Team USA has a young roster, missing a few big names, but still looking very good early on in the first day of Team USA’s Camp for the FIBA games. The return of the former MVP, Derrick Rose, to full court live competition is very anticipated for Team USA. The frontline lost Kevin Love, due to the fact that Love has his own off the court issues that he wants to sort out and Blake Griffin also is missing due to a small back fracture so the men down low are short staffed but aren’t lacking in talent. Kevin Durant and James Harden are looked at as the leaders of this team, can they carry Team USA with leadership and architect another gold medal for USA?
“My confidence level is through the roof.” Derrick Rose has the utmost enthusiasm on his play and his return. Coach K praised Rose, saying he played to the point of exhaustion. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst projects he could be the starting point guard for Team USA over guys like Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, John Wall and Stephen Curry. The Point Guard position is the deepest to compete with, but Rose looks to stand out early with some awesome plays he had yesterday.
The big men down low are led by three standouts in Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond and Demarcus Cousins. Two guys that will be looked at to play heavy minutes since projected starters, Kevin Love and Blake Griffin, elected to not play this summer for Team USA. Drummond is a great player, solid defensively and can rebound with ease over other players but his biggest fault is his horrible free throw percentage, which was 41% last season. Cousins is one of the top centers in the league, handles the ball very well, rebounds at a high rate, has different ways to score and has a very overall unique skill set. Anthony Davis is all but a lock to make the team. He was apart of the 2012 Gold Medal squad and is on his way up to being the best power forward in the league. His athleticism, rebounding, defense and scoring all have progressed from the 2012 games and he will most likely start at Power Forward. Kenneth Faried, “The Manimal” and Paul Millsap are competing for what may be the last spot for a big man down low, both players are very similar and it will be a tough competition between the two.
Watch Andre Drummond dish out a huge block on the Team USA select team player, Draymond Green.
A lot of youth and international inexperience for Team USA may hurt them, but with guys like Kevin Durant and James Harden leading the way, Team USA is in good hands. Durant has a plethora of small forwards competing to join him on the team. Chandler Parsons, Kyle Korver, Paul George and Gordon Hayward are all trying to be on the team and achieve the gold. Korver is the only real international play veteran and will most likely make the team due to that experience and his lights out shooting. George’s versatility to play a lot of positions, athleticism and scoring ability make him a lock as well. The last spot between Hayward, Parsons and even guard Klay Thompson make it very difficult for Coach K to pick and choose who makes it. Look for Durant and even Harden to assist these young guys as they try and learn what it’s like to play for your country with some of the best players in the world. Harden’s gold medal experience will help out all the guards, including the point guards, to learn and develop what it takes to win the gold. Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, DeMarr Derozan and Bradley Beal all can learn a lot from Harden this summer but it ill be hard for all of these guys to make the final roster.
Check out the teamwork here between Curry, Wall and Parsons.
Durant dishes out to DeMarr Derozan for a jumper.
James Harden knocks down the corner three
Paul Geroge elevates for a slam
Videos courtesy: NBA
