Star-studded list to help choose Olympic basketball team

[ducks]

Star-studded list to help choose Olympic basketball team

June 2, 2005

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Larry Brown are among the who's-who list of stars who agreed Thursday to help choose the men's Olympic basketball team for the United States.


USA Basketball, the sport's national governing body, wants to avoid the trouble that came in selecting the 2004 Olympic team, which finished third at the Athens Games.


Last week, USA Basketball announced Jerry West, Ernie Grunfeld and a handful of NBA team presidents and general managers would be part of the advisory group.


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Other former players on the list this week included David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson. Other coaches included Dean Smith, Bob Knight, John Thompson and Chuck Daly.


``I'm so grateful that these Olympians, both players and coaches, have chosen to assist, serve and engage in this process,'' said Phoenix Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo, who last month was appointed managing director of USA Basketball's senior men's program.


Members of the advisory panel are expected to meet June 6-7 in Chicago.

[ShoogarBear]

"And the committee's choices for the 2008 Olympic team are . . . Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Bill Russell, . . . "

[PM5K]

Shit those guys listed could still win a gold medal right now, even at their age....

Right ahead of me Shooga... Seriously though, the problem is getting people to go not picking the right guys...

[ducks]

barkley would pick manu but he can not play for the usa

[ObiwanGinobili]

"Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Larry Brown ....... David Robinson, Charles Barkley, Bill Russell "

these guys I trust.. so maybe we have an actual shot of regaining olympic glory.

[ObiwanGinobili]

Seriously though, the problem is getting people to go not picking the right guys...


But I wonder how many players would still say "no" if they got a personal visit from Magic, Bird or Bill Russell?? I mean here's this legend you grew up idolizing showing up at your door asking you personaly to do something, lettign you know that he choseyou ...... you'd have to be one hard a55ed selfish mo fo to turn 'em down.

I'm not saying they'll od personal visits.. but it's a good option if they run into resistance.

[PM5K]

Well Michael didn't even want to play on the Dream Team. You'd think they would care more about getting our pride back but who knows...

[ducks]

as long as no spurs go fine
the nba is where it matters
it is not that big of a deal
everyone knows if the spurs as a whole team went over there they would win it all

[spurschick]

I know I'll be called a traitor for this, but I think I still may have to cheer on Argentina. Those guys are just so much fun to watch and they play for national pride, not for popularity. That being said, I will be interested to see what this list of people comes up with for the USA team. These guys seem smart enough to put a team together that will play with their hearts and not their egos.

[ducks]

the problem is that the usa players have to big of egos
and people born outside the country do not have big egos

[ducks]

and you can blame the media for alot of it

broadcasting hs games for the nba scouts is STUPID

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

So now we've got a group of 15 people trying to decide who gets to go?

We don't need a boy's club, we need a team.

[Ginofan]

I know I'll be called a traitor for this, but I think I still may have to cheer on Argentina. Those guys are just so much fun to watch and they play for national pride, not for popularity. That being said, I will be interested to see what this list of people comes up with for the USA team. These guys seem smart enough to put a team together that will play with their hearts and not their egos.


Hey you aren't alone :lol

[tlongII]

Choosing the team isn't the problem. Getting players to accept is.

[ducks]

why should the nba players accept?
they have a greater chance at gettign hurt during the 82 nba game season
they could get hurt and loss millions?


I am not trying to be anti america here
but I am trying to point out why players say no

they are on the road atleast 4 months out of the year
do you think they would like some time with their kids?

[spurschick]

why should the nba players accept?
they have a greater chance at gettign hurt during the 82 nba game season
they could get hurt and loss millions?


I am not trying to be anti america here
but I am trying to point out why players say no

they are on the road atleast 4 months out of the year
do you think they would like some time with their kids?

I agree... it is absolutely a matter of choice. However, if you look at the guys that said "yes" last summer, quite a few of them weren't in it to represent their country - they were in it for the exposure and they pouted when they didn't get the minutes they wanted.

After securing a long-term contract and getting married, I would venture a guess that Manu would've been content to relax for the rest of the summer, but he CHOSE to represent his country out of national pride. This is the same guy who had no problem letting Brent Barry start in his place when Brent needed some confidence. These are the kinds of guys that this elite list of former players need to find for Team USA.

