe is a good defender

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AK-47  
Years ago

It's interesting Ingles, I'm not a Kobe fan either and have never rated him too much as a defender. However he has been named to 12 all-defensive teams, 9 first teams and 3 second teams. He must be doing something okay defensively. Transfer that to International ball and he'd probably be one of the better defenders. But lets not make this a Kobe hating thread.

As for Durant, he's shown lately that he is a more than capable defender, does use his length well. Maybe a better one on one defender than team defender.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Yeah Durant and Kobe are both excellent defenders in my opinion purely based on their size and athleticism as well as having high bball IQ. Durant had to guard Lebron at times during the finals which would have to be the hardest assignment in world basketball at the moment probably ahead of guarding Durant himself.

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