20 years after the Dream Team dominated the globe, countries around the world are preparing their nation's best for the 2012 Olympics in London. The United States is once again being led by superstars such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Chris Paul. But, before we dive into this year’s team, let’s go back to 1992 and review the previous five teams that represented this nation.
The Dream Team (1992) – For the 1992 Olympics, the United States organized the greatest collection of basketball players the world has ever seen. It was the first American Olympic team made up of active NBA (professional as opposed to amateur) players. If 11 of the 12 players inducted into the Hall of Fame doesn’t convince you of how great the team was, then take a look at the names: Jordan, Magic, Bird, Barkley, Pippen, shall I continue? If names do nothing for you, maybe the 44 point average margin of victory will. Still not convinced? Then have a talk with Toni Kukoc.
Dream Team II (1996) – For those who say “Dream Team II” was the 1994 team that competed in the FIBA World Championships, then by all means consider this “Dream Team III,” but for now we’re talking strictly Olympics. With five members of the original “Dream Team” (Barkley, Malone, Pippen, Robinson, and Stockton) combined with up-and-coming superstars (Penny, Shaq, Miller, Payton and Hill. Not to mention Hakeem Olajuwon who just became a U.S. citizen in time for the Olympics) this team was nearly as dominant. The average margin of victory wasn’t 44 points, but 31.8 points wasn’t too bad.
Sydney Olympics (2000) – The United States escaped a semifinals defeat to Lithuania when Šarūnas Jasikevičius couldn’t nail a three at the buzzer. They still went on to win the gold medal against France. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Vince Carter performed possibly the greatest in-game dunk known to man when he (literally) jumped over Frédéric Weis. You think LeBron’s dunk over John Lucas III was good? Think of it this way, Weis has roughly 15 inches on Lucas. (Editors' Note: I believe that this was the year the rest of the world had gotten over the awe factor of the U.S. talent and began taking offense to them. That semi-final game exposed a chink in the armor, if you will, and other nations began to see blood in the water. Team USA's skill was still off the charts and they were showing their opponents up routinely for the past 8 years. The rest of the world was no longer in awe of who they were, instead they wanted even more to defeat them and make them atone for the embarrassment they were put through all those years.)
Athens Olympics (2004) – This is the year that disappointment sets in. Looking at the roster, you would think US would be in a good spot considering they had Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony (to name a few), and their coaching staff consisted of Larry Brown, Gregg Popovich, and Roy Williams. After a rough start to the Olympics, the US defeated Spain in the quarterfinal game. However, they lost in the following round to Argentina. The team returned to the United States with bronze around their necks (or most likely their gym bags) in what was the most disappointing Olympic performance to date. (After this run, major shakeups were made within USA Basketball. The old model wasn't working and we couldn't just expect to walk through every opponent, as the rest of the world had seemingly caught up to us. Bryan Colangelo took control over the team and made Mike Krzyzewski the head coach shortly thereafter.)
The Redeem Team (2008) – With the 2004 performance lurking in the minds of everyone, especially Wade, LeBron and Carmelo, USA Basketball was looking for redemption. Arguably the second-best Olympic team representing the United States of America was unleashed in Beijing. Joining the crew was Lakers’ superstar Kobe Bryant and other NBA All-Star’s such as Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, and more. In pool play the US won by an average of 32.2 points. The team won their first gold medal since 2000 when they defeated a strong Spanish team which included the Gasol brothers, Ricky Rubio and Rudy Fernandez. Order was now restored.
Now, back to 2012. This team looks a little bit different than many anticipated this time last summer. Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, are all out nursing their injuries in preparation for the upcoming NBA season. Even without these three stars, the roster is filled with talent and is possibly the most versatile team we’ve seen. We all have seen what Melo, Kobe, LeBron, Paul, and Williams, can do in Olympic play, but for those of you who missed the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey, let’s go over some of the roster additions.
Kevin Durant – We all know how spectacular Kevin Durant can be. With three-straight scoring championships, it’s fair to say “Durantula” is the best scorer in the game and can turn his offense on at any minute. The height and length of a power forward (if not a center), and the shooting touch of a guard, he’s near impossible to guard. He averaged 22.8 points in the tournament, which included a 38 point performance. Look for Durant to carry the load offensively for this team while LeBron and Kobe focus on being defensive stoppers.
Tyson Chandler – Tyson Chandler is the only true center on this Olympic roster. While other fans are worried about this, I say don’t worry. Look back at 2008. Dwight Howard was the only true center on that team and let’s be honest, he didn’t do much. Chandler will be in for defensive and rebounding purposes.
Blake Griffin – It was reported roughly a day before the finalists were selected the Blake Griffin was a lock to make the roster. I will give you no argument disputing the fact that he’s the most fun player to watch since Vince Carter in his earlier years in terms of highlight reel dunks, but I’m still a little skeptical about his game. He can fly, he hustles, and he’s more athletic than probably anyone on the court, but there are still holes that he needs to fill. Hopefully for Blake, and the Clippers, being around these other stars will help him not only this summer, but throughout his career.
James Harden – James Harden was one of the final three selected to the roster. The reigning NBA Sixth-Man of the Year will probably play a similar role to Michael Redd from 2008. There’s no denying Harden has talent, but the players ahead of him have more. He can still be an impact player if someone gets into foul trouble or gets injured. Let’s just hope he performs better than he did in the NBA Finals.
Andre Iguodala – The swingman from the 76ers is having a pretty good year. Andre Iguodala received his first All-Star bid of his career, his Sixers were one-win shy of an Eastern Conference Finals berth, and now he makes the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team. Let’s not forget, he also has a gold medal from the 2010 FIBA Tournament as well. Iguodala was added to the roster for his versatility on defense. He is an excellent wing defender and can guard the one, two, three, and some fours. Look for Iguodala to come in when Kobe is getting his rest and the opponent has a guard who can score the basketball.
Kevin Love – Kevin Love is a double-double machine. He’s arguably the best rebounder in the league and his outside shooting will be extremely valuable to the team. Love will be able to draw centers and power forwards away from the basket and allow the athletic guards and forwards of the US to break down their opponents. If the double-team comes, Love can knock down the long-range shots.
Russell Westbrook – Lastly, we have Russell Westbrook. Westbrook catches a lot of criticism, mostly for his shot selection, but there’s no doubt the guy can play. He can be relentless (think game 4 of the NBA Finals). Westbrook can be the X-Factor for this Olympic squad. There may not be a faster, more athletic guard in the world than Westbrook (maybe Rose, but not at the moment). If he can get into the open court and make good decisions, he can have a great Olympic tournament. My prediction for Westbrook is that his role will mimic Wade’s from 2008. Wade was the team’s leading scorer and was the sixth man. Westbrook may not be the sixth man, but he can definitely come in, play the passing lanes, and fill it up on the offensive end.
After my first look at the roster, I was a little skeptical. However, after going over it multiple times, I am just as comfortable with this team as I was in 2008.
Here is a list of the players swapping spots:
Dwight Howard – Tyson Chandler
Kevin Durant – Dwyane Wade
Blake Griffin – Carlos Boozer
James Harden – Michael Redd
Andre Iguodala – Tayshaun Prince
Kevin Love – Chris Bosh
Russell Westbrook – Jason Kidd
I won’t be surprised if Spain gives the U.S. some trouble, but I have faith that Mike Krzyzewski will put the right lineups out on the court and bring home the gold again.
Article written by Zack Albertini
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