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Henry Abbott of ESPN's True Hoop section wrote an interesting blog today about the future of USA Basketball.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-3 ... -S-A-.html

Among the things Abbott talks about that I find interesting are the possibility of having a more permanent National Team, a full-time head coach instead of a rent-a-coach, and the possibility of Team USA having it's own practice building which would allow players to work out there during the summer instead of doing their own thing.

Abbott also goes on to talk about who he would like to see on the National Team for the FIBA World Championships in 2010. Even though Iguodala was on the Select Team this past time around, Abbott doesn't seem to like him for the real squad and instead likes players like Rudy Gay and Rodney Stuckey. I suppose Elton Brand will be a bit too old for the Summer Olympics in London 2012 (he'll be 33) so it seems like it might be a while before we see a Sixer wearing USA across his chest again.

What are your thoughts about Team USA's future? Do you think LeBron and Carmelo will be back? Kobe will be 34 so I question if he'll be up for the challenge at that point in his career.

Well, I for one would certainly feel more comfortable with Iguodala as a role player/defensive stopper over Shane Battier. If I could pick the 12 it would be:

Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Lebron James
Dwyane Wade
Dwight Howard
Chris Bosh
Carmelo Anthony
Brandon Roy
Andre Iguodala
Amare Stoudemire
Chauncey Billups
Kevin Durant

The only change I would probably make to your 12 is removing Billups who will be 35 in 2012 and put Derrick Rose on the team. While I suspect Paul and Williams will play in 2012, I suspect they won't play in 2016. There's nothing wrong with getting Rose some experience in blowout games at the age of 23.

The Guilty Party wrote:The only change I would probably make to your 12 is removing Billups who will be 35 in 2012 and put Derrick Rose on the team. While I suspect Paul and Williams will play in 2012, I suspect they won't play in 2016. There's nothing wrong with getting Rose some experience in blowout games at the age of 23.

I'd be fine with Rose in that lineup, I just want to see him play a little first. Point guard play is crucial in international play. His skill set fits the bill and I'm sure he'd mesh in well with that team... just want to see how he adjusts at the pro level.... same can be said for Oden.

I agree with that. Obviously if he doesn't play the way he's projected to, I wouldn't put him on the team. Oden is another solid option. What are your thoughts of Beasley? Attitude is a MAJOR question but I think his game would mesh well with the international style.

Battier is much more valuable than Iguodala for international competition and for our team because in international ball, he can guard most PFs, as well as SFs and many SGs and he can hit the open 3. Iggy is exactly the type of player who struggles in international competition because he doesn't shoot well off the dribble or set screens, is not a consistent 3 point shooter, and his strength - the drive, is often neutralized by close enforcement of the walking and carrying rules as well as by zone defense and the trapezoid lane. Luckily for us, Iggy plays in the NBA with NBA rules. I do think that a guy like Thad Young could develop into a type of player who can play in place of a guy like Shane Battier, who is a mere alternate anyway.

geiger wrote:the drive, is often neutralized by close enforcement of the walking and carrying rules as well as by zone defense and the trapezoid lane.

I don't disagree with what you're saying about Iguodala however, FIBA's new rule changes will have a huge impact on the style of play. Starting with the World Championships in 2010, the trapezoidal lane will be history in favor of the rectangle that we're used to seeing and the 3 point arc is being moved out from 20.5 feet to 22.9 feet. Both of these changes mean that the zone defenses will not be able to collapse as much hence stretching the D and enabling more penetrating and slashing which suits Iguodala.

As for Iguodala.... I, and some others, have made a big stink about his outside shooting. Everyone knows that he needs to step it up including himself so if he does improve.... I think a 26 year Iguodala will have a good chance to make the team in 2010.

Some other names I would mention are Jason Maxiell, Andrew Bynum, and Caron Butler.

I would especially like to see a Jason Maxiell.

I pray there is no Carmelo.

Carmelo is actually great in international competition and has been a solid player for team USA ever since his inclusion on the team. Carmelo as the leader of my NBA team is one thing, Carmelo as a complimentary player on an international basketball dream team is another.

geiger wrote:Carmelo is actually great in international competition and has been a solid player for team USA ever since his inclusion on the team. Carmelo as the leader of my NBA team is one thing, Carmelo as a complimentary player on an international basketball dream team is another.

