Along with other outcomes in the aftermath of stanchion-gate, debates began sprouting up across all sports platforms over the whether or not NBA owners should be allowing their star players to compete in international play. Many argued that this could have happened anywhere, and that if George wasn't playing in that particular competitive basketball game, he would have just been playing another competitive basketball game somewhere else because, you know, that's what basketball players do in the offseason.
My take on this topic is that owners or the NBA should have absolutely no input on these players' decisions to represent their country in overseas tournaments. With that being said, the sight of PG's leg exploding had to have at least spooked the other players on the USA team. Although he denies it, Kevin Durant is apparently terrified (still gotta give a quick shoutout to my man KD Trey 5 to cashing in on that Nike mega-deal. As Jalen Rose would say, "Keep getting 'dem checks!").
So what if a rule was somehow passed prohibiting all NBA players from participation in the Olympics and FIBA? Well, then it would be 1984 all over again. And by that I don't mean that suddenly Ghostbusters will re-appear on the movie screen (What's that? It will? Oh, my bad). What I'm trying to say is that would mean that athletically gifted young men age 17-22 would once again proudly wear the red, white, and blue as they represent the USA against the world's best. Roster construction on this team would be not only extremely difficult to nail down, but also very entertaining to predict. It's now time to say, "Yes, you have guessed correctly! I am definitely about to undergo this very task."
The rules/guidelines I created for myself were fairly simple:
- 12-man roster balanced with big men, wings, and guards
- Put together the best TEAM; don't just gather the 12 highest scoring college players and call it a squad worthy of winning the gold
- Seniority matters only in close decisions. An elite freshman talent will be chosen over a proven, but marginally talented, college player. Sorry, it's just the world we live in.
- Try to include two white guys
- Don't let my Texas bias lead to the inclusion of any undeserving Longhorns
- Establish clearly defined roles that each player on the roster fills. Players can possess the requisite skills to hold multiple roles. Titles of roles include:
- Floor-Stretcher
- Ball Distributor
- Pure Scorer
- Athletic Rim Protector
- Low Post Technician
- Lockdown Perimeter Defender
- Highly Hyped Freshmen
- Token White Guy
- Effort and Hustle
Pretty straightforward, right? Great, let's proceed then. Here is the starting five:
C - Jahlil Okafor, Duke
Role: Low Post Technician/Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: Okafor, the consensus #1 recruit in the 2014 class, will sensibly be the focal point of the Blue Devil offense this upcoming season as a result of his back-to-the-basket prowess. He is 6-11, possesses great hands, nimble feet, and a strong lower body, all attributes that combine to form the ideal scoring big man. Okafor would likely also be the source of "easy buckets" for this squad, despite the inclusion of many other scoring threats as you will see. While not an elite shot-blocker, Okafor understands how to use his frame to patrol the paint and provide solid interior defense, especially after spending the past two years drastically improving his conditioning. No-brainer pick, really.
PF - Montrezl Harrell, Louisville
Role: Effort and Hustle, Athletic Rim Protector
Analysis: Harrell probably shouldn't even be on this list. Many had him pegged as a mid-first round pick following the 2013-14 season, but he decided to hold off on jumping to the NBA and returned to Louisville to improve his game. Better for us, right? Harrell will be counted on to rebound the hell out of the ball (not because Okafor isn't capable of grabbing boards, it's just that if Harrell is cleaning the glass, Okafor can concentrate his energy more on getting buckets) and give our offense extra possessions. Hopefully, Montrezl (awesome name) has been working on that mid-range jumper that the NBA covets in their undersized power forwards, as that would give the offense some much needed spacing inside the 3-point arc. Overall, Harrell is a consistent performer that knows his role and excels at it.
SF - Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona
Role: Lockdown Perimeter Defender, Effort and Hustle
Analysis: Some may call for his teammate, freshman Stanley Johnson, to occupy this spot, but I almost feel as if their games/body types are too similar to include both on the roster. Johnson is probably a better scorer, but we will have plenty of guys who can put the ball in the rim. That's why I opted for RHJ, who is an athletic freak with long arms, insane hops, and great strength for his position. Few wings in college basketball can run the floor with such ferocity and throw it down like Hollis-Jefferson. Rondae will also be given the other team's most talented wing scorer as his defensive assignment each game, and will rarely disappoint.
SG - Marcus Paige, North Carolina
Role: Floor-Stretcher, Ball Distributor
Analysis: As long as we don't come across a team that rolls out a 6-6 beast at shooting guard, I like the placement of Paige, a point guard, as a second ball-handler at the off-ball guard spot. Being able to run Paige off screens to get him open looks from 3 is ideal, and he wouldn't be able to do that if he was tasked with setting up the offense at point guard. Paige gets bonus points as a guy who has proven to possess the "clutch gene" and being willing to step up in any close, end-of-game situation. Defensively, as I mentioned, he may struggle against bigger shooting guards, but if afforded a matchup with a similarly sized 2-guard, he should be just fine.
