Kelvin Cato Murice Taylor Jim Jackson Cat Mobley Charlid Ward compare to the current "Dream Team" I think this team has a better chance. I meant we don't even need a "star" in the team, like Ginobli said "we don't even look in their face". I think EVERY NBA player qualified for team USA to compete the int'l play. we just need to find the right combination. the best roster would be assembled by the best NBA player plus a bunch of role players. my Dream Team XII T. Duncan, J. O'Neal B. Miller, M. Camby R. Artest, M. Finley B. Barry, B. Jackson S. Cassell, K. Hinrich we have the best player to lead the team (Duncan) J. O'Neal to back Duncan up in the case of foul trouble (each at least can play 20min.); Miller a big man who can shoot and pass; Camby & Artest to play D inside-out; Finley+Barry+B Jax all can shoot the lights out; two smart PG in Cassell & Hinrich who can handle the ball and shoot the 3s. coach candidate: Hubie Brown, Rick Carlisle, or Jerry Sloan.
WTF. I know we need role players on the Olympic team but we don't need 5 role players in the starting lineup. Can we check the Rox record over the past few years without Steve or Yao. It isn't pretty.
If anything they should go with the the Finals winner, and send them to the Olympics. I doubt anyone would have been able to beat Larry Brown's Pistons of this year. They have great role players, but an even better system. Of course, there are players on several teams that would be unable to play for the Americas, but they could be replaced.
yeah like if the rockets won we could replace yao and nachbar and if the kings won they could replace peja or dallas with dirk. Just kidding not trying to have a go at you, just having fun. Yeah i agree send the rockets next olympics
how about Brad Miller Troy Murphy Szerbiak Brent Barry Kirk Heinrich All 5 players can shoot the ball wel and have good passing skills
Championship concept is VERY TOUGH now days since many good teams are comprised of internationals. Rox- Yao, Nachbar Spurs- Ginobli, Nesterovich etc. etc.
At least you'd have a team that have played together against other teams that have played together. I think it's the difference.
I think the IOC needs to pick the head coach only, & let him choose his assistants. Then, the coach & his assistants should be allowed to choose & recruit the players they want to coach. I believe that doing this, would result in less players bowing out of the olympics & the right players being chosen to compliment each other as a team. The beauty of this, is that each head coach has his own offensive/defensive game strategy, & would have his pick of the litter in the NBA/College talent pool. What coach wouldn't want to coach his own personal Dream team? Who do you think your favorite coach's starting 5 would be? Rudy "T" C: Brad Miller PF: Jermaine O'Neal or Duncan SF: Garnett SG: Kobe (From a team perspective, McGrady might be the better choice) PG: Francis (Imo, Marbury or Kidd would be the better choice) I think Rudy would want a younger team that could push the ball up the floor all night long. If Francis ever gets "it", this starting 5 could easily do that.
Kelvin Cato vs. Tim Duncan Murice Taylor vs. Lamar Odom Jim Jackson vs. Shawn Marion Cat Mobley vs. Allen Iverson Charlid Ward vs. Stephon Marbury No.
sorry you didn't read my post carefully... I'm talking about the Gold Medal not Bronze. here's the starting line-up for the gold medalist: Kelvin Cato vs. Luis Scola Murice Taylor vs. Andres Nocioni Jim Jackson vs. Alejandro Montecchia Cat Mobley vs. Manu Ginobli Charlid Ward vs. Pepe Sanchez I though after these games everyone learned a lesson. 12 big names from the NBA just can't get you a gold in Olympics. most of the Argentina players can't even make the NBA. we don't need the best talant of the NBA, just a balanced combination.
we're talking about Olympics here, not NBA. and those NBA veterans could be starters for any Int'l team including the Argentina. if they are on that team for a couple of years the starting line-up would probably be like this: Cato Taylor Ginobli Mobley Ward or Sanchez (waived by Hawks & Pistons) even Ginobli a role player (non all-star) in the NBA and can you name another Star on that Olympic Gold Medalist?
as a "Shooter": Taylor > Odom Jackson > Jefferson Mobley > Iverson Ward > Marbury JJ, Cat, Ward shoot 3s waaaaay better than Jefferson, Iverson, and Marbury.
