So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

[Slymm]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

I'm pretty sure if we got the top 15 players in the NBA, we would beat the rest of the world.

Kobe, TMac, Kidd, Lebron, Shaq, Duncan, KG, Wade, Redd, Pierce, Anthony, Carter, Stoudemire, Dwight Howard... whoever, else is, or will be, a perennial All-NBA player... and we would win out of sheer talent.

The team we sent wasn't talented enough to win just by being better. That team needed better chemistry and probably Billy Donovan as their coach instead of Coach K

I agree with you (except the Billy Donovan thing ). We sent our young guns over there essentially. If we sent the real elite squad and everyone sacked up and played we would win no matter what.

[Brankles]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

I also would like to add that losing once again in a world tournament could be a good thing for USA International basketball in the long run.

Stars like KG, Shaq, TMac, etc. will maybe realize that this team needs help, rather than just barely eek out wins with our JV squad a la the 2000 "Vince over Weis" Olympics.

I would love to see another Dream Team scenario where our best gets together and plays unselfish, phenomenal basketball, and maybe these losses will motivate the best to join in.

[goh]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

Send whoever wins the NBA title that year and replace anyone that plays for a different country with the best players available.

[DrJones]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

Stars like KG, Shaq, TMac, etc. will maybe realize that this team needs help, rather than just barely eek out wins with our JV squad a la the 2000 "Vince over Weis" Olympics.

If they didn't realize this after the US lost 3 games apiece in 2002 and 2004, why would they now?

I don't understand the mentality of the top US players. Why do foreigners take more pride in playing for their country than the Americans do?

[Brankles]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

If they didn't realize this after the US lost 3 games apiece in 2002 and 2004, why would they now?

I don't understand the mentality of the top US players. Why do foreigners take more pride in playing for their country than the Americans do?

Yeah, it's a pretty crappy mentality. I would love to represent my country... but then again, I don't go through off-season training, 82 regular season games and 20 something playoff games before playing on the Olympic squad.

I guess all of this isn't worth an injury to some of the more fragile superstars.

[bball_1523]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

If they didn't realize this after the US lost 3 games apiece in 2002 and 2004, why would they now?

I don't understand the mentality of the top US players. Why do foreigners take more pride in playing for their country than the Americans do?

I don't either. I think it's ridiculous. They should get paycuts on their nba salaries so everyone plays more harder for a bigger contract. lol Then it might produce some pride for basketball.

[DrJones]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

Yeah, it's a pretty crappy mentality. I would love to represent my country... but then again, I don't go through off-season training, 82 regular season games and 20 something playoff games before playing on the Olympic squad.

I guess all of this isn't worth an injury to some of the more fragile superstars.

Top NHL players rarely seem to have this problem (except for the Russians, who often opt out due to issues with the Russian hockey federation).

If Canada were losing international hockey tournaments while several of our best players were "resting for the NHL season", there would be outrage.

[bball_1523]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

Top NHL players rarely seem to have this problem (except for the Russians, who often opt out due to issues with the Russian hockey federation).

If Canada were losing international hockey tournaments while several of our best players were "resting for the NHL season", there would be outrage.

could it be a sign of as to why some of us don't like the nba much anymore?

[NINJAK2]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

They need to hold open tryouts for anyone in the NBA who wants to play for TEAM USA. Period. No more handpicking cats and begging superstars who want to be paid or don't want to bother with it. Set a designated location for tryouts and send out an open invitation for anyone in the NBA who wants to play. Make it so they need to get there on their own finances and no one flips the bill. By doing this you weed out the premadonnas and you are only choosing from a roster of individuals who want to be there and are hungry. These guys should also have to practice a month or two together during the off season.

Seems like the media is more open to make excuses for this teams performance than for 2004's Bronze team. I guess personalites like Iverson, Marbury and the rest of that team weren't the sole reason USA failed since they had such a big list of "quality and team oriented" players this time around.

[SonicMage]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

92 Dream team had only one player under the age of 26.

This team had only four players over the age of 26, none of them starters. 2004 team, three players over the age of 26.

Lets start with that when looking at the problem.

[Moses Shuttlesworth]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

Why put Vince Carter on the team? He's a waste. He doesn't do any good. It's better to have luol deng than it is to have vince carter.

[Cardot]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

I don't know basketball like most guys here, but how about Bruce Bowen? Solid from downtown and a good defender.

Kobe also has the long ranging shooting and defense, I am just not sure that one ball would be enough for Kobe and the other superstars.

[Angel_Fan]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

I say we take a team similar to the one this year, but add a few more pure shooters: Ray Allen and Michael Redd are a start, along with Joe Johnson.

[HMcCoy]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

They should keep it as is. NBA basketball is no longer SO far ahead that they absolutely can't lose. I don't think that scrambling for a new mix of talent is going to help. Its just like March Madness. In single elimination, as long as a team is at least in the same ballpark, they have a shot to win. US basketball still leads the world, IMO...but not by enough to be completely unbeatable. The world is now in the same ballpark. A team that isn't imtimidated or afraid and is gunning to prove themselves against a superior foe is dangerous. Even the Gods of '92 dropped a tuneup to a bunch of college kids. No matter who the US marches out there, the worlds best at least has a chance to beat them, just like any NCAA team has a chance to knock off a clearly better opponent.

IMO, If the US played every one of these teams 10 times, they'd drop 1 or 2...no matter who was on the team, especially playing these dudes with their rules. It just so happens that if you do catch that bad day (free throws) you're going fishin'.

Either way, US basketball is damnned. When they win they get no credit, and when they lose, all hell breaks loose. Like Timmay said...FIBA suxors. Bring on the REAL season. They need to make a team of American-born international stars, with just a couple NBA and college elite sprinklled in...but what do I know.

[Rocky]

Re: So Exactly Who Should Be On The '08 Olympic Team?

92 Dream team had only one player under the age of 26.

This team had only four players over the age of 26, none of them starters. 2004 team, three players over the age of 26.

Lets start with that when looking at the problem.

I think you're on to something and I really don't believe in the prevailing trend in sending WORSE players over there. I've never really believed in role players on a dream team. We just need to stop worrying so much about what "they" do and start focusing on what we do. If we really get the best players over there and get them to play team ball, there is no doubt that I think they will dominate again.

PG-Jason Kidd/Chauncey Billups
SG-Kobe Bryant/Dwayne Wade/Ray Allen
SF-LeBron James/Ron Artest/Tracy McGrady
PF-Kevin Garnett/Elton Brand/Rasheed Wallace
C-Tim Duncan/Amare Stoudamire

Of course this will never happen, so I agree with HMcCoy's idea somewhat. Put non-NBA players on the team and let the NBA stars focus on the NBA.