Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 3:20 pm  |  70 responses

2009 USA Basketball Showcase Results

by Ryne Nelson

So you’re probably wondering… What was this USA Basketball Showcase? Well, it was a scrimmage featuring most of the America’s future stars. But there’s a bit more to it than that, actually.

Nineteen players (see the game’s box score below) played in front of the public at Valley HS in Las Vegas, NV. The game capped off a three-day minicamp… or try-outs, per se, for the 2010 USA Team.

The majority of the 2008 Olympic gold medal team is already committed to return for the 2010 World Championships, leaving only two or three spots to fill. Kevin Durant has all but made the team, so the competition, as you could imagine, was much stiffer than a regular pick-up game. A few cuts will be made before the season tips in November, and roughly 15 more players will be removed when next spring rolls around.

Onto the scrimmage — USA Blue won due to strong second- and third-quarter efforts and balanced scoring. USA White couldn’t come close in the end, despite a game-high 27-point performance from Rudy Gay. Speaking of game highs, Greg Oden impressed with 10 boards in 24 minutes (every second of which is apparently captured on streaming video here). Ronnie Brewer displayed his defensive acumen, amassing six steals off the bench, but showing (once again) little propensity to do much else.

Anthony Randolph was not to be denied his shine, despite playing a team-low in minutes (sound familiar?). He managed 8 jacks, 4 free-bes and 4 boards. He’s a player, and we’re hoping his inexperience is the only reason for his lack of burn. Lastly, for a poorly organized, but solid photo gallery, check this out.

Notable absentees: Blake Griffin (shoulder injury), Brandon Roy (contract), Rajon Rondo (attending a wedding).

USA Blue vs. USA White Box Score
USA Blue
Player Min FG 3pt FT Off Reb Ast Stl Blk Pts
Andre Iguodala* 19 3-6 1-2 0-0 0 1 3 0 2 7
Brook Lopez* 22 7-8 1-1 3-4 2 4 0 1 1 18
Kevin Durant* 23 5-12 1-4 9-9 1 8 4 0 0 20
Russell Westbrook* 20 3-5 1-2 0-0 1 3 4 3 0 7
Josh Smith* 21 1-4 0-1 2-3 1 6 2 1 1 4
D.J. Augustin 21 1-4 0-1 2-2 0 1 1 4 0 4
Kyle Korver 22 5-11 2-5 0-0 1 4 0 0 3 12
Kevin Love 17 2-5 0-1 0-0 2 3 1 2 0 4
Thaddeus Young 19 6-9 0-1 0-0 1 1 2 3 0 12
Anthony Randolph 16 4-8 1-1 3-4 1 4 0 1 0 12
Totals 200 37-72 7-19 19-22 10 36 17 15 7 100
USA White
Player Min FG 3pt FT Off Reb Ast Stl Blk Pts
Rudy Gay* 27 11-12 3-4 2-2 1 4 2 3 0 27
Jeff Green* 25 2-8 1-4 3-4 0 2 1 1 0 8
O.J. Mayo* 23 5-16 3-10 0-0 0 2 4 0 0 13
Greg Oden* 24 3-6 0-0 1-2 3 10 1 1 1 7
Derrick Rose* 28 3-7 0-1 0-0 2 3 2 0 0 6
JaVale McGee 15 2-6 0-0 0-0 0 3 0 0 1 4
Ronnie Brewer 25 4-7 1-2 2-4 1 2 3 6 0 11
Paul Millsap 18 1-6 0-1 1-2 1 4 1 0 0 3
Eric Gordon 15 0-4 0-2 2-2 0 2 2 0 1 2
Totals 200 31-72 8-24 11-16 8 32 16 11 3 81
Starters marked by asterisks (*).
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  • Tarzan Cooper Posted: Jul.27 at 3:25 pm
    how in the eff did kyle freakin korver get 3 blocks?!?

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Jul.27 at 3:25 pm
    Rudy Gay made a strong push… It’s just not Eric Gordon’s time apparently… Derrick Rose had a lackluster performance, but he’d be a nice fit for the team… Love and Korver would be a great choices as well, despite any stats.

  • Tarzan Cooper Posted: Jul.27 at 3:26 pm
    and rudy should make the team.

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Jul.27 at 3:27 pm
    Tarzan, I had to double-check to make sure I copied that right… Korver *did* get three swats!

  • Allenp Posted: Jul.27 at 3:27 pm
    Eff that, why is Kyle Korver even there?
    Come on now, that’s unacceptable. That kid from Golden State is probably a better shooter anyway.

