Dwight Howard Injury: Tyson Chandler Will Prove He's Best Center for Team USA
Dwight Howard is undergoing season-ending surgery that will hold him out of the playoffs and his job as the starting center of Team USA in the 2012 Olympics.
Fortunately, Tyson Chandler is a shoo-in to replace him, according to Ken Berger of CBS Sports.
The New York Knicks' defensive star is a perfect fit for the national basketball team. He’s a humble, hard-nosed player who does not care about scoring. He battles relentlessly for every rebound, loose ball and position.
Chandler has the ability to lock anyone down and protect the paint like no one else in the sport right now. He’s certainly not going to be a distraction, which is something Howard had perfected this season.
With stars that can score in LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant, there is simply no reason that this team requires anything more than open layups and dunks from its center.
Chandler can easily get in position to do that with his 7’1”, 240-pound frame, and he’s a force on the offensive glass. He’s going to create a ton of second-chance opportunities, including tip-outs to the backcourt, which is something he excels at.
The former NBA Finals-winning center isn’t lacking in international experience. He helped capture gold medals at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship.
Tyson is more than capable of making the step up to the Olympic team and competing against the best of the world in London this summer. He’ll prove he’s the right man for the job and someone who can be thought of as more than just a “Plan B” for Dwight Howard.