It's possible to have a ton of super-stars (the original Dream Team proved that) but the important thing is to get players who buy into the team system and have fundamental skills and (IMO) the players have to want to be there. My third point I think is being missed by many people. On teh original Dream Team Isiah was left off not because of his skills or his attitude, but because some key players (notably MJ) didn't want him there. Now it can be argued MJ shouldn't be pickign the team but this move really helped the chemistry of the team. This team (obviously) lacked a lot of fundamental players. As a whole they were terrible shooters, well below average perimeter defenders and below average passers. So I don't care if you have 1 or 12 superstars on the team, in the end pick the team differently: 1. Have US Basketball pick the coach 2. Let the coach assemble the team. If he wants the 2008 team centered around LeBron and Duncan that's fine but get them to buy in and use their input for the rest of the team (ie Lebron may not want Boozer, and Duncan may not want anothr player). But make sure their is a sanity check. Someone needs to say all right you'be got 8 guys who all are team leaders, so who is going to be your outside shooters, whose focus will be to play D. There is too much talent in the US to not win gold. I'm not saying we will win gold, but let's have more responsibility on the head coach and his top players. The original Dream Team's leaders appeared (to me) to be MJ and Magic. Sure you had other great players (virtually the entire roster except Laettner and Majerle seemed to be super star level) but in the end it seemed to be MJ who changed his game the most (going from teh greatest player on earth to one of the guys) and to Magic who ran the show on the floor. So pick a coach and let him (privately) pick his team leader(s). Tehn goto those guys and say hey we want you to lead us in 2008 but we also need you to play in the World's and other events before then. Tell us what you want to make it happen. Give them input on players, and keep in mind the more the team plays together the more teh roster can be adjusted (need more shooters, need more defenders, someone isn't gettign along witht eh teammates int eh lockerroom, etc)
Hard Rock I can't believe that you are seriously arguing for: Cato Taylor JJ Mobley Ward I'm sorry, but that team as no chance to medal in the olympics. And chemstry isn't a factor because Ward is new, and the rest haven't had to play without Yao or Steve in a couple of years. Their job the past two years has been to fit in around better players, not carry the team themself. And on just a basketball sense, this team is horrendously constructed for international play. Cato is an offensive liability that they'd just leave open all day long. Taylor is a defensively liablity that would get run over by Gasol. This team never would have been able to get by Spain. And none of the bigs have the quickness on the perimeter to defend the high screen and roll, so beating Lithuania is out of the question. There's nobody that can create a shot for anyone else. There isn't a good passer in the bunch. Cato and Mo can't pass. Mobley looks to shoot first, and JJ is either a spot up shooter or a one on one scorer. And Ward isn't a difference maker in any way shape or form. He'll be okay this year dumping the ball off Yao and Tmac. But as the PG on a team starving for someone that can create and break down the zone, he's got no chance. I guess I shouldn't say that 5 role players can't do well, but they definitely need to be the right role players. You need 5 guys that can shoot and pass on offense. On defense you need guys that can stay in front of their man and rotate quickly. And if you're bent on using an NBA team as a template, the Kings would have been much better: Bibby / Bjax Christie Jim Jackson Webber would be perfect for Intl play if he is healthy Miller That would be 10 times better than the Rocket's role players team. You add in an Odom, a Brent Barry, and a Tayshaun Prince and they'd probably win the Gold. Put Duncan on the team too, and it'd be a lock.
Yeah, howcome ppl keep on dreaming that it'd be more 'fair' if the US sends a whole team of NBA club to the world games? Are you sure that the Italian nat'l team aren't better off than per se Benetton Treviso (italian champ)? The difference lies in the nat'l team assembly system. For all other nations, the core internat'l team players mostly stay the same, while the US hand picks different ones EveryTime! yes, lack of practice time and the grueling 82 game season is a toll to take. But as much as the lack of respect to the world games!
