How the 2010 FIBA World Championship Impacted the Players of Team USA

Almost one year ago, the United States sent 12 of its best players to Turkey to compete in the FIBA World Championship Tournament. They played hard, and returned with the gold medal. During the NBA season that followed, a surprising amount of these players had great seasons. The MVP, the Most Improved Player, the scoring champion, and a member of the NBA Finals-winning Mavericks all represented our country at the tournament. This is a look at the effect that this tournament had on each of the members of Team USA.

Chauncey Billups

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 19.5 PPG, 5.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, All Star

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 16.8 PPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG

Billups actually saw a statistical decrease following the FIBA Tournament, but that probably has to do more with age than anything else. He was brought into the tournament in a leadership role, as many of the other players were much younger. He played this role well, and even finished as the team's second-highest scorer, albeit losing to Kevin Durant by 13 PPG.

Kevin Durant

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 30.1 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.0 BPG, All Star, Scoring Champion, All NBA First Team

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 27.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG, All Star, Scoring Champion, All NBA First Team

Going into thetournament, Durant had just come off of a season where he was crowned the NBA's youngest ever scoring champion. He was handed the reins of the young FIBA team, and he did not disappoint. He was the tournament's third-highest scorer, and was crowned Tournament MVP following Team USA's victory over the Turkish team. Although statistically Durant may have dipped following the FIBA tournament, he became a better leader for his team, who upped their win total by five and put themselves on the map. He again won the scoring crown this year, and, at 22, it looks as though he can only improve from here.

Derrick Rose

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 20.8 PPG, 6.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, All Star

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 25.0 PPG, 7.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, All Star, All NBA First Team, MVP

Perhaps the player who most obviously improved, Rose went from a very good point guard to the youngest player to ever win the MVP award following his appearance at the FIBA tournament. He was the team's leading assist man, and this translated to the NBA season, where his assist average rose by almost two per game. He started every game in the tournament en route to a gold medal.

Russell Westbrook

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 16.1 PPG, 8.0 APG, 1.3 SPG

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 21.9 PPG, 8.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, All Star, All NBA Second Team

Russell Westbrook was the one player whose leap following the FIBA tournament was perhaps the most dramatic. He went from playing second fiddle to Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City, to being a legitimate superstar who proved that he could carry the team when Durant's shot wasn't falling. He has taken a lot of heat for his performance in the playoffs, and it is true that he needs to work on his shot selection, but Westbrook has all the tools to be an absolute monster in this league.

Rudy Gay

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 19.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 19.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 1.1 BPG

Despite having an injury-shortened season, Gay proved that he, too, benefited greatly from his experiences in Turkey last summer. Always a high-flyer, he became a better shooter, with all of his percentages rising a significant amount. He also blossomed into an above-average defender, as his steal and block numbers show. Many people think that the Grizzlies may trade Gay following their fairytale run in the playoffs, for which he was sidelined. However, at just 24, Gay has not yet reached his potential, and I think it would be foolish to get rid of a possible franchise player because they were mildly successful without him.

Andre Iguodala

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 17.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 14.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.6 BPG, All Defensive Second Team

Here is another case of a player who did not make any strides statistically after the tournament. In Iguodala's case, he took upon the role of defensive stopper during his time in Turkey, and that then gave him the reputation of a great perimeter defender in the NBA. Even though his steals and blocks decreased, he was still named to his first All Defensive team the year after the FIBA tournament. Because of his newfound prowess on that end of the court, he was and is the subject of trade rumors, with people speculating that he could go to one of several teams that could use a defensive boost.

Danny Granger

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 24.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 20.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Granger was one player who benefited greatly from his time playing with Team USA, even if his statistics don't reflect the whole story. His Pacers won five more games than the year before, making the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They lost to the Bulls in 5 games, but were competitive in nearly all of them, and much of that has to do with Granger's play. His statistical drop could be contributed to the rise of players like Tyler Hansbrough, Paul George, and Roy Hibbert, all of whom had stretches last year where they played very well.

Stephen Curry

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 17.5 PPG, 5.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, All Rookie First Team

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 18.6 PPG, 5.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, NBA Sportsmanship Award

Stephen Curry is one of my favorite young players in the league. I think he has the potential to be a great player. In the FIBA tournament, he did what he was best at; namely, shooting the ball. He has a real gift for shooting, whether it be from behind the arc, from the line, or from mid range, and that was on display at the tournament. Also, I think that the fact that he won this year's Sportsmanship Award bodes well for his future, as being a great player is somewhat about talent, but it's also about attitude, and Curry clearly has a great attitude.

Eric Gordon

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 16.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 22.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.3 SPG

Eric Gordon, along with Blake Griffin, is poised to do what no one has been able to do for almost the entirety of the Clippers' existence; make them a relevant, respectibl team. Gordon has shown that he can be an absolutely unstoppable scorer when healthy, so now the only thing he has to do is stay on the court. The two of them make an incredible inside-outside duo. Gordon's experience at the FIBA tournament opened the door for him to become the great player that he was last season.

Kevin Love

2009-10 Statistics/Awards: 14.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 0.4 BPG

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 20.2 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 0.4 BPG, All Star, Most Improved Player, Rebounding Champion

Kevin Love was relegated to the bench for much of his first two seasons in the NBA, despite showing flashes of what happened this year. In his first full year as a starter, Love proved his doubters wrong, averaging more than 15 rebounds per game, and punctuated his career year with a game in which he scored 31 points while pulling down 31 rebounds. Love has a feel for rebounding that can't be taught, and he really shone in the FIBA tournament as well, finishing third on the team in boards after Lamar Odom and Kevin Durant, while playing less than 9 minutes per game.

Lamar Odom

2009-2010 Statistics/Awards: 10.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 0.7 BPG, NBA Champion

2010-11 Statistics/Awards: 14.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 6th Man of the Year

Lamar Odom, like Chauncy Billups, was brought to the team to give it some veteran presence, as the then-30 year old Odom had already played 10 seasons of NBA basketball. Odom is a very unique type of player. He has the ability to play any position from the 3 to the 5, and can score in a multitude of ways. He was instrumental in the two most recent Lakers championship seasons, coming off the bench and destroying other backups. The season after the FIBA tournament, Odom earned his first ever 6th Man o the Year award, rewarding him for his effective role as a bench player. The tournament in Turkey no doubt helped him to gain the experience to better play his role for the Lakers.

Tyson Chandler

2009-2010 Statistics/Awards: 6.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.1 BPG

2010-2011 Statistics/Awards: 10.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.1 BPG, NBA Champion, All-NBA Defensive Second Team

Tyson Chandler was an extremely hyped prospect coming out of high school and he never quite lived up to those lofty expectations with the exception of a couple good seasons playing alongside Chris Paul in New Orleans. When he was traded to the Mavericks last summer, right before the FIBA tournament started, no one knew quite what to expect from him. He immediately injected toughness into Dirk and the Mavs and gave them a defensive identity that carried them to victory over the Heat in the Finals. This toughness was on display in Turkey as well, where Chandler was mainly used to patrol the paint and to finish alley-oops, the same jobs he was given in Dallas. While Dirk was the unquestioned leader and best player for the Mavericks, it was battle tested Tyson Chandler that really gave Dirk the spark he needed to rise to the next level.