The choices made for the 2008 "Dream Team" for USA Basketball were the right ones.
The primary difference between this year's and the last Olympics' U.S. team is that this one has been selected in order to win at INTERNATIONAL Basketball. The inclusion of Tayshaun Prince and Michael Redd prove this. Neither player truly dominates the game in the way that the other players on this roster do. These players were chosen because their particular skill set translates better into the international game.
More important than the players that were included were those who were not included. Most notoriously absent from the list were Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics and Tyson Chandler of the New Orleans Hornets.
Leaving these players off of the roster demonstrates that USA Basketball has now realized that a different strategy needs to be utilized in order to win at the international game. By taking a look at why these two players were not chosen will help demonstrate the ways how the international game is different and requires a different strategy.
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Winning at International Basketball requires quick guards to defend the point guards of international teams. Guys like Carlos Arroyo are quicker models patterned after Steve Nash and Jason Kidd.
Players like Arroyo shoot the lights out and can get to the hole. Once they break down the first level of defense, they can distribute and score at will. Bigger, European slashing guards, like Manu Ginobili, also require a faster defender. International refs call the game much more tightly.
Now, I don't want to call out Peirce so soon after he has won his first championship, but similar players were the bain of the Team USA in 2004. While Pierce is indeed a better defender than Vince Carter, he is still too slow while playing NBA style defense (physical). While his scoring would be valuable, he doesn't shoot as well as Redd.
Remember, one of the best players for Team U.S.A. in 2004 was Allen Iverson. His quickness allowed him to break down the defense and his range was perfectly suited to the international game's shorter 3-point line.
Chandler is another player who would seem to be a good choice. He is as quick as Prince, with the size of Chris Bosh. However, his limited offensive game kept him out. The international game is full of posts who can shoot from 10 feet out. The zone rules enforce spacing and require good ball movement. Chandler's inability to hit the open jumper would allow defenders to stay close to the basket to repel penetration, forcing Team USA into charging fouls and poor outside shooting that doomed them in Greece.
While Paul Pierce and Tyson Chandler helped their teams to achieve great success, neither qualified for Team USA in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The players that were chosen all demonstrate a vision for representing the U.S. in international competition. By looking into two of the players who didn't make the team, one can see that the U.S. made the right choice with the picks they selected.
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2 months ago
oh my......please write some stuff only if you're capable, which you're not..it's Paul PIErce...and Manu Ginobili is not an European basketball player, he's from Argentina, last time I checked my worldmap Argentina was in South-America...
2 months ago
I never said he was a European basketball player. I said European guards, like Manu, "like" meaning they are similar to Manu. How about you lay off the anonymous ad hominem attacks and take a little bit of responsibility for the things you write.
from about 1 month ago
you make no sense. anyone who saw a sentence that reads "black NBA players, like Steve Nash, blah blah blah" would think you're an idiot. the nature of the sentence implies that Manu is european. if you cannot see that you shouldn't be writing.
2 months ago
bbbb I believe here in Australia we would use the term "TOLD" as in you just got..........
well done old chap
2 months ago
Jay I think bbb does have a point. The way you have written the phrase doesn't conclude well with your description. Perhaps you should just reword it.
"Bigger, European slashing guards, like Manu Ginobili, also require a faster defender."
When I read that, it seems as if you are implying that Ginobili is European. That's all.
2 months ago
thanks for the anonymous comment. Next time just throw in an edit.
2 months ago
Jay your an idiot, bbbb is right, instead of writing a crappy column, go study some georgraphy.
2 months ago
Now that i re-read this column, it really has no point....The column was terrible. and you tried to cover up your stupidity. The way you said "Bigger, European slashing guards, like Manu Ginobili, also require a faster defender" makes it sound exactly like you thought manu was a euro guy. Idiots. And i bet you think Pau Gasol is a mexican cus hes from Spain and he speaks spanish.
Dont try to cover up, just admit your mistake, instead of trying to talk like a smart ass by saying "How about you lay off the anonymous ad hominem attacks and take a little bit of responsibility for the things you write. ". Dont write columns anymore, they suck guy.
2 months ago
How about you let your leg heal up. I know this is your first comment and all, but you are a much better basketball player than writer.
2 months ago
Jay, last time I checked, Allen Iverson played for Team U.S.A. in 2004. Not in 2008. Or maybe Iverson is just "like" Kobe Bryant or Michael Redd--two guys who will actually play in 2008.
Now, did I use the word "like" like the way you used it? You should really write your own grammar book. Two people will buy them (the other one being your mother). You're truly amazing!
2 months ago
Jay I enjoyed the premise of your article and hope to hear more from you soon. Since you're from the home of bigtime football how about a piece on what progress is being made in Licoln.
2 months ago
Lincoln rather.
about 1 month ago
Sue me, I think we are reading the same article, but the author specifically writes "one of the best players for Team U.S.A. in 2004 was Allen Iverson". Where do you get the 2008 reference from? Everybody seems to be piling on this guy because of one mistake. I think he writes pretty well.
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