Who Would You Select for Team USA?

[Wbbfan1]

Who would you choose for a National Sr Team if you could only pick existing college players or players who graduated in 2012. Pick 12 players. I think I could come up with a team that could Medal if they had two or three months of practice time. Don't think they would win Gold against the existing Sr National Team.

My team would be Griner, Nneka Oguwmike, EDD, Sims, Diggins. Bench would be Stricklen, Alyssa Thomas, E Williams (Duke) Glory Johnson, Alysha Gray, Chiney Oguwmike & Breanna Stewart.

Didn't include Tiff because of her up and down play in big games. KML was also a hard one to not have on the team because of her shooting ability. Just happen to like Thomas and Gray over Bria otherwise she's on the team. Chose Stewart because of her prior USA experience and thought Team USA would have her on the team. Tried to get a mix of players that graduated in 2012 but probably don't have enough of them on the team. Didn't take into consideration that Gray is now hurt or that Griner may not play. I also tried hard not to play favorites with UConn players and will admit that hurt both Bria and KML>

Edit: Should probably have Sugar Rodgers on my team.

 

[Vowelguy]

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/top-amateurs.21532/#post-293636

 

[Wonkster]

.
You should probably make this a POLL with 20 players to pick from. (If that's even allowed).

 

[triaddukefan]

Who would you choose for a National Sr Team if you could only pick existing college players or players who graduated in 2012. Pick 12 players. I think I could come up with a team that could Medal if they had two or three months of practice time. Don't think they would win Gold against the existing Sr National Team.

My team would be Griner, Nneka Oguwmike, EDD, Sims, Diggins. Bench would be Stricklen, Alyssa Thomas, E Williams (Duke) Glory Johnson, Alysha Gray, Chiney Oguwmike & Breanna Stewart.

Didn't include Tiff because of her up and down play in big games. KML was also a hard one to not have on the team because of her shooting ability. Just happen to like Thomas and Gray over Bria otherwise she's on the team. Chose Stewart because of her prior USA experience and thought Team USA would have her on the team. Tried to get a mix of players that graduated in 2012 but probably don't have enough of them on the team. Didn't take into consideration that Gray is now hurt or that Griner may not play. I also tried hard not to play favorites with UConn players and will admit that hurt both Bria and KML>

Edit: Should probably have Sugar Rodgers on my team.

At first I thought you had meant to write Chelsea instead of Alysha, but you made it clear when you mentioned that Gray was now hurt. She must have made quite an impression on you to select her over the other talented wings that are still in high school (deshields, K Davis)

 

[doggydaddy]

At first I thought you had meant to write Chelsea instead of Alysha, but you made it clear when you mentioned that Gray was now hurt. She must have made quite an impression on you to select her over the other talented wings that are still in high school (deshields, K Davis)

He got so excited about making sure he left off a couple of UConn players, he confused the two Grays. I'm sure he mean Chelsea as Alysha is still 2013 and was the only one he mentioned from that class.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Bria Hartley is a clutch player, so I'd try to get her on the team. I also would give KML serious consideration, as she and Elena could bomb away.

 

[joemontes]

Who would you choose for a National Sr Team if you could only pick existing college players or players who graduated in 2012. Pick 12 players. I think I could come up with a team that could Medal if they had two or three months of practice time. Don't think they would win Gold against the existing Sr National Team.

My team would be Griner, Nneka Oguwmike, EDD, Sims, Diggins. Bench would be Stricklen, Alyssa Thomas, E Williams (Duke) Glory Johnson, Alysha Gray, Chiney Oguwmike & Breanna Stewart.

I think that we will see GRINER, Nneka OGWUMIKE, and DELLEDONNE as early as the 2014 World Championships. They will most likely replace CASH, CATCHINGS, and JONES from the 2012 Olympic team. DIGGINS or SIMMS is a possibility if either BIRD or WHALEN is not able to play.

My prediction for the 2014 Worlds:

F - MOORE / 6'0
F - McCOUGHTRY / 6'1
F - PARKER / 6'4
F - DELLEDONNE / 6'5
F - OGWUMIKE, Nneka / 6'2
C - FOWLES / 6'6
C - CHARLES / 6'4
C - GRINER / 6'8
G - TAURASI / 6'0
G - AUGUSTUS / 6'0
G - BIRD / 5'9
G - WHALEN / 5'9

I think USA Basketball should include DIGGINS and/or SIMMS even if BIRD and WHALEN are still in the team, so they can learn from the latter two, the way BIRD learned from STALEY when she started playing for Team USA at the 2002 World Championships.

 

[Scotter]

Joe, I know capitalizing last names is your thing, but it is a real pain to read.

 

[Ctpaul0825]

Bria Hartley will be one of if not the best player in college this year. I guarantee she makes the team !

 

[UcMiami]

I don't know if I was reading something that wasn't there, but in some of Parker's comments I wondered if two gold medals were enough for her? She is the only one on the team who has started a family, and there was just something that made me think that she might not be playing all that much longer. Maybe I am crazy? (Quite likely!)
I do think that USA basketball may look at adding a young point guard for 2014 - who, I have no idea. But that might inhibit them from taking 5 forward/wings and 3 centers. (I am counting EDD in that group as I just don't think she can be a legit guard at the next level.) I do no see anyone capable of beating out Bird/Whalen in 2014. Those two may not be the best scoring point guards, but boy did they both do a masterful job running the team and that is what USA basketball really needs from the PG.

 

[Vowelguy]

I don't know if I was reading something that wasn't there, but in some of Parker's comments I wondered if two gold medals were enough for her? She is the only one on the team who has started a family, and there was just something that made me think that she might not be playing all that much longer. Maybe I am crazy? (Quite likely!)

