How To Build The Best Team In The World
If you’ve ever spoken to JaVale McGee, you know the guy is hilarious. And earlier this week on Twitter, McGee raised an interesting point that in the distant future, the World Championships won’t be USA vs. Brazil, but rather something akin to Earth vs. Mars. As McGee put it, “imagine how hard tryouts for earth r gonna b… Wow.” With that in mind, it got us thinking who would make Team Earth. But with the majority of the world’s best players coming from North America, we figured we’d put some limits on it. For this roster, only one player from every continent could be used. Here’s how it’d look:
Aron’s All-World Team:
PG – Manu Ginobili (South America)
SG – Kobe Bryant (North America)
SF – Luol Deng (Africa)
PF – Dirk Nowitzki (Europe)
C – Andrew Bogut (Australia)
6th – Yao Ming (Asia)
For my team, I took the best player available from each continent. While everyone builds a team their own way, I believe in taking the most talent and chemistry will figure itself out. The biggest question mark was point guard, but I’d rather have Dirk on my team any day than Tony Parker.
Austin’s All-World Team:
PG – Tony Parker (Europe)
SG – Manu Ginobili (South America)
SF – LeBron James (North America)
PF – Andrew Bogut (Australia)
C – Yao Ming (Asia)
6th – Luol Deng (Africa)
I took a different approach than Aron. While he was talking about taking the best player from each continent and trying to patch together a roster, I’m looking at building a solid roster even if it means taking the 3rd- or 4th-best guy from a given continent.
Case in point: There is no continent whose best player is a natural point guard. So instead of – under AP’s strategy – forcing Ginobili or Kobe to play PG, I’m taking Tony Parker as my European representative to play the one. So I’m giving up Dirk, but I can still plug Bogut in at power forward, or I could have gone with Yi Jianlian at the four.
What do you think? Which team would you play Mars with?
Follow Aron on Twitter at @the_real_aron.
Follow Austin on Twitter at @AustinBurton206.
Follow Dime on Twitter at @DIMEMag.
Become a fan of Dime Magazine on Facebook HERE.
-->
September 1st, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Yooo says:
Stupid
September 1st, 2010 at 6:07 pm
LB says:
Earth vs Mars? Like Space Jam?
September 1st, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Phileus says:
^– No, it’s actually pretty interesting.
I like Austin’s approach more. At first I was surprised that you took Parker over Dirk or Gasol but it makes sense.
There has to be a better “second-best player in Asia” than Yi Jianlian though…
September 1st, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Lee says:
Hmmm … Doesn’t Deng suit up for England ??? I would think this put him in the Europe continent.
September 1st, 2010 at 6:20 pm
Miami6 says:
Jeez Deng gets a free ride even though he is british lol
September 1st, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Young Gunner says:
@Lee:
Deng has African roots. Lots of people migrate from Africa to England.
Anyways, cant argue with Aron’s list
September 1st, 2010 at 6:51 pm
atticusmitch says:
nash no love? canada not part of the world?
September 1st, 2010 at 7:02 pm
D-Moneyy says:
personally i would go with them 10 foot tall alien dudes from Avatar
lol
September 1st, 2010 at 7:09 pm
smity far away says:
@Young Gunner
everybody has African roots though…
September 1st, 2010 at 7:26 pm
LakeShow84 says:
@ atticusmitch
Canada is North America my man.. u couldve made a case for Alaska lol..
Ill role with Arons list.. Manu can play PG SOLID and he got height and floppin on his side so he’d make a good PG..
Even though Austins team might SMASH Arons team considering the Deng/James matchup NEVER goes Dengs way lol
September 1st, 2010 at 7:28 pm
PatMuldowney says:
Deng plays for the British national team but is originally from Sudan. (Calathes is playing for the Greek national team but was born in Florida.)
Nash? Love him, but tough to argue taking Nash over Kobe or LeBron (or Durant/Wade/Melo/CP3/d.Will)
This is the 2nd impressive JaVale McGee related post today, looked sick in that HAX highlight earlier.
