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The US will play the UK in Manchester in July. The US women will also play the British women in Manchester, the games may be back to back?

How do you think the lock out will effect the 2012 Oly selection?

I think the lockout will have little effect on who we send to the Olympics. Everyone wants to play for the Oly games. All the big sponsors are in. I'm sure private donations and grant money is available if needed.

We(USA) have high player interest, funding and fan support. NBA or no NBA, USA will be there and we will be strong. I'm not concerned about a few players not showing up. Players like D Howard, Durant, Kobe, Chris Paul, Amar'e Stoudemire seem 100% committed. Some have been quoted as saying they will be there regardless of a lockout. Just having D.Howard, Kobe, Durant, Chris Paul, LeBron alone gives us a punchers chance. Almost everyone on my list has been affiliated with USA basketball.



I'd like to see a four team USA tourney! have a red, white, blue and a Stars&Stripes team. You could make 4 great teams out of that list.

Punchers chance? Those 5 plus rotational players are still the favorites. I want a team of Kobe + Durant + Howard. Those are the Big 3 in my opinion and if it wasn't for the fatigue factor they could take take abybody else.



How about this if the lockout continues, the players who don't want to play overseas go play for Team USA. The players who are expected to make the team form the typical Blue and White teams. Then there are two more developmental teams consisting of fringe players and younger players. I see the Dev teams being similar to the teams put together before 92 to challenge the Dream Team. It was made of of NCAA players like Jamal Mashburn and Chris Webber. That team played the Dream Team better than anybody else did.



Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan would coach the Blue and White teams and two more coaches could be brought in for the Dev teams.



So anyway, four teams that play a few round robbin tournaments. Two teams are full of guys in a roster battle and two teams are full of fringe players. The fringe players get a chance to prove their worth and the guys likely to make the team get a chance to play together.



Players like Deron and potentially Kobe get assessed on their play in Europe similar to a national football team consisting of mostly domestic players with a few players abroad.

[quote name='skangles' timestamp='1317432891' post='35118']

Punchers chance? Those 5 plus rotational players are still the favorites. I want a team of Kobe + Durant + Howard. Those are the Big 3 in my opinion and if it wasn't for the fatigue factor they could take take abybody else.



How about this if the lockout continues, the players who don't want to play overseas go play for Team USA. The players who are expected to make the team form the typical Blue and White teams. Then there are two more developmental teams consisting of fringe players and younger players. I see the Dev teams being similar to the teams put together before 92 to challenge the Dream Team. It was made of of NCAA players like Jamal Mashburn and Chris Webber. That team played the Dream Team better than anybody else did.



Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan would coach the Blue and White teams and two more coaches could be brought in for the Dev teams.



So anyway, four teams that play a few round robbin tournaments. Two teams are full of guys in a roster battle and two teams are full of fringe players. The fringe players get a chance to prove their worth and the guys likely to make the team get a chance to play together.



Players like Deron and potentially Kobe get assessed on their play in Europe similar to a national football team consisting of mostly domestic players with a few players abroad.

[/quote]



True they could beat almost most anyone maybe even Spain. If you only had those 3 guys you could put in players like Andrew Bynum, Chase Budinger, Raymond Felton, Javele Mcgee, Eric Gordon. Ty Lawson, Tyler Hansbrough etc.. and still have a competitive squad. So yeah we could do that.



That seems to be the USA basketball strategy is bringing in a couple Practice squads. There was the Blue and white games last year and they also had the Las Vegas scrimmages where the B-Team played an NCAA all-star squad. Jimmer Fredette was among the many college level talents.



That would be an Awesome tourney! Id pay to see 48 of the countries top talent go at it! Coach K, Mike D, Nate Mc, I don't know who the 4th coach could be. I also think Mike D. lacks defensive principles. Any ideas on coaches?

Coach K and Jim Boeheim wouldn't be available due to their NCAA commitments. That's fair enough and to be honest there's no problem if the other 2 assistants McMillan and D'Antoni take the lead.



I am a Bucks fan so this comment will be biased but objectively I think that Scott Skiles would make one hell of an international coach. If you don't play defense for Skiles you don't play. With the talent pool of the US there woudnt be the same problem that the Bucks have, whereby they all play great D but cannot score to save their lives. I would also consider a guy like Dunleavy who knows how to develop young players. Even if sometimes those players decide that they are German <img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rofl3.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />



Scott Brooks is another guy who has coached a ton of players eligible for the national team: Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Perkins, Green.



Wild card for a Dev team coach: Donnie Nelson. He knows player development better than most. He coaches the Mavs D-league team and was instrumental in the 92 Lithuanian team and also worked for the Chinese mational team but I think that stint is over. This dude understands the international game better than almost any other US basketball manager.

I'm fine with both Scotts. I liked them as players and coaches. Nelson is the primo affcianado on international basketball BUT like you said he is old. A poster at another forum said something interesting...

