literally exaggerated
02-08-2006, 06:18 PM
So you've been handed the reigns to creating the USA Olympic Basketball team for 2008. You choose the coach, and however many players you want (keeping in mind how hard it is to coordinate a big team, especially one loaded with top talent if thats the way you go). Remember, they will get a couple summers to practice together, but that also means that you have to consider where they'll be in 3 years (young players may improvement, old players may deteriorate). For the purposes of the thread every single player eligible to play for the US will accept if asked.
My picks:
Coach: Larry Brown, I know he screwed things up in 2000, but he's good with all-star players, good at developing young talent, very good defensive coach who likes his players to pass a lot, which is what is needed on the International level. Has proven to be able to make almost any team more competitive given some time. Phil Jackson might work too, as he's tremendous at dealing with big talents, but no way do I see this team running the triangle offense
Amare Stoudamire - Freakishly talented, and given his remarkable lack of experience, likely to continue to see improvement over the next few years, which will be downright scary
Chris Bosch - KG junior can score and rebound tremendously well and can be a force at either forward or center, and is also young enough to just be coming up on his peak come the olympics
Tim Duncan - He's young enough to be on the tailend of his peak come '08, and his style of play is less reliant on physicality and athleticism than it is on his skill/fundamentals. He's got tremendous experience, is a charismatic yet modest leader who meshes well with others, can do it all, plays great D and passes very well. One of the all time greats
Lebron James - USA said they wanted more role players, but I think thats the wrong way to go. There are an increasing number of players in this league who can play a huge number of positions on the floor, who do it all or close to it. Guys like Lebron or KG who can play anywhere. Because of their versatility they could line wherever is needed, take any role required of them. Even were that not my strategy, Lebron would be on my team. One could make the case that he's currently the best player in the world, and he's still getting better. Who knows what he'll be like in a few years, but even if he doesn't improve it all he's a great passer, great rebounder, progidgous (and efficient) versatile scorer, decent defender and very unselfish. Did I mention his athleticism? Faster than every player in the league except Iverson, TJ Ford, Tony Parker, Nate Robinson, Earl Boykins and maybe Kobe. Can jump higher than anybody 'cept perhaps for Josh Smith or Vince Carter. Stronger than anyone his size except maybe Artest. The court vision of, not just a point guard, but a great point guard
Dwyane Wade - Clutch as hell, another do it all guy who is already one of the best in the league and is likely to get better.
Chris Paul - He's already an all-star calibre player, and he's just a rookie. A team this stacked needs the best passer on the market, and Paul will fit the bill in 3 years.
Baron Davis - He won't be as good as Paul then, but he'll still be in his prime, and he'll be among the better passers in the league
Michael Redd - It was tough leaving of Kobe, but I just don't think there's a place for a guy who needs the ball as much as Kobe does on this team. Redd is a 3 point god who can score from anywhere and who will provide exactly the sort of touch from long distance this team needs. Every single player here is capable of getting hot enough to create open looks for Redd, and most are good enough passers regardless, so he would be getting lots of great looks from long range
Kevin Garnett - Along with Lebron, the most versatile player in the league, and he'd be the best defender on this team. Can pass, run, jump, shoot, rebound. You name it, he does it well and efficiently
Paul Pierce - Another freakishly versatile player who will be in his prime come the Olympics. He'll come off the bench, and can fill in wherever needed except perhaps at center
edited because I'm an idiot, and Yao is clearly Chinese, so Bosch for Yao
My picks:
Coach: Larry Brown, I know he screwed things up in 2000, but he's good with all-star players, good at developing young talent, very good defensive coach who likes his players to pass a lot, which is what is needed on the International level. Has proven to be able to make almost any team more competitive given some time. Phil Jackson might work too, as he's tremendous at dealing with big talents, but no way do I see this team running the triangle offense
Amare Stoudamire - Freakishly talented, and given his remarkable lack of experience, likely to continue to see improvement over the next few years, which will be downright scary
Chris Bosch - KG junior can score and rebound tremendously well and can be a force at either forward or center, and is also young enough to just be coming up on his peak come the olympics
Tim Duncan - He's young enough to be on the tailend of his peak come '08, and his style of play is less reliant on physicality and athleticism than it is on his skill/fundamentals. He's got tremendous experience, is a charismatic yet modest leader who meshes well with others, can do it all, plays great D and passes very well. One of the all time greats
Lebron James - USA said they wanted more role players, but I think thats the wrong way to go. There are an increasing number of players in this league who can play a huge number of positions on the floor, who do it all or close to it. Guys like Lebron or KG who can play anywhere. Because of their versatility they could line wherever is needed, take any role required of them. Even were that not my strategy, Lebron would be on my team. One could make the case that he's currently the best player in the world, and he's still getting better. Who knows what he'll be like in a few years, but even if he doesn't improve it all he's a great passer, great rebounder, progidgous (and efficient) versatile scorer, decent defender and very unselfish. Did I mention his athleticism? Faster than every player in the league except Iverson, TJ Ford, Tony Parker, Nate Robinson, Earl Boykins and maybe Kobe. Can jump higher than anybody 'cept perhaps for Josh Smith or Vince Carter. Stronger than anyone his size except maybe Artest. The court vision of, not just a point guard, but a great point guard
Dwyane Wade - Clutch as hell, another do it all guy who is already one of the best in the league and is likely to get better.
Chris Paul - He's already an all-star calibre player, and he's just a rookie. A team this stacked needs the best passer on the market, and Paul will fit the bill in 3 years.
Baron Davis - He won't be as good as Paul then, but he'll still be in his prime, and he'll be among the better passers in the league
Michael Redd - It was tough leaving of Kobe, but I just don't think there's a place for a guy who needs the ball as much as Kobe does on this team. Redd is a 3 point god who can score from anywhere and who will provide exactly the sort of touch from long distance this team needs. Every single player here is capable of getting hot enough to create open looks for Redd, and most are good enough passers regardless, so he would be getting lots of great looks from long range
Kevin Garnett - Along with Lebron, the most versatile player in the league, and he'd be the best defender on this team. Can pass, run, jump, shoot, rebound. You name it, he does it well and efficiently
Paul Pierce - Another freakishly versatile player who will be in his prime come the Olympics. He'll come off the bench, and can fill in wherever needed except perhaps at center
edited because I'm an idiot, and Yao is clearly Chinese, so Bosch for Yao