http://www.nba.com/2009/news/07/21/coaches.usa.ap/index.html YES! 2012 chip here we come... I see the starters as the following Paul Bryant Melo James Howard James did say he wouldn't play in 2012 if Kidd didn't return... I think he was serious about it... at least thats how the article was written.. so maybe it'll be the same team as 2008 without Michael Redd and Tayshaun Prince because of age... they'll add a couple of players back... I'd think they'll be veterans like Stoudemire and Joe Johnson... and yes I think Boozer will also be back, Coach K will want Boozer...
Tough to leave D. Wade out of the mix. I'd start Wade instead of Anthony. He did lead the team in scoring in Beijing, including 27 points and 4 steals in the gold medal game against Spain.
Good for Coach K and Duke basketball in general, but severely hinders our scouting/recruiting process.
Well... I ain't leaving him out.. he was the 6th man... I'd think they keep the same formula they won with in 2008... Wade off the bench and Anthony starting to get some spark off the bench.
I doubt Wade plays again, but if he did, the 6th man might work best. He was their best player last year as 6th man.
Why would you doubt he plays again? He said he would be back when they interviewed him after he got his medal late last year.
USA basketball is not about the coach, it's not about the x's and o's, it's not about strategy. It's all about the players, how hard they play and how their skillsets fit. The coach is really a glorified babysitter, but then again there are very few people qualified to be the official team usa babysitter, so maybe it is about the coach.
Best what? LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Paul, Howard... just to name a few will be around also.. and everyone of those besides Kobe will be in their prime. I don't think Kobe will fall off too much either though.
Major props to him if he does. For an NBA superstar of Wade's caliber to put his body on the line and play in 3 Olympics would be something else. But he would be 30 years old and the mileage might be piling up by then. What a player says in the heat of the moment right after getting their gold medal doesn't mean much. LongTimeFan, glad you brought KD up. He seems like the kind of guy who will absolutely feast in the Olympics. If defenses didn't specifically gear up to stop him, he would be lights out.
I think Roy and possibly, LMA will make the team then too. Paul/Kobe/Melo/James/Howard Deron/Roy/Durant/LMA/Bosh
Hopefully Rose and Durant get the nod. I expect to see Al Jefferson there, but a 34-35 year old Kobe in the olympics? I dont know about that.
probably not. but your talking about a top 20 player ever. the sky is the limit for durant though. he would be a senior in college next season. i think after next season he will lead the league in scoring for a few years i just hope he gets to play on a decent team for a few years.
well, yeah of course he'd be the top senior in college if he had stayed. But you're presuming that only Durant stayed until his Senior year but Oden, Conley, Rose, Beasley, Mayo all left College early so Durant is going to dominate as the only allstar nba calibre Senior...as if thats ever going to happen as with ur scenario........ KEVIN DURANT IS THE AWESOMEST PLAYER IN THE NBA RIGHT NOW!!!
all i meant by that statement was that he is very young still. everyone one else in the top 10 or 15 in scoring last year was about 5 to 10 years older then him. lebron james and and danny granger being the closest and they are still about 3 to 4 years older then him. so i meant that he would be a senior in college next season instead of coming off his second year in the nba at number 6 in scoring and improving his fg% by a lot. this is why i said that by 2012 he will in fact be better then kobe bryant at that point. got it? ok good thanks.
