Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 4:40 pm  |  96 responses

Report: Team USA Preliminary Roster Unveiled


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo has checked and re-checked his list of the world’s best American-born basketball players.

According to Sheridan Hoops, Colangelo has settled on the 19 ballers that he intends to take with him to London for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games:

We told you earlier today that LaMarcus Aldridge is on the verge of being added to the preliminary Team USA roster for the 2012 Olympics. Now we’re reporting something even better: The entire 19-man roster. Here it is, alphabetically, from my impeccable international basketball sources:

LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Durant, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams.

The final, 12-man roster will be announced in mid-to-late June.

All that we be left after that, will be for this squad to go out and prove that they deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the 1992 Dream Team. No pressure or anything, fellas.

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  • Pais

    Sorry Mariano, that was in response to an earlier comment. You’re probably even right, but for the sake of consistency and cohesion I say go with Bosh.

  • Dyce

    I was actually taking Bosh over Blake not LA. Blake isn’t there yet and other than a few alleys I dont think his game is gonna go well out there.

  • http://slamonline.com datkid

    but nbk.. could the lineup you mention effectively guard the gasol brothers? I mean lebron MIGHT be able to hold his own, bc he’s so strong but could love? he has well documented defensive issues. What if spain pounds the ball inside?

  • Dyce

    The fact that things like we have to worry about outside shooting should show how good that original Dream Team was. Mostly every player on the original team was a complete player and could do it all.

  • Pais

    @Dyce – I’m inclined to agree. But it’s a real tough decision to leave out a talent like Blake. Fact is Blake is exactly why casual fans like even like basketball. No matter what happens, it’s certain that a crap load of deserving players are gonna get bumped.

  • Pais

    @datkid – I’d argue that you don’t need to guard the Gasol brothers. Containing Navarro will be enough to ensure annihilation.

  • B.C.

    Final 12 man roster will be.
    Starting 5
    PG Chris Paul
    SG Kobe Bryant
    SF LeBron James
    PF Kevin Durant
    C Dwight Howard
    Bench
    PG Derrick Rose, Deron Williams
    SG Dwyane Wade
    SF Carmelo Anthony
    PF Blake Griffin, Kevin Love
    C Chris Bosh

  • robb

    @B.C. lol KD at PF and Chris Bosh at C??? you gotta be kidding.

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    If the team wants a ridiculous starting lineup, go:
    PG: LeBron
    SG: Durant
    SF: Melo
    PF: Love
    C: Dwight

  • golakeshow

    lamar odom and eric gordon do not belong there.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Datkid, In theory no that USA team can’t guard Spain in the half court. But with the pressure they could apply with double teaming and trapping. I would think they would have enough success on offense and force enough turnovers consistently best Spain. With that lineup, and just about any other for that matter lol

  • http://shinefluid@aol.com yada

    d.rose will be the starting pg on that team

  • tomtom

    And that’s why i have never taken anything caboose said seriously…

  • http://www.slamonline.com Dagger

    What the starting lineup should look like: PG: Paul, SG: Wade, SF: Durant, PF: Lebron, C: Howard. What it will look like: PG: Rose, SG: Kobe, SF: Lebron/Melo, PF: Lebron/Melo, C: Howard. I think Kobe is too keen to shoot no matter his teammates, and while I’m one of those people who thinks Rose is better than Paul I also think Paul is still more of a pass-first guy, and that’s invaluable in a team of scorers. Either way the team will probably be: Bron, Wade, Bosh, Paul, Rose, Kobe, Howard, Durant, Melo, Chandler, Blake, Gordon. Gordon VS AI is a close call, but I think they need shooting more than wing defence given the defensive growth of Lebron, Wade and Durant. I don’t think they’ll take Love over Griffin but they probably should, given how much they’ll need 3 point shooting. Finally, I think Bosh is a sound choice over those other quality bigs, because he knows how to play with star players and he’s proven he can perform at a very high level in the international game. Could this team beat the original dream team? The teams are quite evenly matched from the 1 to the 3, but the 1992 team’s quality at the 4 and the 5 gives it the edge.

