Decisions

[BAMAPHIN 22]

LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony battling for one starting forward spot. Amare Stoudemire competing against his NBA teammate Shawn Marion for the other.

Either of those is now possible in the new era of American basketball. While trying to rebuild his country's reputation around the world, Mike Krzyzewski doesn't have time to worry about the one a player has at home. Not even the superstars get special treatment this time.

"We're going to have to make decisions, obviously," Krzyzewski said last week. "But it would be in the best interests of the group and not because of a one-on-one situation with a player. Everybody understands that.

"It's the old thing, and it's true all the time, that you play for the name on the front of the jersey, and it will say USA. And those decisions we make will have to be done in the best interests of that name and not any individual name."

That all begins Wednesday, when the Americans open the first of two training sessions in Las Vegas. Krzyzewski will select around 15 players from there who will travel to Asia, and the team will eventually be trimmed to 12 for the world championships that begin Aug. 19 in Japan.

There are 24 players on the U.S. roster, though only 18 will be competing for the final 12 spots. Six players won't be available because of injuries or personal reasons, including Kobe Bryant, who pulled out Saturday after having knee surgery.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/more/07/18/usa.camp.ap/index.html

 

[Kdawg954]

I mean the starting lineup w/ no injuries and assuming Shaq accepts the invite would be:

PF - Amare Stoudamire
SF - Lebron James
C - Shaquille O'Neal
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Dwayne Wade

Sick . .

W/O Shaq & assuming injuries and personal reasons.

PF - Bosh/Brand
SF - Lebron James
C - Amare Stoudamire
SG - Dwayne Wade
PG - Chauncy Billups

 

[Ferretsquig]

As coach K said....noone is getting cut. And they may have an entirely different lineup 3 yrs from now when they play for the gold. It wouldnt be a shock to see some from this and last year's rookie crop added if they excell next year.

For the games in Japan I would think coach K would go more with familiarity than anything else.

PG - Hinrich/Paul
SG - Wade/Bowen
SF - Battier/Lebron
PF - Brand/Bosh
C - Howard/Stoudamire/Miller

The cupboard is rather bare at SG with Redd, Kobe, and Pierce all out. Hinrich was brought in to replace Billups since hes going to have a kid. The dookies will probably get the most pt since they seem to be the only ones on the roster than play defense, and we know if there is one thing Duke teams always do, its play solid d. It will be fun to see how much coach K puts up with the typical lackluster d displayed by the NBA superstars. I say he benches them and puts his guys in.