United States finalise 2012 London Olympics Dream Team
Roar Rookie By Widget, 9 Jul 2012 Widget is a Roar Rookie
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- 2012 Olympic Games, Basketball, dream team, NBA
NBA Finals players LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden will play for the USA (AFP)
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The United States of America have today finalised their 12 man squad that they will send to the London Olympics in just three short weeks.
The modern day Dream Team will be led by Duke University Coack Mike Krzyzewski, who helped guide the USA to gold in Beijing.
Having an unimaginable wealth of talent to choose from, Coach ‘K’ has selected his ideal twelve men from an original squad of twenty to take to London.
The squad is as follows:
Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)
Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks)
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)
James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers)
LeBron James (Miami Heat)
Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers)
Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Deron Williams (Brooklyn Nets)
From this squad there was no real surprises to any avid basketball followers as the majority of the in form big name players were named. Dwyane Wade was ruled out after requiring knee surgery.
The roster features five players (Anthony, Bryant, James, Paul and Williams) who were a part of the team that won gold in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics and four players who played in the NBA Finals for the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The USA will move on to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., to train July 13-15 and play an exhibition contest versus Brazil at the Verizon Center on July 16, then they will head to Manchester to play an exhibition game against the Great Britain national team before heading to London.
Who do you think will be in the starting five Roarers?
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The Crowd Says (11) | Page 1 of Comments
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- 2012 Olympic Games, Basketball, dream team, NBA
July 9th 2012 @ 11:35am
Brian said | July 9th 2012 @ 11:35am | Report comment
Is Rose injured?
July 9th 2012 @ 11:38am
Widget said | July 9th 2012 @ 11:38am | Report comment
Yeah, he had a knee reconstruction early in the playoffs
July 9th 2012 @ 11:52am
Cameron said | July 9th 2012 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Why is it that any USA Olympic basketball team is automatically labled “the dream team”? They did’nt take home the Gold medal a few Olympics back and yet still they somehow deserve this pious label. It’s unjust.
July 9th 2012 @ 12:08pm
B-Rock said | July 9th 2012 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
You’re right Cameron – its a marketing term which kind of stuck post 92. Totally undeserved until 08 (which actually called themselves the Redeem team following the 04 debacle). I think this team is good enough to warrant it though.
Come to think of it, other than the “Dream Team” they dont have an alternate nickname like the Boomers for the Australian team… just “Team USA”
Ive heard the US is thinking of limiting it to U23 from the next world champs so certainly will not be the dream team on that basis.
July 9th 2012 @ 2:46pm
Australian Rules said | July 9th 2012 @ 2:46pm | Report comment
The “Dream Team” moniker is appropriate for the US Mens team because basketball is somewhat unique in the Olympics.
There’s no other event/sport at the Olympics where the gold medal is virtually predetermined, by virtue of one country being so dominant.
And yes, I know that they haven’t always won…but they should.
The talent at the disposal of the United States runs so deep they could field 3 teams to secure gold, silver and bronze (if they could actually learn to play with each other).
No I doubt we’ll ever see the likes of the 92 DT.
July 9th 2012 @ 3:00pm
Tristan Rayner said | July 9th 2012 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
With Howard, Rose, Wade and Bosh available, I’d suggest this team would have around nine HOF’ers. That’s two shy of the ’92. Only LBJ has the aura of a Magic or Jordan though.
Of course, they don’t, through injury, but it’s a heckofa team.
July 9th 2012 @ 12:01pm
B-Rock said | July 9th 2012 @ 12:01pm | Report comment
Only weakness is size, but only Spain (with Gasol/Gasol/Ibaka front line) will be able to exploit it. Unfortunately for Spain, their perimeter players will not be able to keep up. 3pt shooting may also be an issue given how much zone they will face – by comittee they should get by from outside though.
This team is the product of a talent boom in the NBA, which can be seen from the number of quality players who arent playing, largely due to injury – Howard, Rose, Wade, Bosh, Bynum, etc
The only real knock on the team is that some of the players may no translate to FIBA ball very well – Griffin, Westbrook, Love and Williams in particular. Saying that, this is nit-picking a trully awesome team.
The only option against them is to slow the game to a snails pace, dump it inside, get Chandler and LBJ in foul trouble and force them to shoot threes by clogging the paint. Much easier to type than execute however!
July 9th 2012 @ 6:40pm
Glenn said | July 9th 2012 @ 6:40pm | Report comment
Don’t forget Chris Paul as well. He will be called for more travels than anybody in the Olympics if he gets decent minutes. One writer said a number of the players’ games (Paul and Westbrook specifically) are a product of the NBA’s rules and interpretations. I love the NBA but I can guarantee they’ll crack it a few times, especially with how volatile they are.
July 9th 2012 @ 9:45pm
Nick Jungfer said | July 9th 2012 @ 9:45pm | Report comment
They’re missing Howard/Bosh/Wade but will still be almost impossible to beat. Spain are loaded with NBA talent the only ones with a chance in my opinion. Also interesting that OKC have 3 players on Team USA (durant, Westbrook, Harden) as well as 1 on Spain (Ibaka).
July 9th 2012 @ 9:51pm
Cameron Larkin said | July 9th 2012 @ 9:51pm | Report comment
Best team: Paul, D Williams, rose, LBJ, Durant, wade, Duncan, Garnett, Bynum, Love, Howard
& Kobe. That team would challenge 92 team.
July 11th 2012 @ 11:08am
Matthew Skellett said | July 11th 2012 @ 11:08am | Report comment
I just want to say CONGRATS TO THE AUSSIE NATIONAL U17 TEAM WHO MADE IT TO THE FINAL OF THE WORLD U17 FIBA CHAMPIONSHIPS AGAINST THE USA -ONYA GUYS !!!!!!!