Thanks for the espn update.

You are very welcome. I expected some keen statistical analysis from you though. Something like looking up stats of some Greek guy no one ever heard of and making the case that while the Greek guy plays only 6 minutes a game, over his career, and on a per minute basis, he's actually better than Carmelo Anthony or some other genius statistical argument you're so very fond off. Please, wow us all with your brillaince and genius.

geiger wrote:You are very welcome. I expected some keen statistical analysis from you though. Something like looking up stats of some Greek guy no one ever heard of and making the case that while the Greek guy plays only 6 minutes a game, over his career, and on a per minute basis, he's actually better than Carmelo Anthony or some other genius statistical argument you're so very fond off. Please, wow us all with your brillaince and genius.

Well, Carmelo had the 2nd lowest FG% on the team (If I remember right) and he is normally known as a scorer, so...

This is for his career in international competition for the USA or as a result of two bad games in the beginning of the tourney? And if he is a scorer - did he score? Was he versatile? Did he play best in elimination games?

Anthony was named co-captain (along with fellow 2003 draftees LeBron James and Dwyane Wade) of Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championship. The team won the bronze medal. On August 23, 2006, Anthony set the U.S. scoring record in a game with 35 points against Italy in the said FIBA tournament. The record was previously held by Kenny Anderson with 34 points in 1990. Anthony was named to the FIBA World Championship All-Tournament Team, posting averages of 19.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 1.6 apg.

On January 16, 2006, Anthony was chosen as USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year after his performance at the FIBA World Championship.

Anthony was also a member of Team USA during the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship. The team went undefeated, going 10-0. Anthony ended up as the tournament's second-leading scorer with a 21.2 ppg average (191 points in 9 games), which was behind Leandro Barbosa of Brazil. Anthony also added 5.2 rpg and 1.4 apg. He equalled the previous record of 28 points set by Allen Iverson in a qualifying tournament, which was later broken by James, who scored 31 points in the title-clinching win against Argentina.

Anthony was also named to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, again alongside James and Wade with Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd among others, with the mission of bringing back the Gold Medal to the USA. The team overpowered its opponents with an average winning margin of 32.2 points in five games. The team eliminated Australia in the quarterfinals by 31 then finally went over its final four mishaps in the past by beating Argentina by 20 points. After playing second fiddle to his teammates up to the quarterfinal match, Anthony played his best game against Argentina by topscoring with 21 points, setting USA Olympic game records for made free throws and free throw percentage.[67]

In the gold medal game, Team USA defeated 2006 World Champion Spain and lived up to its "Redeem Team" moniker, with Anthony scoring 13 points. Anthony posted averages of 11.5 ppg (92 points/8 games), 4.3 rpg (34 rebounds/8 games) and 1.0 spg (8 steals/8 games).

Anthony was a nice player for Team USA this summer but he wasn't in the Top 5 for best player on the team. Would I want him on the 2010 team? Absolutely. He has experience and did a good job but let's not make him out to be "great".

The quote was that Anthony is great in international competition and he is. Can't just look at one performance. Overall, his game is a very good fit for international ball because while he doesn't have great NBA 3 point range, he does have good international range. He's more athletic than any PFs or SFs he goes up against in international ball, but is too soft to play PF in the NBA and is not as athletic as many SFs he faces. His defense or lack thereof is masked by the zone rules in international competition. And perhaps most importantly, he's just one of the guys on team USA as opposed to someone who has to lead on his NBA team, a role that he hasn't shown he's ready or willing to accept seriously on the NBA level. At the end, the dispute was that one poster said that he would not want Anthony on Team USA in the future and another defended Anthony and TrueHoop bloggers assessment that Anthony absolutley belongs on Team USA based on what he has accomplished for that team to date.

Chris Paul
Deron Williams
LeBron James
Dwayne Wade
Carmelo Anthony
Carlos Boozer
Chris Bosh
Kevin Durant
Amare Stoudamire

Couple of guys I would keep an eye on the next few years.

Andrew Bynum
LaMarcus Aldridge
Greg Oden
Kevin Love
OJ Mayo
Eric Gordon
Derrick Rose