Quote:What intrigues is Dwyane Wade's uncertainty of suiting up. But the big reliever is Kobe Bryant's commitment but what needs to be addressed is the back-up shooting guard role where Wade would have been solid on both offense and defense.



If Wade does not suit up, I'll vouch for Eric Gordon. A strong 6'3 guard who is athletic, can shoot the long range and is a tough, disciplined perimeter defender.

SHOOTING GUARD

Kobe Bryant 34

Dwayne Wade 29

Monta Ellis 25

Brandon Roy 27

James Harden 22

Jeff Green 22

Danny Granger 28

Eric Gordon 22

Tyreke Evans 23

Joe Johnson 30



Other than Gordon, If you put a gun to my head I'd say James Harden or Jeff Green. I think either of those guys would do well. They make great role players. Who replaces Wade??



EDIT: added Joe Johnson because he's redic....

Gordon played really well in 2010, he is the obvious choice to me. Roy would be the man but that no knees thing kills him. Ellis no way. I'd rather have a one dimensional long range shooter like Redick than an arrogant tw*t like Ellis. Ellis is the last guy I would want on the team. Just shoot me.



Granger is a SF, Evans is a PG. Harden and Green are both overrated. Iggy is an option as is the loser of the Melo/LeBron/Durant sweepstakes but none of those guys are true FIBA SGs. I see the 2 PG option using the surplus of PGs as a more attractive option than anybody but Kobe, Gordon or Wade.

Sorry I got distracted. Where the hell is Joe Johnson in this discussion?! I think that I take him over Gordon. Hell, I'd take Johnson over Wade but that will never happen in reality. Why Joe? He scores a lot. He makes a lot of 3 pointers. He is also a former member of Team USA.



I feel like people don't like him because he is overpaid in the NBA. This is true but he is still the best sharp shooter option for the US to come off the bench.

When Kobe and Wade are on the same team they create a type of competitive synergy that elevates both their play. If Wade is not available then Eric Gordon tops the list. He's been their before and won gold. I will add with all of USA's scoring weapons the shooting guard doesn't have to be a prolific scorer. Defense is needed more than offense. I still can't pick a better back-up sg than Eric Gordon. Harden and Green are both great role players. I am bias as a Thunder fan lol



dido on Monta Ellis

[quote name='skangles' timestamp='1317445440' post='35125']

Sorry I got distracted. Where the hell is Joe Johnson in this discussion?! I think that I take him over Gordon. Hell, I'd take Johnson over Wade but that will never happen in reality. Why Joe? He scores a lot. He makes a lot of 3 pointers. He is also a former member of Team USA.



I feel like people don't like him because he is overpaid in the NBA. This is true but he is still the best sharp shooter option for the US to come off the bench.

[/quote]



Your'e right! I totally forgot about Joe Johnson!! He has insane numbers over his career. Wow yeah Joe still has it. He is elite. I don't know if I'd take him over Wade BUT Joe Johnson deserves heavy consideration! He's def better than everyone else (not named Kobe, Wade) on the list.

Blake Griffin is in for the Olympics!!! ON the "10/19 B.S. Report: Blake Griffin" 45 minute Podcast he answers many questions about his life, taste,,personal training,basketball structure,NBA season length being to long, Eric Gordon, Lockout, basketball taste and the Olympics. I have to say I'm impressed with the guys maturity and outlook on life. I am biased though I've known of Blake since he was in high school and we went to the same University. Here is a link for the podcast:



At the end of the interview Blake is asked what does he think about the 2012 Olympics, he said"I would love too play, I would love to play BUT I know there are other players who deserve a spot over me. If they need me I'm there" When asked about the 2010 WC he said "I wanted to play I was recovered(from his injury) but at that time I hadn't played a game for the Clippers yet so.....I would have loved to play for the World Cup or the Olympics. I think that would be the ultimate"



http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=7122486

I found this posted somewhere else:

Two good reads on the repercussions in the lockout.



[URL="http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news;_ylt=Au3vV61fr3.2F5WT5_IYls.8vLYF?slug=aw-wojnarowski_basketball_2012olympics_072611"]Yahoo Sports: Issues looming for USA Basketball[/URL]



[URL="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/story/2011-10-19/NBA-lockout-could-impact-US-Olympic-team/50822580/1?csp=34sports&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomNba-TopStories+%28Sports+-+NBA+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Reader"]USA Today: Coach K: NBA lockout could impact Olympics[/URL]



From the article, the players will be announced in spring 2012.





I'm not worried one bit about player availability or money issues due to lockout. If Nike or NBA withdraws other companies can step in. There is no way a lockout will prevent most players from showing up. If NBA forbids coaches then we can use college coaches. If they forbid trainers then we can use college and NFL trainers and therapist. Who wouldn't want to have USA basketball on their resume??



Coach K quote:

Quote:"We're going to wait until spring to announce who the 12 players will be on the team. We have a great pool, because everyone wants to play. … We have the world championship team (from last summer), plus (New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire and (Los Angeles Clippers forward) Blake Griffin. … It will be a good, tough decision to make."

