2012 US Olympic Basketball Team

[soonerbms]

Will Blake Griffin be on it? Discuss.

 

[rbi2]

There is 12 roster spots.

PG-Chris Paul, Deron Williams
These guys have the PG spot lockdown. They will have to get a 3rd PG. Most likely-Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose or Rodney Stuckey. All 3 will be really good. Rose will most likely be the starter of 2016 Olympics.

SG-Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade
Kobe already said he wants to come back and defend his Gold. Dwyane Wade will take over his starter spot if Kobe decides not to come back. Other possibles-Brandon Roy, Joe Johnson and Kevin Martin.

SF-LeBron, Kevin Durant
LeBron and KD will be a tough matchup for anyone. KD already has hit foot in the door with being on USA Select Team last year.

PF-Carmelo Anthony,
This spot is really hard to gauge. They like for it to be a smaller guy in International Ball compared to big bulky guys in the League. Not sure who else will go here. Boozer won't get a spot back. I think Griffin has an excellent shot for this spot especially if he blows up in the league.

C-Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh
Howard and Bosh both have said they wanted to come back. They will have these spots locked down.

That is 9 spots. They got 3 to give. One will go to a PG, one will go to a wing and another to a Post Player.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I think the discussion starts with Guys who were on it in 08 that played Blake's position and then you have to start thinking about the young guys who will replace them. Boozer, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, and Basically Lebron James where the post players. Boozer won't be back on it, Bosh probably won't be back on it, and If Lebron is back on it he probably returns to his natural position. So now you look at replacements. Lamarcus Aldridge would be a replacement in my opinion. Dwight Howard will still be there. So with those locks, here are the candidates:

Michael Besley
Kevin Love
Al Jefferson
Rashard Lewis
Big Baby Davis
Greg Oden
Danny Granger
Jeff Green
Thaddeus Young
Spencer Hawes
Greg Monroe
Samardo Samuels
Jordan Hill
Joakim Noah (citizenship?)
Tyrus Thomas

I'm probably leaving some out, but out of that group, I only see the tall SFs that I listed as having the only shot to challenge Blake.

C-Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh
Howard and Bosh both have said they wanted to come back. They will have these spots locked down.

I'm not sure what kind of Player Chris Bosh will be 3 years from now. He was the best post player for the Olympics this year, but will he continue to ascend, or be the next Jermaine Oneal. If he continues to play like he has, he will be there. So given that, Aldrich, Howard, and Bosh are locks with about two or three spots going to post players.

 

[soonerbms]

Noah was born in the United States, but he has made it clear in the past that he wants to play for France. He's not good enough to play for the United States anyway. He's a solid NBA player, but he's not a star by any stretch.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Noah was born in the United States, but he has made it clear in the past that he wants to play for France. He's not good enough to play for the United States anyway. He's a solid NBA player, but he's not a star by any stretch.

No he's not, but I don't think star players is what they look for anymore. I think they look for team Chemistry. It's important to note that last time they used a tryout basis to select the team. Next go around I think you'll see Kevin Durant added for sure, Roy, Rose and Aldrich. I think Blake gets added too. I did leave out Amare Stoudamire who wasnt selected or was injured the last go around. I still think Blake will be there though from a play standpoint and a character issue. He has Beasley beat on both accounts. Also, if you look at the last Olympics, the money lineup was Lebron at the 5, Carmelo at the 4, Kobe at the 3, Wade at the 2, and Paul at the point. you can easliy rotate a Roy and Durant for a Kobe and Carmelo with that philosophy.

 

[MsProudSooner]

How many players that played in 2008 will decide not to in 2012?

 

[SoonerfanTU]

No, I don't think he'll be one of the 12.

 

[Seymore Cox]

No, I don't think he'll be one of the 12.

Who goes ahead of him in your opinion? I know it's hard to say, because we haven't seen how he would adjust to the NBA game. Personally, I think Blake right now is a better player than Carlos Boozer. He's bigger than Boozer. I just think Blake is going to be really good. We don't often see 23 and 14 guys flop in the NBA. He's alot further along than Akeem, Mailman, and others greats at his age. Another guy in that discussion of 2012 may be Cole Aldrich simply on his rebounding and shot block prowess.

 

[Sam]

Since you guys are talking about how they like to go small in international play wouldn't Blake be a perfect 5 in that set up?
Very athletic, can run the court, great rebounder, would most likely be a better defender by then as well.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Blake would have to be considered small and I dont conisider him undersized. He looked every bit the size of Ed Davis and Deon Thompson and no one is calling them small. He towered Hansborough. He even appeared taller than the Syracuse bigs. I think he might tape out at 6'9 or 6'8 without shoes. That is bigger than Paul Milsap, Boozer, Brand and other guys who don't get criticized for being small. He's also built like a tank. This is him next to the "6'8" Perry Ellis.

http://www.ouhoops.com/showthread.php?t=5517&page=3

 

[MsProudSooner]

Has Blake ever participated in USA Basketball in the summers?

 

[Sam]

He got cut by Bohiem and some others.

Sooner star Blake Griffin had some fun earlier this week revealing that Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was on the selection committee that cut Griffin in his attempt to make the Team USA Under 18 Basketball Team in 2006.

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"We just lined up, and my name wasn’t called,” Griffin said. "I missed the last cut. I went home.”

Thursday in Memphis, Boeheim gave the story some spin.

"First of all, no, he shouldn’t have made the team,” Boeheim said. "He was hurt.”

Still, Boeheim said he didn’t necessarily keep Griffin off the squad.

"I had one vote out of 10,” Boeheim said. "I’m not going to say that I voted against him, either. In fact, I’d say I voted for him right now. I would say that if I had to reveal my vote.

"If I was coaching the team, I’d like to have him in the lineup.”

From the DOK.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Deandre Jordan, Donte Green, Kevin Love, and Michael beasley made that team over Blake and Aldrich who were first and second in total rebound with a bullet. Anytime a leading rebounder doesn't make a team, it is definetely political.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I left Brook Lopez off of the potential 2012 potential dream teamers.

 

[Flintheart Glomgold]

no, i don't think he'll be on the team.

 

[Seymore Cox]

no, i don't think he'll be on the team.

That's a respectable position, but who would you rank ahead of him?

 

[Flintheart Glomgold]

lots of people. he has yet to play a minute of pro ball.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

And don't forget, Blake's defense has been poor to date. Maybe that changes in the NBA, maybe it doesn't. But I think our Olympic team appreciates defense maybe a little more than the average NBA team does. That may play a role.

 

[red recluse]

2014/16. as long as he shows he can defend the pick and roll, his athleticism will be a huge plus for him getting on the team.

 

[Flintheart Glomgold]

And don't forget, Blake's defense has been poor to date. Maybe that changes in the NBA, maybe it doesn't. But I think our Olympic team appreciates defense maybe a little more than the average NBA team does. That may play a role.

precisely. dwight howard looked completely inept against the good pick and roll teams in the olympics. k couldn't afford to play him when things got tight.