Derrick Rose, Rodney Stuckey & Kevin Durant Among Players To Test Team USA
The squad of NBA youngsters who will scrimmage Team USA before they take off for Beijing reportedly includes Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Al Jefferson, Andre Iguodala, Al Horford, Kevin Martin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rodney Stuckey and Jeff Green. Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins were invited but turned down the offer.
We like this squad, but who else would you like to see in the mix? What other young guys should at least get an invite (if they didn’t already) because they can push the A Team? How about Monta Ellis and Rudy Gay? And if you’re going for some guys who can sort of mimic Euro-style jump shooters or do-a-little-of-everything players, how about David Lee, Jared Dudley, Matt Carroll, Channing Frye and Troy Murphy? Those last guys aren’t elite NBA players, but Troy Murphy’s game is pretty close to what Team USA will be dealing with in Beijing.
And finally, is Michael Beasley going to be involved with this, or is Pat Riley too afraid to let him roam around Vegas right now?
June 30th, 2008 at 9:56 am
mambo mamba says:
check this out! Some of the Celtics celebrating with WBC lightweight champ Manny Pacquiao http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NnjVMrDPYo
June 30th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Damon says:
why jeff green and not danny granger?
June 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am
ron says:
LETS GET SOME SAP SAUCE IN ON THAT
srsly paul milsap great guy
June 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am
miamiVIS3 says:
If beasley isn’t involved It’s because Pat isn’t going to risk having his 2 biggest stars competing over the summer.
I’m honestly not worried about Beasley getting in trouble. OK he played some serious pranks in high school but explain to me how that all of the sudden makes him Pacman Jones.
June 30th, 2008 at 10:19 am
hahns says:
come on…its adam jones now. give the guy some respect.
jk.
but i agree, granger should replace green. i def think monta and rudy should be on the team. how about some brandon roy, devin harris, josh smith, al horford
June 30th, 2008 at 10:19 am
SayItAintSo says:
I’d put Brandon Roy on that list. And I agree with ‘ron’ put a player who plays exponentially bigger than they are on the list too (i.e. Milsap, Maxiell)
June 30th, 2008 at 10:23 am
hahns says:
btw, westicles should make the team.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:00 am
miamiVIS3 says:
lol hahns I was actually gonna write Adam Jones but I decided against it.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:03 am
shake&bake says:
Josh Smith.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Kobeef says:
Team USA (Next edition)
PG – D. Rose/Westbrook (D-Fence!!)
SG – Durant/K. Martin
SF – Beasley/JSmoove/Rudy
PF – Al Horford/Al Jefferson
C – Oden/Bynum
You know – I’d love to see this team take-on the current team USA. That starting lineup is sick.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:25 am
hahns says:
bayless > westbrook.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Big Freeze says:
Yo, if Brian Scalabrini or Matt Bonner isn’t involved in this, then there is something up with Team USA.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Kobeef says:
@Hahns
We went through this Bayless vs Wesbrook argument about 10 times before the draft. Following that,
1. I think the draft speaks for itself on this issue: 10 NBA GM’s, coaches and talent scouts had reason to let Bayless drop to 11 (and get traded for pick 13)
2. DJ Augustin and Eric Gordon were picked above Bayless…so that should also tell you that Westbrook was at least a couple of notches above Bayless.
3. At least two of the teams that passed on Bayless have openly stated that they need a PG (NY, LA)..so that says something.
4. The team that drafted him traded him in favor of TJ Ford. That says something.
Essentially he is a very undersized SG who doesn’t seem to be able to do anything other than jump at an elite level. Portland took him because B-Roy is their primary ball handler – which means you can expect Bayless to be a 6th/7th man.
June 30th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
hahns says:
bc we all know gms always make the right decisions in the draft…
case in point:
josh howard, gilber arenas, monta ellis, rashard lewis, paul pierce finals mvp.
need i say more?
June 30th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
hahns says:
kobeef, the only thing you prove is that gms were higher on westbrook than bayless.
gms are in love w/ upside and athleticism, but i havent seen too many other players w/ a J as sweet was bayless’s. upside and athleticism is great and all, and i know westbrook is going to be a good defender in the L, but lets be honest. the guy is what, 6′3? hes not going to be locking up lebron, dirk, pp, kobe, tmac etc.
im not saying westbrook sucks, bc in a league w/ a fresh crop of good pgs (rose cp dwil tp wade) he’ll be very useful, but i just think bayless will be a better player.
