Picking the US U-23 Team

[burnspbesq]

So, let's have a thought experiment. Assume that Stern and Cuban had gotten their way before this Olympics, and the basketball competition was subject to the same eligibility requirements as the men's soccer competition (three over-age players, and the rest born on or after January 1, 1989).

Who would you pick, assuming no one was missing due to injury.

How about this:

LeBron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Kyrie
Davis
Wall
Faried
M. Leonard
K. Leonard
Lillard
Kidd-Gilchrist

[Chicago 1995]

So, let's have a thought experiment. Assume that Stern and Cuban had gotten their way before this Olympics, and the basketball competition was subject to the same eligibility requirements as the men's soccer competition (three over-age players, and the rest born on or after January 1, 1989).

Who would you pick, assuming no one was missing due to injury.

How about this:

LeBron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Kyrie
Davis
Wall
Faried
M. Leonard
K. Leonard
Lillard
Kidd-Gilchrist

I think James Harden makes this team since he's on the Olympic Team as it is and Paul George might well bump the other of Kawhi Leonard on Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

I'd take Greg Monroe over Meyers Leonard. Monroe was a better college player and has proven himself to some extent in the NBA. Leonard's got a ton of talent, but he got zero coaching at Illinois.

Klay Thompson might have a role as a shooter -- something I think this lineup lacks after Kyrie, Durant and Lillard.

I'm not much of a John Wall fan, but I don't know who you would replace him with.

The other tough question might well be, as it was with the select team, whether or not you consider DeMarcus Cousins. His production certainly merits consideration. His head?

Here's my team

Lebron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Hardin
Davis
Kyrie
Monroe
George
Thompson
Cousins
Wall

[subzero02]

Cousins would be there

[Duvall]

Cousins would be there

Unless he ended up in the Rondo Zone.

[Dev11]

Unless he ended up in the Rondo Zone.

Gilbert Arenas is offended that you renamed his baby.

[Jarhead]

So, let's have a thought experiment. Assume that Stern and Cuban had gotten their way before this Olympics, and the basketball competition was subject to the same eligibility requirements as the men's soccer competition (three over-age players, and the rest born on or after January 1, 1989).

Who would you pick, assuming no one was missing due to injury.

How about this:

LeBron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Kyrie
Davis
Wall
Faried
M. Leonard
K. Leonard
Lillard
Kidd-Gilchrist

I can't disagree with your list at all. It's probably pretty good, and would still be world dominant. What bothers me is the arrogance of Stern and Cuban in trying to dictate to the Olympic Committee and to FIBA. When I first came across this under 23 idea a few days ago my only reaction was that it is stupid. Now I realize that the international federations for each sport have the say in their respective sports, and that some sports already have age restrictions. I guess that's okay, but Cuban and Stern want to set up a world cup for basketball with it sounding like the NBA would be in charge. That's not okay. The NBA wants their version of the world cup to replace Olympics basketball. If we are to have a world cup why shouldn't it be controlled by FIBA? Maybe there is a compromise. If the NBA would declare that players must be 23 years old before the can play in the NBA, a lot of problems would be solved.
http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/wizard.gif

[MCFinARL]

If the NBA would declare that players must be 23 years old before the can play in the NBA, a lot of problems would be solved.
http://crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/wizard.gif
:D For everyone except the players--but then that's how it usually is.... ;)

[tommy]

I'm not much of a John Wall fan, but I don't know who you would replace him with.

Here's my team

Lebron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Hardin
Davis
Kyrie
Monroe
George
Thompson
Cousins
Wall

I hate to say it, but with the rest of this team looking like it does, you don't need (or necessarily want) a scoring point guard. What about Kendall Marshall?

[blazindw]

Russell Westbrook's still only 23, as are Kevin Love and Derrick Rose. They would definitely make the team as well as Harden (of course, barring known injuries).

[Big Pappa]

Here's my team

Lebron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Hardin
Davis
Kyrie
Monroe
George
Thompson
Cousins
Wall

I like this team as well, but with a few changes. I think the top three are obvious as well as Griffin, Harden, Davis, KI, Wall, and Cousins. That leave Monroe, George, and Thompson as wild cards.

