Rondo and Perk invited to be part of USA select team

[MVP16]

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/06/24/too_green_for_red_white_and_blue/

But USA Basketball also plans to invite Celtics guard Rajon Rondo and center Kendrick Perkins as well as ex-Celtic Al Jefferson to play on its select team that will scrimmage and practice against the national team in Las Vegas from July 21-24. The select team includes young NBA standouts who could be prospects for Team USA in the future.

With a good showing, Perkins, 23, and Rondo, 22, could be considered for the 2010 World Championships in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London.

The select team will learn offensive and defensive sets from US assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo before practicing and scrimmaging against the national team.

Perkins was excited about USA Basketball's interest and said he wants to participate. He averaged 6.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game during the regular season and was a major physical presence against the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

"It would be an honor to play against them," said Perkins. "I would love to play against them and hope to play for them one day. It's an honor. It will be fun."

Perkins was hampered with a strained left shoulder that caused him to miss Game 5 of the Finals, but he doesn't believe it will need surgery or keep him from being a part of the select team.

"It's good," said Perkins. "I'm doing rehab, treatment. It still has to get reevaluated. But it doesn't look like it will be serious." Rondo, who averaged 10.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.68 steals in 29.9 minutes per game during the regular season, got the news at his basketball camp in Lexington, Ky.

"This is a great surprise," he said through his publicist. "I'm honored to be invited and I hope I will be able to participate."

Pretty cool for them. Should be a great experience if they decide to participate.

[MyInsatiableOne]

I'd rather they said NO and rested up for next season and the drive for #18, which will begin in a couple of months!!!

[BillessuR6]

That would be great for both of them! Gaining some more experience is never a bad thing!

[MVP16]

I'd rather they said NO and rested up for next season and the drive for #18, which will begin in a couple of months!!!

Why? They''ll be practicing and scrimmaging anyways. Why not do it against some of the best players in the NBA? They don't have to travel and play in the actual games.

[MyInsatiableOne]

Rondo has a sprained ankle and Perk reinjured his previously separated shoulder. Do you want Pierce playing on that bad knee, too? These guys will have HALF as much rest before camp as the rest of the league...and they'll need it if they want to win again next year!

[MVP16]

Rondo has a sprained ankle and Perk reinjured his previously separated shoulder. Do you want Pierce playing on that bad knee, too? These guys will have HALF as much rest before camp as the rest of the league...and they'll need it if they want to win again next year!

Yeah, but they'll have a month off until the camp actually starts and the camp will last for 4 days. It's not a big deal. They would be plays in pick up games somewhere else anyways, but against much worse competition.

[Gomes3PC]

Whatever. These guys are young. Would I rather they rest? Probably; they just finished a 100+ game season and postseason. However, it is an honor to be selected to a team like this, and playing on it could lead to an opportunity to play for the Olympic team four years from now. If the Olympic committee sees these guys as hardworking, defense-first role players they can add to the end of the bench in 2012, then it would be worth it for Rondo or Perkins to go and try for it. Gone are the days of taking just the best 12 athletes in the NBA and putting on a show. In the future, the team will be composed more like a TEAM, with stars, supporting casts, and role players. I don't know if Perkins will ever fit the bill, as there are more skilled defense-first big men than him, but Rondo certainly has the opportunity in the future to help an international competition team, provided he develops a semi-reliable jumper.

[DJToLarry]

The US Team is going to get Rondo'd.

[Rocky5000]

Not to be hard on the guy but, why would they choose Perk?? Is the the future of the center position really that screwed up?

[celticfan42487]

Perk's a roleplayer. They may be looking for roleplayers in the future.

I think Perk should sit out and see about that shoulder.

Rondo could still use more in-game experience. He's used to defering and that may be why he was selected. I'm sure USA is convinced Paul will be there to replace Kidd so Rondo will be an ideal fit to see what the other players have. Hopefully Rondo can find a shot this summer.

[cisco]

For those who want them to rest, it's only from Jul 21-24, probably no more than a couple of weeks, if that, out of their whole summer. They will have a whole month to rest before then and another month after that. Plus, they will need to do some type of training, playing, working out anyway, why not against some of the best players? No big deal. I think it will be good for both of them.