Gotta agree with AP’s philosophy here….seems to be working pretty well for team USA right now, even lacking dominant post players.
September 1st, 2010 at 7:29 pm
PatMuldowney says:
and just for good measure I’m nominating Obama as the coach of this squad
September 1st, 2010 at 7:31 pm
LowerEastScribe says:
^Nash is from Canada. Canada is in North America, so he wouldn’t beat out Kobe/LeBron. But since Deng has African roots, so does Kobe, LeBron, Melo, Duncan, CP3. I’m using a loophole. With that said, here’s my 5:
PG-Nash (North America)
SG-Kobe (Africa)
SF-Drik (Europe)
PF-Varejao (South America)
C-Yao (Asia)
6th man-Bogut (Australia)
I’m going Varejao because everyone else will score and we only need one alpha-dog (Kobe). Side-show-bob can play D and is another big body to semi-clog the lane. With that size, we’d surely control the boards and thus, control the game. It would also be fun to watch all the Kobe haters have to root for him. (Kobe and Yao on the same team. China would love this!)
September 1st, 2010 at 7:46 pm
atticusmitch says:
@LowerEastScribe
Kobe is not from Africa man, hes from Philly
September 1st, 2010 at 7:48 pm
IGP says:
You would really take Yao over Sun Yue?
September 1st, 2010 at 7:49 pm
atticusmitch says:
just FYI
Deng is actually from Africa. He moved to the UK when he was a kid.
September 1st, 2010 at 7:54 pm
IGP says:
Man I’m sick of ESPN. Every time I look on their page they have some bullshit about Team USA. We BARELY beat Brazil…we beat Iran and they have up “cause for concern.” We smoked Iran. A win is a win. I don’t get it. Yeah we have flaws and we aren’t the perfect team, but we still got the win.
September 1st, 2010 at 7:54 pm
cb4 says:
This is the team that would dominate FIBA.
It consists of the best shooting pg of all time at PG, best player in the world at SG, best FIBA player in the world at SF, best shooting PF of all time at PF, and one of the best shooting centers.
Bogut is only included as the sixth man because hes better than anyone from Antarctica
nash (Africa)
Lebron (North America)
Scola (South America)
Dirk (Europe)
Yao (Asia)
6th Bogut (Australia)
September 1st, 2010 at 8:02 pm
IGP says:
Aron’s team would win this game no problem
September 1st, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Young Gunner says:
@Smitty:
Ok….but not the point I was trying to make
September 1st, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Jedaco says:
Here’s my team:
PG – Steve Nash (Africa) – Born in South Africa
SG – Manu Ginobili (South America)
SF – LeBron James (North America)
PF – Dirk Nowitzki (Europe)
C – Yao Ming (Asia)
6th – Andrew Bogut (Australia)
This would be the best team. Only change could be Kobe for Bron.
September 1st, 2010 at 8:31 pm
number 1 says:
co-sign @cb4
his team would smoke Aron’s and Austin’s.
Nash has Canadian citizenship, but he was born in South Africa. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dirk, or other foreign born players have been American citizens by now either.
Even Boozer was born in Germany, at an American military base.
September 1st, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Ryan says:
My semi-serious team:
PG–Hedo Turkoglu (Asia)
SG–Nicholas Batum (Europe)
SF–LeBron James (North America)
PF–Luis Scola (South America)
C–Andrew Bogut (Australia)
Bench–Hakeem Olajuwon (Africa)
Let Hakeem teach LeBron post moves for six months, then let’s see the Martians try and cope with this teams size + super-Bron.
September 1st, 2010 at 9:18 pm
JTok says:
All world team, or the monstars?
September 1st, 2010 at 9:37 pm
quest??? says:
no puerto ricans in the list?? Arroyo or barea??????
September 1st, 2010 at 9:47 pm
j says:
who’s reppin Antarctica!?
