USA Basketball

This may be a topic I come back to often over the next several months, but are the USA Basketball selections ridiculous, or is it just me? Now, don't get me wrong, you want to select the best of the best to represent your country, but it's not an All-Star Game...it's the Olympics. It's us vs. the world.

Haven't we seen that the pieces are more important than the individual talent? Do we really need to see Lebron James hoisting up three's? Can't we take Dwayne Wade's spot and replace him with a shooter or big man, since he hasn't played a memorable minute of basketball in about 2 years?

I guess Tayshaun Prince is the utility pick: long, quick, can guard the opponent's best player. But can't Kobe do that? Couldn't Coach K and the rest of the USA higher-ups find a versatile player that can also shoot? What's Ray Allen or Paul Pierce doing the next few months? Maybe a big guy like Rasheed Wallace (although it pains me to say it) who is, according to NBA player surveys, one of the league's best defenders and hardest to cover, would be a good pick because he can step out and draw foreign big men out of the paint. And you know he's be good soundbites for all the NBC coverage.

I feel about J-Kidd in the Olympics the same way I feel about J-Kidd to the Mavs...WHY? Don't we think that D. Williams and Chris Paul can handle the PG duties? If they get into trouble I assume that Kobe can run the point. There's another spot for another shooter.

USA BASKETBALL...YOU CAN'T HAVE ENOUGH SHOOTERS!!!!

Sidenote: On the women's side, it's not about being Patriotic. If the MVP Runner-up isn't good enough to be on your team, don't be upset when she fulfills her Olympic dreams for another country, let alone Russia. Kudos to Becky Hammon for being one of the best in the world.