[sunshinekids99]

The way I look at it is these guys are going to be playing basketball regardless if it is for team USA or pickup games. I'd rather them get good coaching and play against the best players. Now if Rondo and Perk are still hurt then of course they have no business going. But if they are healthy I see nothing wrong with it.

[GuyClinch]

They should invite House. That's the kind of player they will see in international ball.

Team USA once again taking the stupid pills and having the bricklaying Kidd as their PG and the bricklaying SF Lebron as its main star. <g>

[MyInsatiableOne]

House is better than Lue, plain and simple.

I can't wait to see how USA Basketball does this year. I am a patriot and love my country tons, but I predict another potential trainwreck, or at least it'll be harder than it has to be.

[SeizeCoup]

Very cool, I am so proud of how far these two have come since entering the league. Already they are two of the best at their position in regards to defensive ability. They both work hard, and each is only going to get better and better as the years go by.

Life is good in the Celtics family.

[theman]

Whatever. These guys are young. Would I rather they rest? Probably

I'm sure Kobe would as well. He really wants Pierce to rest. The last thing he wants is to match up one on one with Pierce.

[Scalamental]

Does this mean we get to see Perk, Rondo and Big Al play together again? I hope that ish is gonna be on TV. I'd miss work to see that.

[cloverleaf]

Any chance for these guys to be rewarded away from the shadow of the 'Big 3' is good. It'll give a little shape to their summer and help them to internalize that they really are part of the NBA elite.

[Pogue Mahone]

I am still trying to process the comment from the first page in regards to a more skilled defensive center the Perkins. I can't think of one.

Foster? He can lane clog and guard the post, though not as well as Perkins. He is better at covering on the perimeter. He isn't as skilled a passer, shot-blocker and he doesn't have the outside shot that Perkins does. Yes, Perkins has the outside shot but he is only now just starting to use it. Perkins only needs confidence and he will be the best center in the NBA, imo. Not a quasi-center/power forward hybrid -- a true center. Dwight Howard? Lets see how effective the paper tiger will be without the assistance of NBA referees and Sweet Uncle Shugga. Besides, Howard isn't as good as a post defender as Perkins. He isn't as good as a lane clogger, either. He is a weakside shot blocker who gambles too much and leaves his teammates out of position. Sure, Howard gets blocks on the ball, as well, but save for his athletic superiority, he just isn't all that talented. Go ahead and laugh. I don't mind.

Who else is a 'defensive center' that is even comparable to Perkins? Not PFs perpetrating as Cs but true centers, with classical C skills. Still thinking ...

Perkins is top 3 at guarding on the block. He is top 5 as a lane clogger, maybe even top 3 or 4. He alters many more shots than he is given credit for. I think many people are misunderstanding impact with "minutes and opportunity" at the offensive end. I think it is somewhat natural to see an effective scorer and sometimes portray their offensive dominance to the defensive end. It is only in the most drastic of instances that the mind can natural separate the two.

Good for Rondo and good for PIAB .. w00t w00t!

[Gomes3PC]

I'd say Tyson Chandler is a superior defender. Desagana Diop is probably equal to Perk, but I don't believe he is a citizen of the US. Sean Williams with New Jersey is a total turd but IMO will be a phenomenal defender if he ever gets a chance to play 25-30 MPG. Dampier is very similar to Perkins. Brendan Haywood is a pretty good defensive big and much more skilled offensively. Sam Dalembert is also very good on D and with his ability to run the court much better in the international game, though I think like Diop he is not a US citizen. Okafor is probably about as good a defender and a more adept scorer and more swift up and down the court. Greg Oden and Lamarcus Aldridge are also likely to become near-equal defenders and much better offensive players; Aldridge may already be near Perk's talent on D.

So, if you want to find a youngish player who can be groomed for the next Olympics as a center who can defend, I'd look at the following guys before Perk:

Okafor, Oden, Aldridge, Chandler, Haywood

Sean Williams and Josh Boone also have good defensive upside and equal/better offensive skill to Perk.