September 1st, 2010 at 9:52 pm
b says:
Nash was actually born in South Africa… so you could take him at the point if you take Deng for that same reason
September 1st, 2010 at 9:57 pm
b says:
pg – nash (africa)
sg – ginoboli (south america)
sf – james (north america)
pf – p.gasol (europe)
c – bogut (australia)
6th man – tim duncan (virgin islands) or yoa ming (asia)
boom!
September 1st, 2010 at 10:21 pm
number 1 says:
@b virgin island ain’t a continent my dude
boom boom!!!
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:13 am
number 1 says:
You guys are sleeping on Scola. Right now he’s putting up Durant type scoring numbers 28.5 ppg 8.5 rpg through 4 games so far. Not to mention these games are 8 min shorter and it is a lot harder to put up big scoring numbers.
If he wasn’t such a team player, I think he could easily average over 20 ppg in the NBA if he demanded the ball more often.
Just like Ginobili, Scola has shown he will do everything he can to win, even if that means sacrificing his own stats. I’m happy Houston rewarded him with a fat contract.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:22 am
str8ganksta says:
In other words, let’s come up with a team to put around bogut…the lone opion outta australia.
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:37 am
cesar says:
nash (africa),
bogut (oceania),
lebron/kobe (n. america),
ginobili/scola (s. america),
yao/turkoglu (asia),
dirk/gasol (europe)
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:44 am
christian says:
ginobili – south america
kobe – north america
ibaka – africa
gasol – europe
bogut – australia
yao – 6th man
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:45 am
cesar says:
all-time:
ed palubinskas (oceania)
michael jordan (north america)
drazen petrovic (europe)
oscar schmidt (south america)
hakeem olajuwon (africa)
yao ming (asia)
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:55 am
DownhillDemon says:
Bench?
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:26 am
oo wee says:
I like Aron’s line up. Just because you’re a two guard doesn’t mean you can’t play point. I could see either Manu or Kobe(hypothetically, but kobe wouldn’t have it) playing point. They’re both good passers and creators. Luol would be the perimeter defensive ‘stopper’.
I don’t know too much about Deng’s personality cause I just started to watch the bulls play this year on occasion, but I do know this: the rest of the guys on this team are serious competitors and tough as nails.
Aron’s All-World Team:
PG – Manu Ginobili (South America)
SG – Kobe Bryant (North America)
SF – Luol Deng (Africa)
PF – Dirk Nowitzki (Europe)
C – Andrew Bogut (Australia)
6th – Yao Ming (Asia)
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:45 am
QazQami says:
any people who doesnt chose Pau for the europe part is not serious to me..
btw i have no list.. not enough choice from africa, asia n oceania
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:05 am
basketballtips says:
This would be the best team also:
PG – Steve Nash (Africa) – Born in South Africa
SG – Manu Ginobili (South America)
SF – LeBron James (North America)
PF – Dirk Nowitzki (Europe)
C – Yao Ming (Asia)
6th – Andrew Bogut (Australia)
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:18 am
JD says:
I’d take Marvin the Martian and clone him to fill all the spots – beat down earth team
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:39 am
Guitar Hero says:
errr…yeah, Australia is not a continent. It´s a country.
Oceania is the continent you are looking for, I presume. New Zealand is part of it, as well as other countries you have probably never heard about before.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:01 am
number 1 says:
@ QazQami
What are you talking about, not choosing pau. Are you seriously trying to say hes better than Nowitski?
You need to stop listening to Mark Jackson announce the Lakers games.
Any way you look at it, Dirk is way better than pau. Check out the career numbers. This year Dirk almost averaged 10 points more than pau. the only thing pau is better than dirk in is rebounding, but that stat is skewed because this year he averaged 11 boards. for their careers they board almost identically.
get off the Lakers bandwagon.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:05 am
ab_40 says:
yeah b you got us there virgin islands is a real continent… dumbass.