  • RV Posted: Jul.27 at 3:32 pm
    Brook Lopez is underrated…

  • ab_40 Posted: Jul.27 at 3:33 pm
    if love or korver makes it i’m not gonna watch. they’ll get the christian leatner award for player who doesn’t belong on the team. Durant is a shoe in. they want to add a versital big so oden and bynum would have a hard time getting in. Brandon Roy can get in as a big guard. I can see brandon griffin make it if he doesn’t get hit with the clipper curse

  • RV Posted: Jul.27 at 3:33 pm
    allenp, but i think Korver is more consistent right now than Morrow, and has more experience

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 3:38 pm
    You know, I’d take Korver on that team in a heart beat. You want to make the mistake of taking a Michael Redd again, a player who NEEDS to control the ball a bit before being able to hit spot-up jump shots or else he’s totally useless?
    Stop making mistakes from the past. You need role players for a team. There is no more Scottie Pippen career roleplayers to fit the bill.
    On the other hand, Kevin Love would be absolutely worthless.

  • Pro Posted: Jul.27 at 3:42 pm
    Its a joke that Mike Beasley didn’t get an invite

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 3:42 pm
    If I was picking a team, I’d pick Durant, Lopez, and Korver. Get another super-scorer, a 7 footer post big man, and a three-point ONLY specialist. Other good additions would be Randolph, Green, Oden, or Brewer. You know, dudes that play away from the ball.
    Rose is great and all, but I can’t see him having any value over Paul and Williams. Kidd brought in leadership and a certain ‘toughness’ that helped in the Argentina game, but I thought having three point guards are useless… especially when you have dudes like Wade and Lebron who can control and pass.

  • danny Posted: Jul.27 at 3:45 pm
    Its a joke that mayo got an invite. 5-16?? jesus he has always been a horrible shooter.

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 3:52 pm
    Not sure if my post is going to magically pop up later, but my three picks would be: Durant, Lopez, and Kover. Another athletic wing scorer, a 7 foot one defensive post presense (something that was severely lacking last year), and a three-point ONLY specialist (another severely lacking component last year).
    Other choices I’d say to grab would be: Randolph, Green, Oden, Brewer… people who can PLAY OFF THE BALL!
    No more Boozer/Redd’s. That means Iguodala, Mayo, Gay, Smith… nuh uh.

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 3:55 pm
    I mean, Brook Lopez had 18 points, only missing ONE shot!!! Give that man a roster spot.

  • Jj Posted: Jul.27 at 3:58 pm
    Yeah I’d take Korver too. Nice role player, no constant need to have the ball in his hands, hits shots when it matters… wouldn’t hurt to have him… If he where to go, he wouldn’t play more than 5 or 10 mins a game, so yeah, I say take Korver.

  • Diesel Posted: Jul.27 at 4:02 pm
    I second Jukai in saying Love would be worthless. USA is a run and gun type team, love is too slow for the fast break game and too small for the half court game. I read on the follower that Rose actually played better than his numbers indicate, which is promising.

  • niQ Posted: Jul.27 at 4:05 pm
    Yes Korver got 3 blocks. It instantly makes all bigmen who tried out an embarassment.

  • Tenorca Posted: Jul.27 at 4:07 pm
    OJ Mayo. Really? Why’s he there again? JaVale McGee? Thanks for coming out guys. But no thanks.
    What this team needs is a little Stephen Jackson. /half joking

  • badnewzb8ller Posted: Jul.27 at 4:10 pm
    its a joke greg oden was invited! US team does not need another big man with ZERO offense. DHoward has that spot on lock.

  • comets Posted: Jul.27 at 4:11 pm
    what about devin harris? he needs a spot on the olympic team

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jul.27 at 4:17 pm
    Right, Jukai. Kyle Korver really should be selected along with Kevin freakin’ Durant. We all know how SPECTACULAR Mike Miller played a few years ago, he was truly the bright spot on a team of guys who couldn’t shoot. I mean, Kobe and Wade and all those guys can’t hit a shorter 3 which is actually like a mid-range shot to them… Nope, Team USA needs an unathletic 3-point camper who can’t do much of anything else. That’s how they’re going to win the World Championships.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jul.27 at 4:19 pm
    Kyle Korver seems like a good guy, though. As a person.

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Jul.27 at 4:20 pm
    O.J. Mayo for Olympics 2016.