Seems unlikely, she's only 26. I could see if she doesn't want to go to 2020 at age 34.

 

[UcMiami]

Seems unlikely, she's only 26. I could see if she doesn't want to go to 2020 at age 34.

Yeah I know, and she certainly loves the game. But it has to be tough playing in Russia during the NBA season, and I wonder if a second child could be in the future as well? She and Sheldon both seem to be totally into Lailaa.

 

[bbsamjj]

Pregnancy or injury could strike any of these players, and while Nneka, Griner, DelleDonne could all make future teams, we also have to remember that there are very good WNBA players (Dupree, Pondexter, Langhorne, Harding, Montgomery, etc.) who are in the USA system and could fill open slots.

 

[Coler]

I'd pick EDD on any team I'd make. Just love her game.

 

[Tonyc]

We saw the biggest difference in the mens and womens games this year. Women are driven by defense, team concepts, and unselfishness. Mens teams are all about one on one scoring at a very fast pace. The women blew out their opponets. The men struggled. So all those saying this one shouldve played or that one shouldve played dont understand how to play the game. Playing the game is is all about winning.

 

[UcMiami]

We saw the biggest difference in the mens and womens games this year. Women are driven by defense, team concepts, and unselfishness. Mens teams are all about one on one scoring at a very fast pace. The women blew out their opponets. The men struggled. So all those saying this one shouldve played or that one shouldve played dont understand how to play the game. Playing the game is is all about winning.

Tony - while I agree with the differences in men's and women's play, I do think USA men won because of a focus on defense. With the disadvantage of limited playing time as a team for both USA teams, allowing offense to take care of itself and focusing on defense is a smart move by both coaches.
The biggest difference in men's and women's games is that for the men, because of speed, leaping ability, and agility, offense in basketball has become too easy and no one can guard the best players one on one. The same is not true for women (yet.) So men's basketball at every level has become more of a one on one game. You go back and look at 60s tape of NBA games and it looks much closer to the women's game today then to the men's game of today. You never had guards that could dunk back then (and if they had tried they would have had their arm broken by Russell or Chamberlain or any of the other centers/power forwards.)

 

[UConnCat]

Tony - while I agree with the differences in men's and women's play, I do think USA men won because of a focus on defense. With the disadvantage of limited playing time as a team for both USA teams, allowing offense to take care of itself and focusing on defense is a smart move by both coaches.

The USA men won because they outscored their opponents. Defensively the USA men ranked 9th (of 12) in scoring defense and 8th in FG% defense. The men's defense allowed Spain to score 100 points and both Argentina and Lithuania scored more than 90 points. The USA women ranked 1st in both scoring and FG% defense, and ranked 4th best in defending the 3.

Offensively both teams were #1 in scoring and FG%, but the men shot 3-pointers much better than the women (44% vs 30%).

 

[UcMiami]

The USA men won because they outscored their opponents. Defensively the USA men ranked 9th (of 12) in scoring defense and 8th in FG% defense. The men's defense allowed Spain to score 100 points and both Argentina and Lithuania scored more than 90 points. The USA women ranked 1st in both scoring and FG% defense, and ranked 4th best in defending the 3.

Offensively both teams were #1 in scoring and FG%, but the men shot 3-pointers much better than the women (44% vs 30%).

Thanks for the stats, and I agree the men didn't shine defensively, but in the games where they were challenged (even if the final score didn't necessarily show it) typically it was a stretch of focused defense that got them started on the winning run.
I also just checked and the top 7 men's teams in the Olympics shot over 44% from the field so defense really is a realitive thing in MBB. For women, only the USA shot over 44%

 

[Icebear]

The USA men won because they outscored their opponents. Defensively the USA men ranked 9th (of 12) in scoring defense and 8th in FG% defense. The men's defense allowed Spain to score 100 points and both Argentina and Lithuania scored more than 90 points. The USA women ranked 1st in both scoring and FG% defense, and ranked 4th best in defending the 3.

Offensively both teams were #1 in scoring and FG%, but the men shot 3-pointers much better than the women (44% vs 30%).

One reason for the difference in 3s is the men were shortening their range while the women were extending theirs.

 

[asuwish]

Bria Hartley will be one of if not the best player in college this year. I guarantee she makes the team !

She might not be the best player on her own team since Geno has said one of the freshman might be the best that ever came to Uconn. There is not a coach in the country (Geno included) that would take Bria over Griner. She is very good and plays smart, but she might not be in the top 5 let alone #1.
Also people are forgetting about Vandersloot who has already been playing with team USA. I've said this before that she most reminds me of Sue Bird, and I think she runs the show before Diggins or Sims. Yes, I really like all 3 and Bria so the competition will be hard. Sue may still be the PG in 2016, but Whalen will be a little slower in 4 years and I don't think she will be able to hold her spot.
To the person who can't see EDD playing guard at the next level, you won't have to because she isn't a guard. She can play the 3 or 4 in the pros. Just because she may have the best range since DT doesn't make her a 2 guard. Lauren Jackson is 6'5" and shoot 3's and nobody says she's a 2 guard. EDD is a forward, period!

 

[Vowelguy]

Jones & Swin won't be back. I bet Catchings, and possible one other won't either.

- Griner is guaranteed a spot.
- Nneka has a good shot.
- I think they need at least one guard. Possibly Vandersloot.

 

[Vowelguy]

there are very good WNBA players (Dupree, Pondexter, Langhorne, Harding, Montgomery, etc.) who are in the USA system and could fill open slots.

In 2016, Dupree will be 31, Pondexter 33, Harding 32. Too old I'd say.