  • Red

    Yeah D. Rose better be starting pg he’s better than CP3

  • http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=pawtucketymca Gametimeweezy

    ^ CP3 is the better facilitator though…

  • MikeC.

    The FIBA rules make some of the traditional NBA positions more fluid. Melo is an absolute beast at the 4 in the international games because very few 3s can handle him in the post and when they switch a 4 to him, it’s dribble drive time. Same with Lebron, but with more passing and more 3rd-person references. Odom’s versatility makes him an excellent option off the bench. As much as I’d like to smack Chris Bosh with a crowbar, his agility, quickness and mid-range game make him a much better fit than Blake. Love’s offensive repertoire make him a perfect fit, but can he guard opposing 4s and 5s? Durant is a great fit because he can play the 4 in a smallball lineup, he’s excellent at the 3 and can play the 2 if Team USA decides to supersize the lineup. Rondo would be a bad fit because he can’t shoot. Gotta have zone-busters. D Williams is a great fit. 2005 Chauncey Billups would have been perfect. Too bad it’s 2011.

  • MikeC.

    ^not that Blake lacks agility and quickness. His offense isn’t much of a weapon against a zone, so he’s just not a good fit unless he locks down that bank shot he’s been working on.

  • http://ggfhh.com Jukai

    Damn, I still say CP3, Rose, Kobe, Wade, Durant, Lebron, Melo, Love, Bosh, and Howard… But I’m unsure if Tyson, williams, LA, or Griffin will make it. Probably the latter two.

  • http://ggfhh.com Jukai

    Eric is great but I think love/durant are good enough three point shooters to take care of it

  • http://tempdog1 Tempest

    this team will be bonkers

    Starters
    PG – Rose
    SG – Kobe
    SF – Lebron
    PF – Durant
    C – Howard

    Bench
    CP3, Westbrook(DWill always gets jipped), Wade, Melo, Bosh, Griffin, Love

  • riggs

    no rondo? mehhhhhhhhhhh @ this team.

  • shutup

    When they play Spain whos gonna guard rubio? there gonna have to create a player that can stop his unbelievable quickness and hall of fame court vision, USA might as well pull out now, Rubio can beat any team 1 on 5. lmao. I bet Love doesnt make the team, Odom will make it because of his speed at his size and his ability to bring the ball up, also there gonna need some glue players that team is chock full of scorers, but besides Paul and Lebron I dont see many passers on the team.

  • http://www.nba.com VanCityBBall

    id take ABynum over Odom any day

  • Dyce

    Its also who’s going to be able to play after this condensed season, then injuries its gonna be interesting.

  • http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=pawtucketymca Gametimeweezy

    shutup – don’t worry, we have Chris Bosh… Remember that season in Toronto when he was the best PF in the league? He’s soooo much better than Amare Studamire and can probably beast both Gasol brothers at the same time! lol

  • china

    First string: CP3, Kobe, Lebron, Bosh, Howard.
    Second String: Williams/Rose, Wade, Melo, Love, Chandler and Durant and whomever does not start between Williams/Rose.

    Im very surprised to see Stoudamire not on this list. Lob city doesnt mean jack when it comes to Team USA, so expect Blake to get cut. He is a stat stuffer, but I dont think his game can transfer against the internationals… just yet! Therefore, I see Kevin Love making it over Aldridge for the final PF spot because coach K already has a face up PF in Bosh, and we need rebounds!

  • china

    what do u guys think?

  • Red

    I hate the Celtics seriously but wtf Williams over Rondo? I have a feeling Rondo declined to join the team cause I remember he said he barely wanted to do FIBA

  • shutup

    @weezy lmao all you need to do is get Bosh a tail and he’ll look like a raptor, maybe we should put JJ Reddick on the team hes better than anyone else on Orlando and he should be able to prove his world dominance

  • http://sfjklf.com Jukai

    I cannot see Westbrook over Williams. I’d be shocked if Westbrook makes the team at all. What does Westbrook bring which Rose, CP3 and Deron wont? I guess defense but… not enough to justify his placement.
    I’d also be shocked if Iggy makes it. They have Lebron, Durant, and Melo to play three. Why add another one?
    The only five I see making it over the obvious ten (CP3, Rose, Kobe, Wade, Durant, Lebron, Melo, Bosh, Love, Dwight) are Williams, Chandler, Griffin, LA and Gordon. I don’t think Chandler and Gordon make it, I don’t think Chandler brings anything Howard doesn’t, he’s kind of redundant, and if they take LA they can DEFINITELY get by without Chandler. I’d prefer Williams and LA but… I think one of them is gonna sit for Griffin.
    I find this s**t way too interesting.