  • comets Posted: Jul.27 at 4:21 pm
    devin harris as the third point guard

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 4:25 pm
    Teddy: Miller wasn’t selected for the Olympic team, incase you didn’t notice. Miller actually shot the lights out during the practices, but they decided that Michael Redd would be the better three point option, as he decided he would brick every shot that was sent his way.
    In FAIRNESS, you may be talking about Mike Miller’s FIBA Americans appearence, where he decided that he didn’t need to shoot the ball and could just drive and kick to a non-opened man everytime he got the ball. Great.
    Korver is neither Miller or Redd: he knows his role, and his role would be to camp the three point lane if the US team needed to spread the floor.
    And Kobe didn’t hit freaking ANY spot-up three point shots during the olympics. Get that sh&t outta here. Only Lebron and Wade were hitting threes last year, even Melo shot horribly. They need another surefire three-point shooter, Korver is the only dude on that list who fits that criteria. Durant probably does too, in fairness, but I’m pretty sure Durant will be confined to a slasher/off the ball role.

  • The Promise Posted: Jul.27 at 4:28 pm
    Gay and Durant should make the team. Not even close.

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 4:29 pm
    but no, you’re right, let’s select Iguodala and Gay and Mayo, clone versions of other players who will grow dust on the bench cause there’s no reason for them and a nine man rotation is fine so no one gets fatigued.

  • Tzvi Twersky Posted: Jul.27 at 4:31 pm
    In 2016 Mayo will be old. er.

  • Z Posted: Jul.27 at 4:34 pm
    USA Basketball got it all wrong. They don’t need role players, they need the 12 best players they can find TO BUY into roles. No other countries would ever not pick their 12 best possible guys. Look at Brazil in soccer, they’ll take the Kakas and the Ronaldinhos and then ask someone like Zé Roberto to fill in for defensive duties. Of course, he can do much more, but that’s not the point. Kyle Korver, Kevin Love, Shane Battier they have absolutely no business in Team USA. What they need is someone like Dwight to rebound like is a role player in this team because his offense is not needed or Bron and Kobe to hound perimeter guys like they were Battier.

  • Z Posted: Jul.27 at 4:37 pm
    Jukai, I can make that bet right now : if Korver does get selected, he won’t touch the floor in any important games. You just can’t justify sitting a D-Wade or a Melo for Kyle freaking Korver. They can ALL hit that set-shot international 3. Korver is not needed. What’s needed is a strong hand that will make players fall in line and establish a pecking order. I thought Coach K did a good with that. Everybody knows what time it is: Kob and Bron are 1a and 1b. Everybody else chips in.

  • Anton Posted: Jul.27 at 4:39 pm
    lol @ Nba.com’s front page story: “Durant, Gay shine”

  • Z Posted: Jul.27 at 4:39 pm
    Redd, Booze and Kidd won’t come back. Tayshaun might be kept. They’ll bring in Durant, Roy and Derrick Rose. + Oden or Bynum if they drop Tay. The whole camp is really not necessary.

  • Z Posted: Jul.27 at 4:40 pm
    Scratch that… Brook over Bynum and Oden if there’s a 4th spot. But yeah, it’s pretty much set in stone for Durant, Roy and Rose. It’s not evern THAT close.

  • comets Posted: Jul.27 at 4:41 pm
    gay would not fit on the usa team he’s not used to passing.. they dont realy need durant as crazy as that sounds he wont play anyway.. they should take brandon roy or devin harris but alot can change in 3 years Kobe we be older and wade might be hurt thats when durant might be needed its too early to tell

  • Anton Posted: Jul.27 at 4:43 pm
    While we talkin’ bout Olympics, Dwight was just awful in Beijing. Bosh showed that at the expense of muscle, he has more post moves, offensive prowess, and generally smarter plays than Howard. CB4 deserves a contender team to lead into the playoffs, Mr.ICanDunkItAndSometimesGoRight! does not.
    And bald Wade looked badass.

  • Anton Posted: Jul.27 at 4:48 pm
    Cosign Z 4:39. Except Bynum dropped out, shrugging and walking away with a playmate over his shoulder.

  • Z Posted: Jul.27 at 4:52 pm
    comets, that kind of reasoning drives me crazy. why would you bring in someone less talented than durant? this is team usa, coaches need to grow some ba— and tell guys that they’ll have a lesser role than they have on their nba team unless they are named kobe bryant or lebron james. that’s really the bottom line. as i’ve said, you don’t need role players… you need your best players to play a role.

