USA Olympic Depth

While watching team USA trounce undefeated through the international competition once again this summer at the London 2012 Olympics, I couldn't help but ask questions about parity and the growth of the global game. It seemed like the USA was unmatchable even though they were missing many of their key players from 2008 in Beijing and the 2010 World Championships in Turkey. It has been sufficient time since the USA basketball recruits fell in Athens in 2004 and while the rest of the world seemed to be catching up, maybe the USA has once again sprinted ahead. Let's take a look at the 2012 roster and some notable missing players to comprise a first and second team.

The London 2012 Gold-Medal Winning USA Men's Team

London 2012 Team USA
C - Tyson Chandler
F - LeBron James
F - Kevin Durant
G - Kobe Bryant
G - Chris Paul
6 - Carmelo Anthony
B - Deron Williams
B - Russell Westbrook
B - Kevin Love
B - James Harden
B - Andre Iguodala
B - Anthony Davis

Second Team All-USA
C - Dwight Howard (back surgery)
F - Blake Griffin (knee surgery)
F - Chris Bosh (abdominal strain)
G - Dwyane Wade (knee surgery)
G - Derrick Rose (knee surgery)
6 - Rudy Gay
B - Eric Gordon
B - LaMarcus Aldridge (hip surgery)
B - Danny Granger
B - Joe Johnson
B - Paul Pierce
B - Rajon Rondo

That All-Injured starting five would have surely made the 2012 Olympic roster had they been healthy, and the rest of the players listed could surely form a gold-medal supporting cast to either this second team or first team. In fact, if any of the second team's bigs were able to go it's unlikely Anthony Davis would have made the Olympic team and may be tough for him to crack the second team too, not to take anything away from what he brought to the team. Rudy Gay and Eric Gordon were the final cuts for the London squad in favour of Harden and Iguodala and they could have easily slotted into the gold-medal team. Pierce and Rondo are underrated picks while Johnson and Granger are perennial all-stars. It seems safe to say that Team USA could have sent an entirely different squad (if healthy) to London and still come away with gold, but what about a podium sweep? If team USA and the other participating nations were allowed to send however many teams they wanted as long as they qualified, could the USA "C-Team" still hold off the likes of Spain, France, Brazil, Russia and Argentina to capture a medal? Let's look at who they could field,

USA 2012 C-Team
C - Andrew Bynum
F - Al Jefferson/Amare Stoudemire/Tim Duncan/Kevin Garnett/Zach Randolph/DeMarcus Cousins
F - Josh Smith
G - Monta Ellis
G - Kyrie Irving
6 - Ray Allen
B - Tyreke Evans
B - Stephen Curry
B - John Wall
B - Mike Conley

The plethora of power forwards that remain unattached to the first two teams is staggering. Team USA-C could pick any three of the aforementioned PFs and field a strong front-court with Andrew Bynum and the versatile Josh Smith. And there are still names like Millsap, Boozer, and West who you could also make a case for. Greg Monroe could have also provided some size and depth in the front-court. Ray Allen is deadly as ever, and should he not be able to go, Jason Terry seems primed to fill his spot. The point guard spot is very strong with reigning rookie-of-the-year Kyrie Irving, and backed up by Curry, Wall and Conley the C-Team would likely play two of them at one time. Ty Lawson, Brandon Jennings, Kyle Lowry and Jeremy Lin could also garner consideration here. And Shane Battier could hold this team together if a spot opened up. It seems unlikely, but with the collection of talent assembled here, a team USA-C team could conceivably win bronze while USA sweeps the podium. What do you think? Did I leave anybody out? Am I crazy and severely underestimating international talent and moxie? In any case, the argument could be made...

Links
Team Spain 2012 Roster
Team Russia 2012 Roster
Team Argentina 2012 Roster
Team France 2012 Roster
Team Brazil 2012 Roster

White Men Can't Jump

Last night I finally watched White Men Can't Jump, the 1992 film starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes as streetball hustlers. Great movie, lots of swearing obviously, but touching on social issues with flair and humor, often surprisingly. And all the while I was just waiting, waiting for somebody to speak the titular line in the movie until it seemed like Harrelson's character Billy really couldn't throw it down. If you've seen the movie then you know how it ends, and I ask this question of you- if you could throw a lob to any white dude in the NBA, (and no, Blake Griffin doesn't count) who would it be?

Here's my short-list,
Chase Budinger: The clear favourite. Made this tribute dunk at this years' Dunk Contest.
Rudy Fernandez: Overseas now after signing a 3-year deal with Real Madrid, Rudy can jam.
Chris Andersen: The Birdman can fly and he's able to catch plenty of lobs at 6'10"
Manu Ginobili: Sure, he's 35 but if anybody is going to Euro-step slam it's Ginobs
Tom Chambers: Bonus pick. The GOAT
Extras
Josh McRoberts...Jon Brockman...Chandler Parsons...Jonas Jerebko...Tyler Hansbrough...Jan Vesely...Spencer Hawes...David Lee...

Teenage Mutant Ninja Westbrook



Russell Westbrook may be the cowabunga-est current NBA player. With his excitable play, ninja-esque physical abilities, and the reluctance to accept the second-banana billing that his team formation seems to want to fit him into, Westbrook is very much like Raphael of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. When Raph goes off on his own or tries to be the sole leader, the team sometimes suffers much like the Thunder do when Westbrook dominates the ball and takes more shots than Durant. With Leonardo filling the role of group leader, he fights within the team system, and understands what he must do. Similarily stoic and mature among his dynamic, youthful teammates, Kevin Durant leads by example. All of which makes Westbrook and Raphael say, "Who made you the leader?"

Watch some Russell Westbrook highlights here