Russell Westbrook wouldn't qualify if the cutoff date in January 1, 1989 as he was born on November 12, 1988. Neither would Kevin Love (September 7, 1988) or Derrick Rose (October 4, 1988). Eric Gordon also barely misses the cutoff as he was born on December 25, 1988.

I think that Kemba Walker, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, Thomas Robinson, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist belong in the discussion with Monroe, George and Thompson.

All that said, my team would be:

Lebron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Hardin
Davis
Kyrie
Cousins
Wall
Evans
Monroe
Kidd-Gilchrist

[burnspbesq]

What about Kendall Marshall?

I'm trying to imagine Kendall Marshall guarding Ricky Rubio, Tony Parker, or Patty Mills. What I'm imagining is not pretty. Not even a little bit.

[tommy]

I like this team as well, but with a few changes. I think the top three are obvious as well as Griffin, Harden, Davis, KI, Wall, and Cousins. That leave Monroe, George, and Thompson as wild cards.

Russell Westbrook wouldn't qualify if the cutoff date in January 1, 1989 as he was born on November 12, 1988. Neither would Kevin Love (September 7, 1988) or Derrick Rose (October 4, 1988). Eric Gordon also barely misses the cutoff as he was born on December 25, 1988.

I think that Kemba Walker, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, Thomas Robinson, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist belong in the discussion with Monroe, George and Thompson.

All that said, my team would be:

Lebron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Hardin
Davis
Kyrie
Cousins
Wall
Evans
Monroe
Kidd-Gilchrist

I think that team's obvious achilles heel would be outside shooting. Not nearly enough of it IMO espec. for the international game.

[Son of Jarhead]

I like this team as well, but with a few changes. I think the top three are obvious as well as Griffin, Harden, Davis, KI, Wall, and Cousins. That leave Monroe, George, and Thompson as wild cards.

Russell Westbrook wouldn't qualify if the cutoff date in January 1, 1989 as he was born on November 12, 1988. Neither would Kevin Love (September 7, 1988) or Derrick Rose (October 4, 1988). Eric Gordon also barely misses the cutoff as he was born on December 25, 1988.

I think that Kemba Walker, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, Thomas Robinson, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist belong in the discussion with Monroe, George and Thompson.

All that said, my team would be:

Lebron
Durant
Howard
Griffin
Hardin
Davis
Kyrie
Cousins
Wall
Evans
Monroe
Kidd-Gilchrist

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1271422-what-a-u23-usa-basketball-team-would-look-like-for-the-2012-olympics#/articles/1271422-what-a-u23-usa-basketball-team-would-look-like-for-the-2012-olympics

Bleacher Report has done the same thought exercise, though they missed Big Pappa's note about the birthdates.

Bonus link:http://www.aseaofblue.com/2012/8/1/3212436/what-if-usa-basketball-had-stuck-with-college-players

A Kentuckian does thought experiment on "what if the US had stuck to collegians all along?"... and his list is Duke heavy.

[CDu]

Russell Westbrook's still only 23, as are Kevin Love and Derrick Rose. They would definitely make the team as well as Harden (of course, barring known injuries).

Actually, they are all too old per the criteria (born before January 1, 1989).

EDIT: didn't see Big Pappa's post which says the same thing (and more).

[Big Pappa]

I think that team's obvious achilles heel would be outside shooting. Not nearly enough of it IMO espec. for the international game.

I would assume Kyrie (39.9% last year), Durant (38.7% last year), and LeBron (36.2% last year) would all be starters who are good-great three-point shooters. Harden is also a very good outside shooter at 41%.

Still a good point though regarding shooting depth. Maybe a swap or Kidd-Gilchrist and Klay Thompson would help address that.

[burnspbesq]

I would assume Kyrie (39.9% last year), Durant (38.7% last year), and LeBron (36.2% last year) would all be starters who are good-great three-point shooters. Harden is also a very good outside shooter at 41%.

Still a good point though regarding shooting depth. Maybe a swap or Kidd-Gilchrist and Klay Thompson would help address that.

Maybe, but consider that Kyrie is not a world-class on-ball defender (at least not yet). I would want to have a lock-down defender with some length to bring off the bench if a Rubio or a Parker starts going off. That was my reason for having Kidd-Gilchrist.