  • Z Posted: Jul.27 at 4:54 pm
    that’s why arenas was cut, he couldn’t understand the pecking order and wanted to jack shots like he does in dc. he even said himself that he was ticked off that some guys were allowed to play ‘their games’. you don’t want guys like that, but then again, durant, roy and rose are nothing like gil.

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 4:56 pm
    Z: Yes, Kobe and Melo and Redd were hitting that international three point shot all olympics long. Well, they were shooting them, anyway!
    In your perfect world, everyone will know their role and be able to succede in it. Since that doesn’t work in real life, Dwight will look lost, Carmello and Redd will be chunking threes without proper touches, Kobe will stare at the space he has been given to shoot a three pointer and not know what to do, and a lot of players will continue to get burned simply because they don’t know how to expand all that energy at the defensive end.
    -HOWEVER-
    I wasn’t aware that Roy was trying out, and I would probably put Roy on my team over Korver, just because I think Roy is an overall better player. I would also probably take Griffin over Tayshun, honestly. I don’t know know why Tayshun wasn’t more successful in last year’s playoffs, I think Coack K didn’t know how to use him, and well, since Coach K is coaching again…

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 4:57 pm
    And as much as I like Rose and think he’s a superior talent, I don’t see the need for three point guards. Kidd was given an ‘honorary walk-on’ last year but Chris and Deron were the real point guards. The sole reason for bringing in Rose would be training him for later.

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 4:59 pm
    Let me elaborate: I think Roy is an overall better player who can work without the ball and still successfully camp the three without ego. He can pass and be a ‘glue’ guy, without any real ego. I don’t see that in dudes like Gay, who HAVE to have the ball to do anything.

  • comets Posted: Jul.27 at 5:06 pm
    @Z im saying if they take the best american players durant does not make the team and he makes the team he wont play any way if chosen.. and if it was up too me i would take roy over durant.. i want the best american players on the team… i dont want role players kevin love does not deserve to be on the team… durant is great but the only thing he would be doing on this team is passing the water

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.27 at 5:10 pm
    Comets: I’d choose Durant over Roy every day of the week and twice on Sunday. There’s some argument there, but no way Roy sees half the defenses that Durant sees, and Durant still excels. I say watch the dude a bit more.

  • Z Posted: Jul.27 at 5:11 pm
    comets, if you don’t think that a guy posting 25-7-3 on 48-42-86 %s at 20 YEARS OLD in his SECOND YEAR IN THE L is one of the 12 best Americans in the NBA… I don’t know what to tell you. Durant has a fighting chance of being the best player in the L in 3-4 years (yes, I went there). He has the potential to be included in that conversation with Bron.

  • comets Posted: Jul.27 at 5:15 pm
    roy embarrassed artest … u right they dont see the same defenses roy see playoff defense… who gets up to play the thunder?.. and its not about durant cause he nice but he’s an volume shooter

  • comets Posted: Jul.27 at 5:18 pm
    @z ur right but as of today he ius just an bench player on that team … that picking players for there versatility on offense he has alot but.. but what about defense that alone going to keep him on the bench

  • comets Posted: Jul.27 at 5:19 pm
    @ u mean Kobe

  • Overtime Posted: Jul.27 at 5:28 pm
    Shame theres no vid of the whole game anywhere

  • AlbertBarr Posted: Jul.27 at 5:33 pm
    @Comets…you are wrong. Cosign Z. Durant is legit. If he were on team USA I could see him playing just as much as CB4 or Tayshaun, especially if he gets some muscles in the next two years. And in 3 years, Carmelo might need to watch his back cause I could see Durant getting more minutes. Baby Ice!!!

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Jul.27 at 5:33 pm
    I agree Overtime… I’d check the bittorrents, though.

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Jul.27 at 5:33 pm
    … and I was wrong about Brewer. Dude had an excellent all-around game.

  • AlbertBarr Posted: Jul.27 at 5:34 pm
    Carmelo is pretty freakin good though.

  • Boing Dynasty aka Free Lester Hudson Posted: Jul.27 at 6:13 pm
    I would add Granger for skill, and JR Smith for entertainment.

  • DollaChoppa Posted: Jul.27 at 6:19 pm
    Damn. Brook Lopez is a good player. Better than oden for sure.