PG - Tyus Jones, Duke
Role: BALL DISTRIBUTOR, Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: The reason Jones' first title is in all caps is because he is as elite an unselfish playmaker as we have seen in college basketball since perhaps the days of CP3 at Wake Forest. No one can run an offense quite like Tyus, who is equally adept at delivering a dime than he is simply taking the layup when it's there. Bottom line, he almost always makes the best basketball decision. There really isn't more you can ask out of your point guard. I know some people prefer the bigger, Andrew Harrison/Emmanuel Mudiay (who unfortunately became disqualified for this list when he decided to play this season professionally in China) type point guard, but Jones is really the quintessential point guard you want leading your team.
Bench:
C - Karl Towns Jr., Kentucky
Role: Highly Hyped Freshman, Low Post Technician, Floor-Stretcher
Analysis: You might be wondering why the first guy to get 3 roles isn't starting. In fact, I'm wondering the same thing. Fact is, though, Towns might be just as skilled as Okafor, and probably more athletic. Towns is the first one off the bench instead of the one taking the tip, however, because Okafor is a more consistent scorer. Towns is still an incredibly skilled in his own right. With an arsenal that includes drop-steps, up-and-unders, jump hooks, and an outside shot, Towns is perhaps the most versatile big man in the country, and will likely be utilized as such by Coach Cal this upcoming season. For our purposes, Towns will come into the game and stabilize the bench unit's low post scoring as well as establish an inside-out game plan that should overmatch most opponents.
PF - Cliff Alexander, Kansas
Role: Athletic Rim Protector, Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: Cliff Alexander is a beast. That is the most concise way to describe him. Alexander is a physical specimen capable of out-beasting virtually any big man he goes up against. As a result of his incredible strength and tenacity, Alexander is an impressive rebounder and low-post defender. At 6-8 and 240+ pounds, he has a frame that allows for him to carve out space to operate around the basket. He finishes well on put-backs and layups, and throws down dunks in traffic with apparent ease. Alexander will be able to seamlessly spell Harrell if the latter ever finds himself in foul trouble. A future of 8-figure NBA contracts and comments including the phrase "he will do all the dirty work" are definitely in store for big Cliff.
SF - Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
Role: Floor-Stretcher, Token White Guy
Analysis: What a surprise! Our first white guy is a Badger! Dekker has a spot on this roster for his basketball ability, plain and simple. I expect Dekker to take a big leap this season offensively and finally realize the potential people (ESPN.com) saw in him when he was ranked as the #17 recruit coming out of high school. Sam has good range on his jump shot, as well as an underrated ability to put the ball on the floor and create scoring opportunities for himself and others with dribble drive penetration. Highly skilled and experienced translates to a valued spot on our USA squad.
SG - Aaron Harrison, Kentucky
Role: Floor Stretcher, Pure Scorer
Analysis: The two roles I have assigned to Harrison may seem redundant, but there is a purpose for my including both of them. Aaron can take on different roles from game-to-game. Sometimes the flow of a game may dictate him to spot up along the arc and drain triples, while other times he can be called upon to dominate the ball and simply put points on the board. Also, Aaron gets the nod over his twin brother, Andrew, for his dramatic, late-game heroics last season. When the time comes for someone on this team to take and make a big-time shot, Harrison should receive the ball and subsequently get mobbed by his ecstatic teammates. Can't measure clutch, kids.
PG - Delon Wright, Utah
Role: Ball Distributor, Lockdown Perimeter Defender
Analysis: I actually didn't even know anything about Dorell Wright's younger brother until earlier this summer, but once I caught a glimpse of his per-game averages last season (15.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.3 APG), his tantalizing size at the position (6-5), and his length (very long), I was hooked. I then proceeded to watch as many highlight reels of him that I could find, and I gotta say, I was impressed. Wright displays an incredible ability to get to the rim at will and finish through contact. He reminds me of Elfrid Payton, the #10 pick in this year's NBA draft to the Orlando Magic. Wright's combination of slashing excellence and lead-guard traits give him the backup point guard spot on my USA roster.
Reserves:
C - Frank Kaminksy, Wisconsin
Role: Low Post Technician, Floor-Stretcher, Token White Guy
Analysis: After Kaminksy's obliteration of Arizona in the Elite Eight of this past season's NCAA Tournament, I may have fallen in basketball-love with him. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a 7 footer with a wide array of post moves, range extending past the 3-point line, and a quiet intensity that a team can truly rally around. Though he may not get much playing time, I fully expect Kaminsky to develop into this hypothetical squad's version of the Peter Dill-Kent Bazemore-Robert Sacre type, the unquestioned leader of the bench mob.
G - Malik Newman, HS Senior
Role: Pure Scorer, (Future) Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: Had to throw a high school phenom in there. Newman is as good a choice as any from the high school ranks, as he can score from anywhere on the court despite being the focus of every defense he faces. At 6-3, 180 pounds, Newman is more of a combo guard than anything else, but he does flash some characteristics of a lead guard. He has progressively developed a willingness to set up his teammates and get them involved. Defensively, Newman needs to stay engaged when his man doesn't have the ball, but he is still young enough to correct those shortcomings. Make no mistake, you should be hearing Newman's name down the road, and his stint on this imaginary college-all star team should be a great learning experience for him.
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