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Jerry Colangelo confirms Team USA will invite Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans and Jeff Green onto roster this summer...

Colangelo on Curry/Evans/Green: "We want to get them into the system & get them ready to play, whether it's this cycle or the next."

http://twitter.com/timkawakami


....

Thoughts?

Pretty cool, and it's definitely a nice honor, but I don't see Tyreke making it. He just doesn't fit in at all with what they need. Unless the other ball-dominant wings that aren't big time outside threats pull out, it just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.

Probably so.

But if guys like Wade and James are not committed this year (there are reports detailing this), I think Evans would fit there just fine. Evans can play the role of Wade or a LeBron.

Any time he spends with players like Lebron and Kobe will be good for him. I'm not sure if he will make it to the final team but he has a chance if Colangelo doesn't change what he said about players having to take this seriously. I also think Tyreke would be someone who would take it seriously and could be on this team for the next few years if he makes it.

Kind of wish Tyreke would just focus on his own game this summer, this could seriously cut into his development time. Still, well deserved on his part.

Lame if you ask me. At this point Evans has no business being anywhere near that team. In the NBA I'll take Evans 10 times out of 10 against Curry but in international ball I'll do the reverse. To me, it's an idiotic move that Colangelo just goes out and invites good players. If there's 1 thing we learned after that debacle a few years back it was that you need the RIGHT players. Tyreke is flat out not the right kind of player--and it's blatantly obvious.

Agreed with rpa. I think it's a nice honor and Tyreke should be proud, but I don't really think he fits in to international ball.

I disagree entirely.

International ball has a LOT more physical contact involved that does not end up in foul calls - unlike NBA ball. Tyreke has already proven against bigger stronger defenders in the NBA that he can more than handle them. He will absolutely DESTROY international defenders.

How does Tyreke not fit in, but Wade does? I mean, not to say that Tyreke = Wade, but. You know. Simular gamestyle.

OGSactownballer wrote:I disagree entirely.

International ball has a LOT more physical contact involved that does not end up in foul calls - unlike NBA ball. Tyreke has already proven against bigger stronger defenders in the NBA that he can more than handle them. He will absolutely DESTROY international defenders.

He won't have the ball in his hands to do it though. That's the issue. The team has plenty of guys that can score just fine in isolation. The problem is that a lot of them aren't very good at playing off the ball. Tyreke would just be another one.

Lightning Strike wrote:How does Tyreke not fit in, but Wade does? I mean, not to say that Tyreke = Wade, but. You know. Simular gamestyle.

The point is that the team can only have so many ball-dominant scorers that aren't threats from the outside. Tyreke will be a fit if enough of the other guys bow out (Lebron, Wade, Melo, arguably Paul), but otherwise, he's just piling onto what they don't really need.

Lightning Strike wrote:How does Tyreke not fit in, but Wade does? I mean, not to say that Tyreke = Wade, but. You know. Simular gamestyle.

Wade has one of the best midrange games in the league; Evans, not so much.

rpa wrote:

Lightning Strike wrote:How does Tyreke not fit in, but Wade does? I mean, not to say that Tyreke = Wade, but. You know. Simular gamestyle.

Wade has one of the best midrange games in the league; Evans, not so much.

Agreed with rpa again, remember the 3pt line is at 20 ft. It's not just the mid-range game though, it's also the freakish athleticism. Tyreke's not bad but he doesn't really compare to Wade. At a certain point being a great athlete can really hide your weaknesses, especially when the competition isn't always up to par.

Ughh, Evans had a great summer plan worked out, I hope this stuff doesnt get in the way.

AnDrOiDKing4 wrote:Ughh, Evans had a great summer plan worked out, I hope this stuff doesnt get in the way.

I agree 100%. I am American through and through, but would prefer Evans work out a jump shot rather than make team USA.

Here's a question. Why can't playing for team USA be helpful to his game? I think a lot of people assume it's going to either hurt his game or at least keep it from improving, why? He's going to get a chance to play for some of the countries best coaches, and best players, why can't this improve his game?

wiltchamberlain wrote:Here's a question. Why can't playing for team USA be helpful to his game? I think a lot of people assume it's going to either hurt his game or at least keep it from improving, why? He's going to get a chance to play for some of the countries best coaches, and best players, why can't this improve his game?