[milkyway21]

the problem is that the usa players have to big of egos
and people born outside the country do not have big egos..i hope MJ & Co. forget to include Melo's ego on the list.... :angel

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I can see it now, Jordan will be pushing for every athlete on the Jumpman 23 line, or at the least any of Nike's clients.

[T Park]

if thats the case

Anthony
Derek Anderson
Derek Jeter
and Warren Saap will be there, oh, and Vin Baker.

[LilMissSPURfect]

they should "draft" all the allstars.......see if there isn't any griping about he said she said I SHOULDA been there instead of........carp...

all of a sudden all your allstars will jump ship....

[E20]

Nothing can go wrong with Micheal Jordan. :fro

[myhc]

I agree... it is absolutely a matter of choice. However, if you look at the guys that said "yes" last summer, quite a few of them weren't in it to represent their country - they were in it for the exposure and they pouted when they didn't get the minutes they wanted.

Who, besides Carmelo Anthony, was just in it for the "exposure"? Because to my knowledge and recollection, it was mainly Anthony that was the one complaining about minutes. We know the starting 5 (Duncan, Odom, Jefferson, Marbury, Iverson) were team guys. Marion, Wade, and Boozer were good soldiers. Lebron, I think wanted to be utilized more, but didn't cause a big fuss over it. I didn't hear a peep out of Amare or Okafor. So I guess I'm wondering where this is coming from because while people here were bashing the players for being all immature, spoiled, me first type players, I was commending the players for actually going while ripping guys like Garnett, Allen, and Kidd for turning it down. The Olympics was a fiasco due to a combination of factors from the makeup of the team to the rest of the world catching up with us. But the selfishness of the players, or perhaps the reputations that preceded some of them, was the least of them.

I think setting up this committee with Magic, Bird, Jordan and Russell is a great idea and I have no doubt they'll construct a well rounded team that has the components to allow us to compete and take back the gold in the next Olympics.

[adidas11]

Jason Kidd was recovering from knee surgery.

Anyhow, this is all nice and sweet, establishing an all-star selection committee, but it doesn't solve the problem at all for why Team USA plays so poorly. If they approach the World Basketball Championships like they have done every other competition, then they will lose again.

[spurschick]

Who, besides Carmelo Anthony, was just in it for the "exposure"?

It was mostly Anthony, but I had heard that Lebron and Amare were also griping behind the scenes. I was obviously stretching when I said "quite a few" guys, so I will retract that.

[mavsfan1000]

What should the lineup be if everyone agrees to come to the Olympics?

[myhc]

Jason Kidd was recovering from knee surgery.

Anyhow, this is all nice and sweet, establishing an all-star selection committee, but it doesn't solve the problem at all for why Team USA plays so poorly. If they approach the World Basketball Championships like they have done every other competition, then they will lose again.

The guys who turned down the Olympics who were recovering from injuries get free passes. But the other guys with bullshit excuses do not. The committee alone doesn't solve anything, but constructing a team that has the components to compete in international rules basketabll is the first step. How many open jump shots did we miss last summer after teams packed it into the paint? I think if we had a couple of shooters like an Allen, Redd, or Sczeribak, we would've had a much better chance of winning.

And I highly doubt whatever team is constructed is going to go into the World Championships and Olympics with a nonchalant attitude again. We've been humiliated enough. I absolutely believe a well rounded team, that has some actual shooters and role players, will bring back the gold.

[myhc]

What should the lineup be if everyone agrees to come to the Olympics?

Some writer had this idea of selecting 5 "go to guys," your all star players who do the bulk of the scoring with one at each position. You need at least 1 pure point guard. Then you absolutely need at least 3 pure shooters who will make defenses pay for playing zone. You also need some shut down defensive players. Then 1 or 2 players that the coach would pick that would fit his style of play. If I had my pick, this is what my team would look like:

Tim Duncan/Ben Wallace/Jeff Foster
Kevin Garnett/Marcus Camby
Tracy McGrady/Tayshaun Prince
Ray Allen/Michael Redd/Rip Hamilton
Chauncey Billups/Andre Miller

[mavsfan1000]

C Ben Wallace/Stoudemire/Shaq
PF Tim Duncan/Garnett/Nowitzki
SF Tracy Mcgrady/L. James
SG Joe Johnson/Michael Redd
PG Jason Terry/Damon Jones