June 30th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
AB_40 says:
Greg Oden, Josh Smith, Sebastian Telfair. and to top it off adam morrison and jj redick. Cuzz white guys who can shoot always succeed in the nba like they did in college. The las sentence was sarcastic not rascist before ya’ll go berserk
June 30th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
imung lolo upaw says:
How about some Chris Kaman? Legit seven footer who has some nice moves around the basket, can shoot the jumpshot, rebounds and block shots.. sounds like somebody who you might face in the international game..
June 30th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Kobeef says:
@Hahns
The only thing you prove is that you are higher on Bayless than Westbrook…
June 30th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Bron42 had springs before slamball says:
bayless is weak on D and hes going to have a tough time gettin that sweet shoot off over bigger players since he has shown no PG skills. a young mo williams
June 30th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
hahns says:
@kobeef.
haha what else did you want me to prove? forums are place to voice your oppinion…i dont think anyone can definitively prove that westbrook or bayless will be better than the other..its all speculation.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
HBooyah says:
I’d like to see the guys who were on it before but now aren’t. Joe Johnson, Tyson Chandler . . .
What about Mike Miller?
And if Beasley gets discussion about why he’s not there, so should Mayo.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Lee says:
So you practice for Euro ball by picking the next Team USA. That’s pretty dumb if you ask me.
JJ redick is exactly the type of player you want to be practicing against .. anyone who is a great shooter, team player, hustle guy.
I’d have
Andre Miller / Farmer
JJ / Brandon Roy
Grant Hill (unlikely) / Richard Hamilton
David Lee / Okafor / David West
Chris Kaman / Al Jefferson
Not saying this team would win but it would play similar to international teams’ style which is what you want.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
HBooyah says:
Also, DEFINITELY Ellis. And too bad Ben Gordon’s becoming British.
Jefferson did average 22 ppg . . . is he too old now?
How about David West?
June 30th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Mo says:
David West and Brandon Roy were both invited to the Select Team but they both declined.
Also invited were Brandon Roy, who will be resting this summer and finishing up his degree at the University of Washington, and David West, who wants to rest after an extremely long season. They will still be in the mix for the future.
http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Word-on-the-Street-Draft-Day-Rumblings–320-PM-EST–2950/
June 30th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
HBooyah says:
Ah, gotcha. Thanks Mo.
June 30th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Kobeef says:
@Lee
This is supposed to be team next not team 1995.
Hill, Miller and Rip? Those dudes are older than the current Team USA members.
Also, the only international experience JJ Redick is going to get is when he moves to Europe after his rookie contract expires.
June 30th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Lee says:
@ kobeef
Try READING the title again .. they’re selecting player TO TEST team USA .. meaning to prepare them for internaional competition.
So you pick players who can play like the competition they’ll meet, you’re not picking the next team USA. So one of the best shooters (Redick) would be a good test. That’s what my choices were based on.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
IGP says:
I’d definitely have Rudy Gay, Josh Smith, and Andrew Bynum on that list. Maybe not Bynum because of his injury and the Lakers might not want to risk it, but how is Josh Smith not on this team? I think he should have gotten the regular team USA consideration.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
word says:
stat must be pissed he got cut
June 30th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
tim says:
Stuckey is gonna carve up the real team…do they televise any of these practice games?
June 30th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
HBooyah says:
Caron Butler.
June 30th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
ninja cool says:
How about the C’s vs. Team USA?
June 30th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Bron42 aka Thugnificant says:
Lee is right, why are we practicing against other athletic american style players? Our biggest issue over seas wasn’t if we had better players cuz EVERYONE knows we do, the question is can we adjust to their style and rules. So they should get guys who match european style (even if their bums)that way they get used to playin against it. So what jj Reddick sucks, I bet he runs a mean pic and role similar to how greece and them would..thats what we need to get ready for. Not some midnight madness open scrimmage.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
BmoreRvensFan says:
monta ellis, jordan farmar, andrew bynum, rudy gay, oj mayo, k love
July 1st, 2008 at 7:51 am
djKianoosh says:
you need players that can run and defend the pick and roll. whoever that is, that’s who you need to get to prepare for the olympics. cause that’s basically what greece did. they pick and rolled team usa to death that one game they lost.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Willis says:
@ Kobeef
Martin>Durant right now. Give Durant time to settle before you start glorifying his 20 points on 15 shots. He shouldn’t be at shooting guard anyway.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
James says:
AL Horford and Al Jefferson should be on the team , they are the post players we need
July 15th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
AB_40 says:
Brandon Roy, Michael Beasley, Greg Oden, JJ Redick just to F with his mind him thinking he’s amazing ‘n all and uhm Monta Ellis. Maybe Rudy Gay.