No fuckin' with the US basketball team next time around.

[razazteca 0]

This team shall win the silver medal at the Goodwill Games.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

Go Canada Go!

 

Steve Nash and Jamal Malgorie will rip the US apart.

 

Hell Samuel Dalembert might even play for us.

 

That could be true. Puerto Rico was whooping everyone with the star power being Carlos Arroyo and Daniel Santiago. Throw Nash, Maglorie and maybe Dalembert on there, they could be solid.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

The complete list of players, from ESPN.com

 

Carmelo Anthony, Denver

Gilbert Arenas, Washington

Shane Battier, Memphis

Chauncey Billups, Detroit

Chris Bosh, Toronto

Bruce Bowen, San Antonio

Elton Brand, L.A. Clippers

Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers

Dwight Howard, Orlando

Josh Howard, Dallas

LeBron James, Cleveland

Antawn Jamison, Washington

Joe Johnson, Atlanta

Rashard Lewis, Seattle

Shawn Marion, Phoenix

Brad Miller, Sacramento

Chris Paul, NO/Okla. City

Paul Pierce, Boston

Michael Redd, Milwaukee

Luke Ridnour, Seattle

Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix

Dwyane Wade, Miami

 

Three young players will be added to bring the training camp roster up to 25, with Gonzaga's Adam Morrison, Duke's J.J. Redick and Indianapolis high school star Greg Oden currently the leading candidates to get those spots.

[Dangerous A 0]

How many spots are there on a roster?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I think there are 12 roster spots and 3 alternates, or something like that.

[naiwf 0]

I don't see that team winning gold, and I have a feeling Kobe will elbow LeBron in the face in practice or something because Kobe will need the spotlight being the diva that he is.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

So which 12 would you pick for the team. I'd go with:

 

Billups

Bryant

Lebron

Bosh

Stoudemire

Paul

Redd

Marion

D. Howard

Miller

Wade

Bowen

[Brett Favre 0]

5 guys who can handle and shoot the ball:

 

Chauncey Billups, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Joe Johnson, Michael Redd

 

2 guys who can play the SF position, one the 2, and the other the 4:

 

LeBron James, Shawn Marion

 

3 Rebounding big men who can defend:

 

Dwight Howard, Elton Brand, Amare Stoudemire

 

A big man who can spread the floor a bit:

 

Chris Bosh

 

A wing who can defend and score:

 

Dwayne Wade

 

3 Alternates: Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony, Gilbert Arenas.

[Guest Vitamin X]

A wing who can defend and score:

 

Dwayne Wade

 

Wade can defend? Since when?

 

I mean that seriously, I haven't seen Wade as a great defensive player just yet.

 

Yeah, this team has way too many guards and is really lacking in the frontcourt, though they have a couple guys there (I'm looking at Brand, Stoudamire, Howard, Marion and Bosh in particular).

[Guest]

Out of that group, my 12 are:

 

Arenas

Battier (my lockup guy)

Bosh

Brand

Kobe

D. Howard

LeBron

Marion

Paul

Redd

Amare

Wade

 

There, that's good. Pierce, Miller and Billups would be my reserves.

[dh86 0]

so Iverson was rejected for Luke Ridnour,Bruce Bowen and Shane Battier?...alrighty

[Brett Favre 0]

A wing who can defend and score:

 

Dwayne Wade

 

Wade can defend? Since when?

 

I mean that seriously, I haven't seen Wade as a great defensive player just yet.

 

Yeah, this team has way too many guards and is really lacking in the frontcourt, though they have a couple guys there (I'm looking at Brand, Stoudamire, Howard, Marion and Bosh in particular).

 

Wade has always been a good defender, but like Kobe, he has to score. Especially this year he has to defend because Eddie Jones is gone.

 

You don't need many big men in Olympic play. Guys like LeBron and Joe Johnson can play the 4 at times.

[bobobrazil1984 0]

I dont think AI being off is a big deal. Hell I'da left another one of the high volume scorers off as well (maybe Arenas, Kobe, Pierce or Melo, one of the 4) I want a good team, not a bunch of guys who have to domiante the ball to score all the time. Guys like Bowen and Battier are great additions.

[Brett Favre 0]

Nah, it was fucked up. He really wanted to play. And it's not like AI hogs the ball when he plays all-star games, or even in the Olympics.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

So what if he really wanted to play? The other 22 guys really wanted to play as well. It would of looked way worse to invite him to the camp and then not put him on 12-man roster. And you can be sure there isn't room for AI and Kobe on the same team. I'm not sure I 100% agree with the decision, but you can see where they are coming from.

