USA Basketball sets impressive 27-man national roster for next three years
Featuring nine members of the gold medal-winning 2008 U.S. Olympic Team and a combined 54 NBA All-Star selections, USA Basketball recently revealed the 27 players who have been named to Coach K’s 2010-2012 USA Men’s National Team program. The NBA’s top five scorers this season — LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade — headline the impressive group which also includes Blue Devil Carlos Boozer.
“This is another important step in the reassembling of the USA National Team for the next three years of competitions that will include the FIBA World Championship in 2010, and if we qualify, the 2012 Olympics in London. Unlike 2006-08 when we were first starting the program, this time we have the benefit of including players who were members of the last national team, while also incorporating players who were involved in our pipeline the last couple of summers,” said USA Basketball Managing Director Jerry Colangelo.
Coach K will have another accomplished group to work with and a number of younger players on board as well to continue the USA Basketball pipeline established during the last term from 2005-2008. The team will first get together this July to begin preparation for August’s World Championship in Turkey.
How about a lineup of Dwight Howard/Kevin Durant/LeBron James/Kobe Bryant/Chris Paul? Or maybe Chris Bosh/Carlos Boozer/Carmelo Anthony/Dwyane Wade/Deron Williams? There are endless possibilities for one of the most talented groups of players ever assembled.
Coach K’s Comments
I echo Jerry’s words of excitement about the level of talent and commitment that we have in the pool. I think we have taken a step up from the pool that we had in the last quad, and it’s exciting to see this many people interested in being a part of the program. A couple things that Jerry did during the last quad was to have a Select Team at the beginning of this quad to have a camp last summer for about 20 younger NBA players and each was well attended and I think we are seeing the benefits of not just having a World Championship Team or an Olympic Team, but also these other teams that give everybody a chance to be a part of USA Basketball.
Can you talk about getting the word out to the players about the importance of the World Championships?
Well, we believe it is extremely important. The world looks at it as the world championship. We were kidding about it during the Olympics and saying they should call it the World Cup for Basketball, and it would get even more significance. There are actually 24 teams involved in the World Championship where there are only 12 involved for the Olympics. We are trying to make that commitment through USA Basketball, and the players are showing that commitment by being part of the pool. I think by us showing that commitment, we will give it greater recognition and hopefully have success in it in Turkey this summer.
How did the performance at the mini-camp last year play into this decision, and did you consider rookies for this roster?
Well, really one of the rookies was hurt. Blake Griffin we felt would have brought the athleticism and toughness that we would be looking for. This pool is what is announced right now. During the next couple of years, just like we did in the last quadrant, people can be added to the pool.
There is a lot of talk about who is in and who is out. Are you anxious? Or are you willing to wait until July for players to say definitively what they are going to do?
This is the first step is naming the pool, announcing the pool, and then we see what happens with all the guys with family situations, with injuries, contracts and all that. Over the three years, a little bit over three years, that I was associated with (the USA National Team) before, I learned not to, like what Jerry said, put the cart ahead of the horse because there is just a lot of human things that go on. We have to allow those things to go on and then react accordingly, but having a strong pool gives us some flexibility in that regard.
What were you looking for in the new players?
We are looking at every area. We had nine of the 12 Olympians come back on this roster, which I think is an incredible amount, and you want to make sure you are looking at each position. That is why like a Kendrick Perkins, he’d be a great defensive player for a big . To have Lamar Odom, Amar’e Stoudemire, Lopez, these guys in the big’s position. Not having Michael Redd back, to make sure that we do have shooters to compliment that guys we already have. Durant is an outstanding shooter; Granger — an outstanding shooter. To get backups at the point guard position. I think what we’ve done is the pool is much better organized, and the pool is better than the one we had in the last quadrant and the interest level is higher. And so we feel like we are moving in the right direction and those were the things we were looking for.
