Coach K Holds Tryouts for Team USA
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by user BigPPup
Coach K opened his first training camp for the USA basketball team today in Las Vegas Nevada. Coach K has a list of 24 NBA superstars to pick from and they will travel to Japan in August to play in the World Basketball Championships. While the usual suspects made the list (Dwyane Wade, LeBron James) there are some surprising players who are hooping it up in Vegas for a chance to represent the U.S.
The surprise names on the list include a group of newcomers to both international basketball, and relative new faces to the public eye of the NBA. Josh Howard, Luke Ridnour, Shane Battier, Rashard Lewis, Bruce Bowen, Antawn Jamison and Brad Miller were all invited to the tryouts. None of these players are perennial All-Stars, or names regularly called during the ESPN highlights. What these players do bring to a team is role play. All of these players know how to be the fourth or fifth player on the court, who can hit the key jump shot, grab the hustle rebound, or play the clamp down defense. All of which are aspects that the star heavy 2004 Summer Olympics team were unable to provide.
The USA roster also includes youth, bringing new faces to the international scene that will be able to add a spark to the current group of veterans, and international experience post-2008 Olympics. Leading the list of young stars is rookie of the year Chris Paul, who nearly led New Orleans/OK to a playoff spot. Also included on the list are college standouts J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison.
The list of invites totals 22, with Morrison, Redick having a hold on the final two spots. Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal also has a standing invitation if he chooses to accept.
Most notably left off the list of invites is All-Star Allen Iverson. Iverson has been an All-Star since reaching the NBA. In the 2004 Olympics Iverson was the most outspoken patriot for the USA team. He beamed with pride as he played for his country. Iverson also put forth the most effort during the '04 Olympics. USA Basketball is claiming they want to go in a younger direction for the '08 Olympics where Iverson would be 33 by then. Despite this it is a shame Allen Iverson will not have the opportunity to play for his country once again, after he proved he was the only player in Athens who understood what that meant.
Twenty players will attend the current training camp. The USA will take 15 players to Japan for the World Championships. (Three of the 15 will be inactive.) Chauncey Billups (expecting a child in July), Morrison, Redick will not be in attendance for the Worlds. This means there will be 20 players vying for 12 roster spots in Japan.
A quick look at a potential lineup for the Worlds in Japan looks like this; James, Marion, Bosh and Wade are virtual locks. Miller is the only true center at camp and will make the team by that default. Elton Brand and Dwight Howard will probably make the squad to add size and athleticism to compete with usually larger Eastern European teams. (Stoudemire will likely sit out while he rest from his knee surgery.) Chris Paul and Gilbert Arenas will handle play at the point. This leaves Pierce, Josh Howard, Jamison, Johnson, Ridnour, Battier, and Bowen, fighting for the remaining spots. Bowen would be a great pick for one of the spots because of his ability to play perimeter defense and he is a prolific 3-point shooter. There should have been a struggle between Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony but Paul Pierce settled that by opting out of playing this summer allowing Carmelo Anthony another chance to play international ball this summer. The last spot should go to Ridnour who will give the team a second true point guard (since Arenas is a scorer) and another threat from the outside against the zone defense.
Date
Wed 07/19/06, 4:58 pm EST