[alfdogg 0]

Kobe Bryant reportedly had surgery and won't play for Team USA this summer.

 

Bryant had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Friday and will need eight to 12 weeks to recover, The Riverside Press-Enterprise reported Saturday.

 

While Bryant will not participate in the team's training camp next week, he will get the chance to compete for the Olympic team, a USA Basketball spokesperson told the paper.

 

The sugery was a "minor treatment" of cartilage and to remove scar tissue. The Lakers begin training camp Oct. 2.

 

"We trust that Kobe will have a total and speedy recover, and we are pleased that he expressed a willingness to remain as involved with our team as possible through this process," Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball Senior National Team managing director, said in a statement issued by USA Basketball to The Press-Enterprise. "Kobe being with the team will add to our team chemistry, and his presence will help provide valuable off-court leadership."

 

USA Basketball announced Thursday that Bryant's L.A. teammate Lamar Odom and Paul Pierce would miss training camp later this month. Another player, J.J. Redick, had recently said he wouldn't take part when camp opens Wednesday in Las Vegas because he has been out with a back injury.

 

After training camp, the roster will be whittled from 24 to 15 players, then trimmed to 12 for the World Championships, which begin Aug. 19 in Japan.

 

The U.S. is in Group D with 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, China and Senegal.

 

The winner of the 24-nation World Championships receives an automatic berth to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. If Team USA does not win, it must qualify through the 2007 FIBA Tournament of the Americas.

Kirk Hinrich and Greg Oden were added recently, as well.

[Ripper 0]

So what if he really wanted to play? The other 22 guys really wanted to play as well. It would of looked way worse to invite him to the camp and then not put him on 12-man roster. And you can be sure there isn't room for AI and Kobe on the same team. I'm not sure I 100% agree with the decision, but you can see where they are coming from.

Most of the other 22 guys didn't want to be bothered last time around. Duncan and Iverson were the only two MVP caliber players to say yes. Now all of a sudden you put Bruce Bowens worthless ass on the team, and honestly, Joe Johnson is a very good player and all, but fuck that guy. Iverson deserves a Gold Medal for stepping up when no one else did if nothing else.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Bowens worthless? He's dirty as shit, good on defense, and hits baseline threes like nothing. I'd want him on my team.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

They should just field the original Dream Team. Laettner might actually get a few minutes a game this time.

[Maztinho 0]

They should just field the original Dream Team. Laettner might actually get a few minutes a game this time.

 

I _still_ don't know why that guy got the nod over Shaq. Fuckin' Duke.

[Brett Favre 0]

There's no reason for Bowen when most international teams don't revolve their offense around one player (unless its something like Dirk in Germany). Who is he going to stop? Bowen is a waste of roster space for this type of tournament.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

They should just field the original Dream Team. Laettner might actually get a few minutes a game this time.

 

I _still_ don't know why that guy got the nod over Shaq. Fuckin' Duke.

The team already had Robinson & Ewing. Did they really need Shaq as a 3rd center?

[Ripper 0]

Bowens worthless? He's dirty as shit, good on defense, and hits baseline threes like nothing. I'd want him on my team.

 

 

He can't dribble, pass or hit a shot in side of a corner 3 and can't defend anyone that is actually quick(like that 3 spot is in international play). Bowen is completely worthless.

 

And on a sidenote, if the SPurs want to keep winning championships, they need to realize that he is worthless also and get someone that can help a little more on offense. Seriously, Bruce bowen is the only great defender that I have seen let 6th men bust him up for 30 a night.

[Krankor 0]

When Team USA lost in the past, it was because of a team as a whole defeating them. It wasn't just by one individual player scoring a ton of points against them. I see no place for Bruce Bowen on the team, ever. We just need guys that can knock down a shot and can play defense and offense as a team.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Hinrich getting an invite to training is a good thing. Really good candidate for the starting PG spot.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

The team needs a goon. Getting lit up? Split the guy's lip.

[Brett Favre 0]

Well thats why I don't understand why Ron Artest didn't get invited.

[iggymcfly 0]

Bowen's way past his prime now. He was getting lit up in that Dallas series, and he's not the same shooter he used to be either. By 2008, he'll be lucky if he can crack an NBA lineup, let alone an Olympic one.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

If I was running the team my starting line would be...

 

Arenas

Wade

LeBron

Bosh

Howard

[Guest]

Yeah, let's put the best scorer in the world on the bench.