Chris Sheridan says he has the roster for Team USA. If he's right, it's pretty good, and you can see some similarities both Duke teams and the 2008 Olympic team.
First, the defensive potential: Tyson Chandler, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Deron Williams, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala LeBron James, Dwight Howard - all of these guys are capable of suffocating defense. And there are others as well.
Then there are the fixed pieces:Â Dwight Howard is a big man, Chris Paul is a point guard, as are Chauncy Billups and Deron Williams. Then there are the guys who can be counted on for offense: Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin.
The key though is versatility. Out goes Bryant, in comes Wade. Out goes Lamar Odom, in comes rebounder and outlet pass artist Kevin Love.
Need slickness, go with Paul. Need a bigger point, go with Rose or Williams. Power? Howard, Griffin and James. Attacking a zone? Carmelo Anthony, Kobe, Paul.
Older guys who have seen it all? Kobe. Billups.
They can't take them all, which is in a way too bad. There is enough here though to put together a team very much like the 2008 team.
There's a long way to go from here to Olympic glory, but it's a great group to work with.
- LaMarcus Aldridge
- Carmelo Anthony
- Chauncey Billups
- Chris Bosh
- Kobe Bryant
- Tyson Chandler
- Kevin Durant
- Eric Gordon
- Blake Griffin
- Dwight Howard
- Andre Iguodala
- LeBron James
- Kevin Love
- Lamar Odom
- Chris Paul
- Derrick Rose
- Dwyane Wade
- Russell Westbrook
- Deron Williams
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