There was ample eye rolling and shoulder shrugging when the 2016 Team USA Basketball roster was announced last month. Sports fans and scribes lamented the absence of superstar Olympic veterans such as LeBron James, Chris Paul, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis. Also missing are two would-be first-timers Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard. That seven-man rotation would easily waltz Samba to Olympic gold against any roster in Rio. However due to injuries, the need for rest and the Zika virus, several of the league’s top stars choose to bypass Brazil. Though the Team USA roster might not be as sexy, the assembled roster will pay big dividends to the NBA.
The absence of Curry and James are the biggest disappointments. In leading the Cavs to become the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Championship, James reestablished his claim as the top dog in the league. James would’ve certainly dominated once again on the international scene. Despite the Golden State Warrior’s embarrassing loss in the NBA Finals, Curry is still the most-exciting player in the world due to his unlimited range and lack of conscience. International basketball is nowhere near as physical as the NBA and without James lurking like Superman on the help side, Curry would’ve had a field day in Rio.
Back to the current roster, expect this 2016 team to play with a major chip on its shoulder. The team will be led by OG Carmelo Anthony and the newly-crowned most-hated man in basketball, Kevin Durant. Nearly everyone outside the Bay area is still salty about Durant’s decision to join the Warriors. Expect Durant to work hard to turn the jeers into cheers by getting buckets for the USA. Anthony will likely face harsh criticism from certain elements of USA fans after pledging to use the Olympic platform to stand up for justice, civil rights and the Black Lives Matter movement. I’m sure Anthony realizes that the better he plays, the brighter the spotlight and the bigger the impact.
The remaining 10 players on the roster are Olympic newbies. The team’s guards are: Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry, Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan and Jimmy Butler. The forwards are: Kevin Durant, Paul George, Harrison Barnes, Carmelo Anthony and Draymond Green. The team’s centers are: DeMarcus Cousins and DeAndre Jordan.
On paper, it’s definitely not the scariest roster Team USA has put forth, but it is well-balanced. The team has everything Coach Mike Krzyzewski needs to reel in another gold medal. The roster boasts athleticism, shooting, defense, size and toughness. It’s the continuation of a strategy that Jerry Colangelo and Coach K put in place in 2008 following the USA’s disappointing bronze medal finish in the 2004 Games.
Expect Irving to continue the coming out party he started in the NBA Finals. The big boon for the NBA will be its ability to showcase stars who don’t get to play in primetime that often. DeRozan, Lowry, George and Cousins are big-time players that don’t often see the bright lights because of their TV markets.
George spent some time in the spotlight when he guided the Indiana Pacers to back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014. However, a gruesome injury preparing for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup put his superstar status on the backburner for a while. DeRozan and Lowry got a glimpse of the spotlight this year by advancing to the ECF, but they were still seen as ‘opponents’ to the Cavaliers. Cousins will likely benefit most from the increased exposure. ‘Boogie’ is one of the best big men in the NBA, but has never sniffed the playoffs with the Sacramento Kings.
Meanwhile, Thompson, Butler, Green, Jordan and Barnes play in larger markets, but are mostly seen as sidekicks rather than bona fide NBA superstars. They will all be fighting to prove they belong and deserve to represent their nation in the Olympics.
An impressive, gold-medal performance by this crew will create new fans for all the players involved. It will put the next generation of NBA stars front and center on an international stage. Based on the exhibition games the team has played, it already appears to be firing on all cylinders. Team USA beat Argentina 111-74 and beat China 107-57 and 106-57.
If you doubt this team’s desire to make a statement, look no further than DeRozan’s attempted 360 slam dunk in traffic (he was fouled and missed) as an example of the eye-popping, jaw-dropping play that is in store.
Jordan jeered for late arrival
Black Twitter had a field day roasting Michael Jordan after he released an article on The Undefeated speaking out against violence against both police and the black community. Jordan stated that he could “no longer stay silent” on the injustices that have plagued the black community seemingly forever. Of course, staying silent is exactly what Jordan did throughout his entire career. He also donated one million dollars to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Institute for Community-Police Relations.
Even though Jordan is late to the party, I’ll welcome him with open arms into the fight against injustice. At this point, Jordan’s small gesture is not quite worthy of praise and adulation, but spare him the ridicule. A hollow, one-time article and donation means very little to the fight against injustice. But a sustained effort by a billionaire owner with Jordan’s clout could make a serious impact. I won’t hold my breath waiting for it, but I will cross my fingers.
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