2008 Olympics. Ricky Rubio bursts onto the scene and almost spurs Spain to victory, but the unoriginally named Redeem Team’s superior talent wins out in the end. 2012 Olympics. Team USA (with no dorky nickname this time) steamrolled to the finals, where a rejuvenated Pau Gasol showed the form that has made him a Hall-of-Famer; alas the Americans pulled it out. 2010 World Championships. Uhh…
That’s right, in even non-Olympic years, there is a World Championship at stake. Jerry Colangelo and USA Basketball’s new emphasis on, you know, being an actual program means they take the World Championships seriously. But not as seriously as the Olympics.
The 2010 World Championships in Turkey featured only 5 of the 12 players that would play in London in 2012. Hell, Anthony Davis was still in high school in 2010. I’m sure Colangelo would have preferred players like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul were present in Turkey, but for a variety of reasons they were unavailable, opening up roster spots for borderline selections like Stephen Curry and Rudy Gay.
I suspect that the 2014 World Championships in Spain (renamed the FIBA Basketball World Cup) will see much of the same, with some of the guys getting up there in age who will be candidates for 2016 in Rio De Janeiro opting to sit out. It’s also practically impossible to predict who will be too injured to participate, like Derrick Rose, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade were in 2012.
But in an ideal world—the place Jerry Colangelo dreams of when he goes to bed at night—all key Team USA players are healthy and willing, and Colangelo gets his pick of the litter. If that were to happen, here is the team I think he’d pick, along with my confidence that player would actually be selected.
Chris Paul
Paul is the consensus third best player in the NBA and best point guard in the world, and he may not have even reached his peak yet. Confidence: 100%
Russell Westbrook
Westbrook doesn’t display the tempermant of a lead guard for what is essentially an All-Star team, but he is a great change of pace off the bench. He can play tenacious defense, and is big and physical enough to play alongside a smaller guard for smallball lineups. Confidence: 70%
Stephen Curry
Curry made the 2010 World Championship team based mostly on potential; this team he makes it on merit. The international game runs a lot more zone than the NBA, and in years past that has been a problem for the USA. A zone buster in the mold of Michael Redd in 2008, but even better. Confidence: 50%
James Harden
Harden is a terrific offensive player that can barrel his way to the hoop and get a guaranteed bucket or foul when the team is struggling to score. He also has a gold medal from the 2012 Olympics, and does a fantastic job holding on to weird stuffed animals. On a team with such offensive talent though, should Harden’s lack of defense be a deal breaker? Confidence: 50%
Dwyane Wade
Not particularly likely to be healthy, but this year showed that rumors of Wade’s demise were just that: rumors. Wade can start the game and play off others or be the worlds most over qualified 6th man. With 2008 Kobe Bryant nowhere to be found, he will also be the team’s lockdown perimeter defender. Confidence: 90%
Paul George
I’m just as surprised as you are, but every Team USA of recent vintage features a big defense-first guard. In 2008 it was Tayshaun Prince, in 2010 and 2012 it was Andre Igoudala. George is in their class as a defender, and is probably better on offense. Confidence: 20%
Carmelo Anthony
Melo is the perfect international four, and just brutalizes the opposition. Because of their ties going back to the 2003 draft class, Melo is often unjustifiably mentioned in the same breath as Dwayne Wade and LeBron James. In international play it is justified.
Confidence: 100%
LeBron James
He is LeBron James. Confidence: 100%
Kevin Durant
He is Kevin Durant. Confidence: 100%
Anthony Davis
Davis was the token college guy on the 2012 gold medal winning squad, but Davis is no Christian Laettner. By 2014 he will have bulked up a bit, and will be ready to contribute more than the mop-up minutes he did last summer. Confidence: 30%
Chris Bosh
Like Melo, Bosh is even better internationally than he is in the NBA. With so many international bigs willing to float out to the perimeter, Bosh’s comfort defending 18 feet away from the basket is paramount.
Confidence: 90%
Dwight Howard
Assuming his back issues have been taken care of, there is nobody you’d rather have patrolling the paint than Dwight. Confidence: 100%
Potential Alternates
Kyrie Irving
I cannot overstate how atrocious Kyrie Irving is on defense. With point guard the deepest position in the league (great player like Damian Lillard, Mike Conley, Ty Lawson and George Hill aren’t even sniffing this list), Irving still has a lot to develop.
Derrick Rose
He will be two years removed from ACL surgery and presumably fully healthy, but who knows what is going on with Derrick Rose these days.
Deron Williams
Second half surge aside, Deron Williams isn’t in Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook’s stratosphere anymore. If either of those guys are injured though, Williams is in.
Kawhi Leonard
He’s not quite there, but Leonard could be the token wing defender for the next ten years, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Colangelo decides to bleed him in in 2014.
Andre Iguodala
Similar to George and Leonard, and perhaps Iguodala should be given the benefit of the doubt. Iguodala seems to have plateaued however, while George continues to develop.
LaMarcus Aldridge
Aldridge does everything Chris Bosh does on offense, but he doesn’t come close on defense. With Team USA traditionally carrying so few bigs, being able to play two ways is required.
Blake Griffin
It wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see Griffin make the team, but he doesn’t have the ideal skillset for an international big. He can bang down low, but is susceptible to breakdowns when guarding players that drag him out to the 3-point line.
Kevin Love
If Love has a monster 2013–14, he’s probably on the team. But with his myriad of injuries and the trade drama that is sure to swirl around his discontented head all season long, he’s not a lock to return to his 2011–12 form.
Tyson Chandler
Chandler is starting to get up there in age, and has suffered a couple injuries this season. Plus, Anthony Davis offers a very similar skillset in a tem years younger body that is primed for the future.
Greg Monroe
Monroe would’ve made the team in 2002; in 2014 it is understood that his underwhelming foot speed is a killer internationally.
Andre Drummond
I’m ready to ride the Andre Drummond hype train, but to the World Championships? Maybe if Dwight is injured.