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:15 am
AUT says:
@atticusmitch damn are you seriuos, get back to elementary school.
canada not part of world?!?!
damn man, damn, so what for you its europe, asia, africa, australia, south and north america and CANADA???
damn damn damn…
September 2nd, 2010 at 6:21 am
QazQami says:
@number 1
first, please note that i hate the lakers lol
i’m just objective enough to see that Pau is the ultimate #4/5 today
he has basicaly won the last world and europe championship by himself : /
of course dirk scores more.. how u wanna score that many pts when u have mister that ball is mine aka kobe in ur team?
how u gonna beat Mars with a 4 that cant rebound a ball : / lol
pau is the ultimate winner in basketball today. (with kobe)u have him in ur team = u re a serious contender. period.
and once again.. fuck LA,,, and fuck spain
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:31 am
92021SpurMD says:
Chemistry matters more than everyone thinks, with that said, I went with that, three point shooting, mobility, and finishers for the screen/roll: PG – Nash (Africa)/SG – Manu (SA)/SF – Hedo (Asia)/PF – Dirk (Europe)/C – Amare (NA)/Bench – Bogut (Aus)
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:33 am
92021SpurMD says:
And by the way QazQami, I think Rubio, Fernandez, Navarro, and the rest of Team Spain would have something to say about Pau winning it on his own. And i’m pretty sure everyone would agree with them, and not you!!
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:17 am
JAY says:
I’ll take…
PG – Lebron James (N.A)
SG – Chupacabra (South America)
SF – Siberian Tiger (Europe)
PF – Polar Bear (Arctic)
C – Elephant (Africa)
6th – Sasquatch (Asia)
I wouldn’t feed them for 3 days before the game…
I’d like to see any one of your teams stay on the court with my team.
I put Lebron on my team so he can get ripped apart after scoring a bucket. Final score: 2 – 0.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:59 am
QazQami says:
@92
huh.. have u seen any of the spain’s european championship games? : /
he was by SUUUUUUUPER far the best player of the tournament …
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:40 am
dagwaller says:
I think that Qaz has a point, but I’m sticking with Dirk. It’d be like choosing between Kobe and LeBron as your North American representative.
Funny how Africa and Asia really only have one good player each (Nash and Yao) haha
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:19 am
JAY says:
NOBODY can win an international tourney by themself. It’s too much of a team game for that to happen. Gasol was the MVP but he couldn’t have done it by himself. FIBA allows pure zones, no 3-second defense rule. How can a post player win it himself without smart teamwork??
September 2nd, 2010 at 12:05 pm
Andrew says:
First, I’m taking players where they mainly have their citizenship (i.e. Steve Nash has Canadian citizenship instead of South African).
Second, here is my roster with no particular positioning because when you have Lebron James you don’t need a PG. Lebron James creates better than normal PGs. Only reason I hesitate in picking him over Kobe is lack of closing ability, but I feel Lebron will put the game out of reach by then.
LeBron James (North America)
Leandro Barbosa (South America)
Andrei Kirilenko (Asia)
Pau Gasol (Europe)
Andrew Bogut (Australia)
Bench – Omri Casspi (Africa, I think Israel qualifies as an African country, if not I select Mbah a Moute)
Manu has lost his touch. Barbosa adds quickness, quick shooting, something I don’t think Manu has. Kirilenko adds the D.
And how are yall seriously selecting Yao Ming. That guy is beyond washed up. Plus if you take LeBron, you can put him guarding a 4/5 on the defensive side of the ball if you wanna sit Pau/Bogut.
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Jedaco says:
PG – Steve Nash (Africa)
SG – Manu Ginobili (South America)
SF – LeBron/Kobe (North America)
PF – Gasol/Dirk (Europe)
C – Bogut (Australia)
6th – Yao/Kirilenko (Asia)
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:58 pm
J 694 says:
Yinka Dare – Africa
September 13th, 2010 at 11:14 pm
GB Basketball 2012 says:
Did you make a mistake for Luol Deng? He is on the GB National Team, not Africa.. I’m happy he is on your list however, his national team is GB!