London 2012: NBA Stars Who Could Win Gold in Other Events

With the London Olympics only a few days away, a lifetime of focus and dedication is about to pay off for hundreds of world-class athletes. Most of this year's participants have dedicated their lives to reaching this moment, and the 2012 Games represent the culmination of years of preparation.

That's all very serious and impressive—the sacrifice and pain required to reach London in 2012. But how about something fun to take the edge off?

How about we take some of the world's best athletes, this country's NBA stars, and throw them into the Olympic mix? I know a dozen of our best and brightest comprise the USA basketball team. But that's not what I'm interested in.

Let's try to figure out which NBA stars could bring home the gold in a few other Summer Olympic events.

Archery

Archery requires a steady hand and the ability to repeat a simple motion.

Sounds like we need Stephen Curry.

In his young career, Golden State's young marksman has proved he's got all the skills necessary to bring home the gold. In three seasons, Curry has shot 47 percent from the field, 44 percent from the line and has been a 90 percent free-throw shooter.

He's got a smooth, repeatable delivery and is never afraid to take the big shot. Plus, he's got a sharpshooter pedigree—his dad, Dell Curry, was also known for shooting accurately.

As an archer, Curry could bring home the gold. He's always on target on the basketball court. Why not on the range, too?

Fencing

Let's think outside the box on this one. Fencers are exceptionally quick, but are typically of average height. If we're trying to win the gold with an NBA player, we're going to need an advantage.

A long reach might help. That's why Kevin Durant is the man for this event. He's 6'10", but boasts an insane 7'5" wingspan.

The Durantula has a perfect combination of quickness and crazy length. With his reach, he could rack up points against his fencing opponent from the other side of the room. The other guy wouldn't be able to get anywhere near him.

And Durant is fond of doing his damage from long distance, so he fits in perfectly here.

Beach Volleyball

We're digging deep for this one. Dig is a volleyball term. See what I did there?

Bismack Biyombo is 6'10", but has a wingspan of nearly 7'7". That alone doesn't make him a gold medal volleyball player, but there's more.

Biyombo might have been the rawest player in the NBA last year. He struggled to grasp offensive and defensive schemes and certainly didn't appear ready for the finer points of individual offensive play. But he sure could block shots. In just 20 minutes per game, Biyombo turned away nearly two per game.

So let's keep it simple for Biyombo, and let him do what he does best.

He could stand up at the net and follow simple instructions: "Bismack, if anyone tries to hit the ball over your head, jump up and smash it into the sand."

Easy enough.

Biyombo's partner behind him could handle any lobs their opponents fearfully bumped over his head. But Biyombo would win every 50-50 ball at the net and could shut down opposing hitters with his athleticism and wingspan.

He's a lock for the gold.

Shooting

First of all, I'll answer the obvious question: Yes, shooting is an Olympic sport.

Also, please try to restrain yourself from any Stephen Jackson or Delonte West jokes.

For this event, we need an accomplished shooter who's unfettered by any legally-imposed firearm restrictions. We need a hunter.

Unfortunately, Karl Malone's been gone for a while, so the NBA's not exactly teeming with notable hunters. But we've still got Brad Miller, so he's the winner by default.

Miller's a big fan of pursuing unsuspecting animals with guns, so he's got the firearm experience and cold determination necessary to compete as an Olympic shooter. If Miller can stare down a 2,000-pound elk and not lose his nerve, the pressure of the Olympics won't phase him.

Although he's got plans to retire, we'll give him a pass. Besides, who else are we gonna get?

Wrestling

The NBA is full of stocky, muscular guards who might actually fit the Olympic wrestling mold. But being the right size isn't all that matters.

Wrestling is a gritty, win-at-all-costs affair. To succeed in London, our Olympic NBA wrestler will need to feel comfortable with a few eye gouges and arm locks. He'll need a high threshold for pain and a nearly psychotic desire to win.

Enter Tyler Hansbrough.

Affectionately known as Psycho T, Hansbrough has made a career out of wrestling down low. He throws his body around, loves contact and is never afraid to dole out punishment. And for reference, it was extremely easy to find a photo for this slide that featured Hansbrough diving on top of someone. There are a million of them.

I know wrestling is an highly technical sport, but Hansbrough's got a degree from North Carolina—he can figure it out.

And even if he doesn't learn the finer points, he's bound to be more crazily determined to win than anyone he faces.

Hansbrough's uniquely suited to win Olympic gold as a wrestler. After all, he spends most of his time rolling around on the floor anyway.

Triple Jump

This one's easy. Some of the other events were a stretch, I admit. But finding a gold medalist in the triple jump was flat-out simple.

Lebron James would walk away with the gold in this one.

You see, the triple jump requires a running start, followed by three long one-footed jumps. The athlete traveling the greatest distance wins. And if Lebron James knows anything, it's traveling.

Think about it—James is perfect. He's figured out how to take four or five steps in the NBA, despite the rule that forbids more than one-and-a-half. If we extrapolate that figure, he'd find a way to take at least 10 leaps in the triple jump. He'd obliterate the world record.

And if the Olympics are anything like the NBA, his violation of the three-jump rule would go unpunished. The governing bodies in London are going to need to extend the sand pit for LBJ, because his patented hop-step, crab-dribble technique can't be contained by the current pit's dimensions.

Mark it down: James is a lock.