  • davidR Posted: Jul.27 at 9:52 pm
    you guys just aren’t exposed to morrow. i know he’s only a rookie, but leading the league in 3pt% shows he’s pretty consistent with his shot. also, despite being on the warriors and their run and gun offense, he’s not a jacker. he plays very efficient, taking mostly high% shots. i’d take him over korver anyday

  • Kadavour Posted: Jul.27 at 11:04 pm
    Kevin Durant is legit, but to say he’s better or more valuable than Brandon Roy is asinine. BRoy does everything well. Did you see what he did to Artest AND Battier?

  • matt Posted: Jul.28 at 12:12 am
    brewer, korver, millsap–JAZZ REPRESENT!

  • Tong Po Posted: Jul.28 at 12:15 am
    Durant had a good game 20 & 8 is good balanced stats, not to mention his team won. The rest of the stats are mad wack.

  • Chukaz Posted: Jul.28 at 2:28 am
    Yo, ma boy KD can ball. That dude got mad skills. He will be the best player in the game as soon as he bulks up (n kobe retires haha). Yeah, I went there. He’ll be better than Bron. Bron ain’t even that good. I don’t mean to sound like a hater but the dude don’t know what to do if the rock ain’t on his hands. LeBron should drop the point forward bull sh*t and learn how to play his possition.

  • Chukaz Posted: Jul.28 at 2:29 am
    position, my bad haha

  • D12FSU Posted: Jul.28 at 4:38 am
    cant we just take the 9 guys who actually matter and will play…then have a contest where 3 winners get to travel with the team and suite up…… half joking

  • D12FSU Posted: Jul.28 at 4:41 am
    oh, and Anton is just bitter cause we beat the raps in 5 two seasons ago

  • D12FSU Posted: Jul.28 at 4:48 am
    ….oh and i think zach randolph should get a spot……only so he can be traded to another country..(maybe throw in Q)

  • Jukai Posted: Jul.28 at 8:53 am
    Kadavour: You’re insane. Yes, he had Ron Artest’s number, that’s great, he also plays on a team where it’s impossible to double team him because of the talent that’s around him. Talent that’s thirty times that of OKC (Green and Westbrook are great players, but more defensively valuable).
    Durant deals with double and triple teams daily. Roy simply doesn’t. They’re both great, great players, every year all-stars, but Durant is just superior. I’m not going to give Roy the nod because he outplayed one player in the L.
    Also, did Chukaz really say “I don’t mean to sound like a hater?”

  • riggs Posted: Jul.28 at 10:37 am
    http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/2009/09_mnt_showcase_gallery/images/89079148AB012_USAB_Showcase.jpg toughhhh

  • riggs Posted: Jul.28 at 10:53 am
    They need brook down low, a good low post big man who knows his fundamentals.

  • Lz - Cphfinest3 Posted: Jul.28 at 8:32 pm
    My opinion is that they should just go with two guards,leaving Rose at home and put Durant and Roy on the team. For the third spot I would probably go with a big, maybe Lopez (haven’t really seen him play enough to have a qualified opinion) or Green who I think fits the international game and Team US’ needs well, with his range, length and defensive toughness. For all you guys hating on Korver’s game, no doubt there is a a lot of better players in the NBA, but still; there is a reason that every single International team has at least one sharpshooter on their roster. And ‘No’ neither Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Paul or Melo qualifies as a sharpshooter. They are better creating than spotting up, and their shots are not nearly as automatic as the real shooters. Durant and Williams comes close to fitting the bill, Kobe and Melo on their good shooting days too. But neither of the four are automatic from the international 3. Imo it wouldn’t be a mistake bringing a shooter, not saying it should be Korver, but at least he has some additional length to use on D. Whereas a guy like Morrow would have to take Wade and Kobe’s minutes to get on the floor without being a mismatch.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jul.30 at 1:29 am
    @ Jukai: Battier + Artest + Yao down low > Cr@ppy regular season defenses on Kevin Durant and the OKC, one of the worst teams in the league.
    Playoff defenses are ALWAYS more intense. Not to mention Artest and Battier are the two best non-center defenders in the league.

  • jeremy Posted: Jul.30 at 11:18 am
    randolph would be a good fit because of his size and atheism and versatility bigs in international ball generally can hit a perimeter shot and move fairly well
    but whats his mid range shot like and lopez he would be a nice fit. i wouldnt be surprised if the other countrys come up with a way to slow the usa down they just out gunned every one in the olympics there some pretty savy coaches, coaching some of the countries

  • Zach Posted: Jul.30 at 8:09 pm
    Rose needs to step up and play some ball. show them the D Rose that came out against Boston in the playoffs. Rose needs to pick his game up

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