  • http://slamonline.com Big D

    I’m surprised to see Eric Gordan on this list. Bynum could not keep up with this super athletic Euro centers. Perfect team to bring home gold.

  • Dx

    Potential problem:- not a whole lot of pure shooters out there… Maybe durant and love?

  • http://slamonline BossTerry

    D.Howard-K.Garnett.James.Kobe.Paul
    Lopez.Duncan.Durant.Wade.D.Rose
    Anthony.J.Johnson.

  • Justin G.

    I don’t know that this club needs that many pure shooters. With their transition offense and a defense that’s going to be stifling, guys like Lebron and Paul that can get the ball around the perimiter for the much closer 3 pointers…? I think they’ll be OK

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    Starters:
    CP3
    Kobe
    Bron
    Melo
    Dwight
    Bench:
    DRose
    EG
    DWade
    KD
    LA
    KLove
    Bosh

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    Where’s Rondooooo???

  • ptrain

    suprised most people take Love over LA, i know who i would rather have on my team…

  • JAMES

    where is rudy gay. he was a key part of the 2010 world team. he shoudl get a chance to tryout for the olympics

  • UltimaCarta

    Starters:

    Paul
    Bryant
    James
    Anthony
    Howard

    Bench:
    Rose
    Wade
    Durant
    Love
    Aldridge
    Williams
    Bosh

    CUT THE REST.

  • Mooney10

    Why not: Amare? Rondo? Ray Allen even? Bynum? KG? Al Jefferson?
    Why?:Billups
    Gordon
    Odom

    Rest of the guys are fine, but these 3 do not belong, I’d take Rondo over Billups, Gordon doesn’t belong and Chandler is not on that level at all. If you’e not an all-star caliber player why are you on this roster?

  • http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=pawtucketymca Gametimeweezy

    Watching Billups how he’s playing for the Clippers , especially his defense against shooting guards, would be a excellent Third PG for this team though cuz he can body with shooting guards

  • Justin G.

    OK, to answer Mooney. Why not…Amare? Because he’s not as good as Bosh, Aldredge, or Love. Rondo? Because he can’t shoot and he’s not as good as CP3 or Rose. Ray Allen? Sorry but Kobe and Wade have all those minutes. Bynum I may agree with for at least getting a chance to make it but he’d probably get cut anyway. KG? See Amare. Al Jefferson? See KG.
    As for Billups I don’t understand that one except maybe for a shooter? But I don’t think he makes the roster anyway

  • B.C.

    @ robb you’re an idiot, if durant’s not gonna play PF who is? He’s definitly gonna be starting and so is LeBron. Everyone else is gonna be coming off the bench, and Bosh is gonna be playing Center when he comes off the bench because he’s clearly not gonna be playing with Howard.

  • http://www.nbl.com.au/ Tony

    No oldheads in the squad please! They do not deserve to be in. USA has enough talent to send a young team to put on a show in London. Guys like Chauncey Billups, Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom should be cut.

  • Scott

    Just answer why certain players are or are not on the team that have nothing to do with talent:
    Amare: Not an option because he can’t be insure. Knicks won’t allow it.
    Rondo: beside the total lack of a jumpshot, he quit during the last try outs. He can forget ever being invited again.
    Guys like LO and Chauncey are there for leadership and their games fit well in international play. Chauncey may not be close to Rondo in talent these days but he is a great shooter which is more highly valued in the Olympics. I can still see these guys being cut though.
    If you think Bosh shouldn’t be on the team, you didn’t watch the last Olympics. He was a huge part of that team because of his mobility, pick and role D and outside shooting. He is an ideal big for international play. i guarantee he makes the team.

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