Because Evans doesn't need to "play". Playing means he's focusing on his strengths. What he needs is practice--where he focuses on his weaknesses.

rpa wrote:

wiltchamberlain wrote:Here's a question. Why can't playing for team USA be helpful to his game? I think a lot of people assume it's going to either hurt his game or at least keep it from improving, why? He's going to get a chance to play for some of the countries best coaches, and best players, why can't this improve his game?

Because Evans doesn't need to "play". Playing means he's focusing on his strengths. What he needs is practice--where he focuses on his weaknesses.

So team USA doesn't hold practice?

I want to clarify myself real quick. Firstly I think having Tyreke is probably a poor decision from team USA's point of view for all of the reasons previously stated. At the same time I think it is a good thing from Tyreke's perspective both because of the honor involved but also I think that him being around so many great players and coaches could be good for his development.

I think the idea that this would be in some way detrimental to his development is ridiculous, here are some other similarly aged players and the Olympics they played in.

Name Age Year played
Vince Carter 23 2000
KG 23 2000
Michael Jordan 21 1984
Adrian Dantley 20 1976
Lebron James 19 2004
Carmelo Anthony 20 2004
Amare 23 2004
Chris Paul 22 2008
Pat Ewing 22 1984
Mitch Richmond 23 1988
Dwight Howard 22 2008
Chris Mullin 21 1984


I'm not sure playing for team USA hurt any of these guys development.

wiltchamberlain wrote:So team USA doesn't hold practice?

Team USA's practices won't be geared towards correcting the weaknesses of some of its players. The practices will be geared around:
a) Teammates getting used to one another
b) Carving out a rotation. Which, to me, translates into "Tyreke will be playing to his strengths to try and assure himself of playing time"

Either way, team USA isn't the place for Evans to improve upon his weaknesses.


Further, about your list:
A number of the guys on your list played before the entered the NBA--which, to me, is important because it meant that their weaknesses weren't necessarily defined yet. Second, it's hard to say whether or not that that team USA experience hurt their development. Would Lebron or Melo be better players right now had they had that summer to practice on things? Probably not because they're already so damn good. But would they have been better SOONER? Possibly.

I don't think it's a question of *IF* Evans gets a jumpshot but WHEN. I'd rather it be sooner than later--thus I think he needs to be in the gym practicing as opposed to playing (or pushing for minutes).

rpa wrote:

wiltchamberlain wrote:So team USA doesn't hold practice?

Team USA's practices won't be geared towards correcting the weaknesses of some of its players. The practices will be geared around:
a) Teammates getting used to one another
b) Carving out a rotation. Which, to me, translates into "Tyreke will be playing to his strengths to try and assure himself of playing time"

Either way, team USA isn't the place for Evans to improve upon his weaknesses.


Further, about your list:
A number of the guys on your list played before the entered the NBA--which, to me, is important because it meant that their weaknesses weren't necessarily defined yet. Second, it's hard to say whether or not that that team USA experience hurt their development. Would Lebron or Melo be better players right now had they had that summer to practice on things? Probably not because they're already so damn good. But would they have been better SOONER? Possibly.

I don't think it's a question of *IF* Evans gets a jumpshot but WHEN. I'd rather it be sooner than later--thus I think he needs to be in the gym practicing as opposed to playing (or pushing for minutes).

Come on now. I might agree with your point about practice, insofar as much of it will be spent getting him used to playing with the other guys. But at the same time I don't think this is going to interfere with him putting up a thousand jumpers a day, either practicing with the team or on his own. Isn't it at least slightly better that he should be shooting these jumpers while surrounded by the countries best players and coaches, rather than doing it in a gym by himself?

As far as your second point about my list. First of all I think many of the players I listed (guards specifically) had the same major weakness as Tyreke, jump shooting. Now maybe I can't prove these players jump shooting was improved through the Olympics process, but certainly it wasn't hurt, all of these guys are headed to the hall of fame.

Lastly I find this quote bizarre.

"Second, it's hard to say whether or not that that team USA experience hurt their development. Would Lebron or Melo be better players right now had they had that summer to practice on things? Probably not because they're already so damn good. But would they have been better SOONER? Possibly."

You expect me to believe that one summer of jump shooting in the gym is going to have made anyone on that list of potential Hall of Famers significantly better? Jordan? Lebron? Melo? Many of the guys on this list were rookies of the year, so the idea of them being better "sooner" is laughable, they were all fantastic from their first day on the court. And what's better than heading to the Hall of Fame anyway? Double plus good hall of Fame? Triple plus good Hall of Fame?