I am worried about preparation time!

Quote:"We're obviously really concerned," the Duke Blue Devils' coach said of keeping an eye on the NBA lockout when he was a guest on ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike In the Morning show Wednesday. "What if there isn't a season? What if they expand (the season past June) if they start playing?" "We begin (Olympic) practice the 4th or 5th of July. The gold medal game is Aug. 12. If the NBA has to go into July, what does that do for us? If they don't have a season, will they play (in the Olympics)?"

Team USA is planning on going on tour! Ok this has nothing to do with USA basketball, officially but I see this as a definite positive for Team USA.

Quote:Details of the six-game, four-continent exhibition tour by NBA players set to begin at the end of October have not been finalized, but 14 of the 18 players approached have contractually committed to the tour, sources said, and deals with all 18 are expected to be completed Sunday night.



The list of players approached by Atlanta businessman Cal Darden include reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, sources said.



The tour is scheduled to start with a game Oct. 30 in Puerto Rico and include two games in London, one in Macau and two, back-to-back, in Australia.



Since news of the tour surfaced last week, nine more players have expressed interest in taking part, a source said, and two more may be added.



A couple of agents with players committed to the tour said on condition of anonymity that they are curious to see how Darden will make gooqud on the contractual promises made.



The players will be paid salaries ranging from six figures up to $1 million, sources have told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard.



Those fees would have to be covered above and beyond insurance, travel and security costs in four foreign locales.



But a source close to the organizers said a news release officially announcing the tour could be distributed as early as Monday.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/714058...ources-say

skangles, are you a fan of USA NT?

[quote name='straight forward' timestamp='1319404980' post='35680']

skangles, are you a fan of USA NT?

[/quote]



Skangles in a Yank too. <img src='http://www.talkbasket.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thup.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':thup:' />

If things go horribly wrong these may be the guys who play for USA in 2012. Here is the roster USA 2011 NT All are NBA D-League players.

http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/paname...oster.html



[size="3"]Players[/size]

Blake Ahearn

G

6-2

190

5/27/84

Erie BayHawks / Missouri State '07

Brian Butch

C

6-11

240

12/22/84

Injured / Wisconsin '08

Justin Dentmon

G

6-0

185

9/5/85

Texas Legends / Washington '09

Jerome Dyson

G

6-3

180

5/1/87

Tulsa 66ers / Connecticut '10

Moses Ehambe

G

6-6

200

5/22/86

Iowa Energy / Oral Roberts '08

Marcus Lewis

F

6-8

245

9/5/86

Tulsa 66ers / Oral Roberts '09

Leo Lyons

F

6-9

240

5/6/87

Austin Toros / Missouri '09

Renaldo Major

F

6-6

210

5/7/82

Dakota Wizards / Fresno State '04

Donald Sloan

G

6-3

205

1/15/88

Reno Bighorns / Texas A&M '10

Gregory Stiemsma

C

6-11

260

9/26/85

Sokhumi Tbilisi (Georgia) / Wisconsin '09

Curtis Sumpter

F

6-7

220

1/30/84

Maroussi BC (Greece) / Villanova '07

Lance Thomas

F

6-8

225

8/24/88

Austin Toros / Duke '10



[size="3"]Coaches and Staff[/size]



Head Coach: Nate Tibbetts, Tulsa 66ers

Assistant Coach: Jermaine Byrd, Tulsa 66ers

Assistant Coach: Dale Osbourne, Tulsa 66ers

Athletic Trainer: Tony Katzenmeier, Tulsa 66ers

Team Physician: Stephen Foley, Sioux Falls Skyforce

[quote name='straight forward' timestamp='1319404980' post='35680']

skangles, are you a fan of USA NT?

[/quote]



Yes, I am American. I support Lithuania over the US though if there is a conflict of interest. When they met in the 2010 semifinals I went to a bar in DC sporting my Lietuva shirt and spent most of the game swearing in Lietuviskai. My ideal tournament is Lithuania - Gold, US - Silver.

[quote name='skangles' timestamp='1319856736' post='35815']

Yes, I am American. I support Lithuania over the US though if there is a conflict of interest. When they met in the 2010 semifinals I went to a bar in DC sporting my Lietuva shirt and spent most of the game swearing in Lietuviskai. My ideal tournament is Lithuania - Gold, US - Silver.

[/quote]



Speaking of Lietuva vs USA. I was watching the last quarter of USA vs Lietuva in the 2000 Olympics just yesterday. I bet sarunas jasikevicius wishes he had that shot again. He sure did light the USA up in 2004 in Athens. He was playing with a vengeance it seemed. Did you go for Lietuva back then too Skangles? Watching the 2000 game still gives me chills. Great game



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGBL2A-rRY





Does anyone know who the Lith player with the lumber jack beard is in the opening montage? The guys beard is epic! Here is the full game here:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUcCRqA6us4