HoopsHype.com Columns

They're no Dream Team, and that's OK
by Chris Clark / August 3, 2002

Team USA lost twice in the 1998 World Championships (to Lithuania and Russia) with such “superstars” as Ashraf Amaya (Southern Illinois), Gerard King (Nicholls State) and Bill Edwards (Wright State). They struggled mightily with Spain and Italy (winning by two and three points respectively).

Those in charge could have gone off the deep end again like they did before assembling the Dream Team for Barcelona in 1992. The fear of losing could have caused them to beg Shaq, Kobe, KG, Tim Duncan and a cast of other young superstars to go to Indianapolis and stomp on teams like Godzilla through Tokyo.

But they didn’t -- for two reasons.

It would have been a hard sell to those guys. I mean, “Hey, instead of spending your summer relaxing, how does hanging out and playing basketball for nearly nothing, while hanging out in Indianapolis for about a week sound to you,” doesn’t exactly have the same ring to it as a trip to Athens or Barcelona.

The other is this: As a whole, the rest the planet still doesn’t live up to NBA talent. Many of the countries outside the United States have made a dramatic improvement in their development of basketball talent since the last World Championships. Those who are skeptical, I point you to the June draft and just about any NBA roster. But let’s be honest, it’s pretty contained to Eastern Europe and China. You can still take a team of above average NBA players, add a few stars and still beat 75% of the teams in the world.

And that’s what this incarnation of Team USA gives us. But can they beat the 25% of the teams from around the globe that ARE good?

Absolutely.

Many of the teams that have been problems for the Red, White and Blue have been teams that do the little things – rebound, make the extra pass, dive all over the floor for loose balls, take the charge. Not exactly the forte of many of the superstars in past competitions.

This team, however, is different. This is a group of guys who hate to be outworked.

Take a look at the roster. You want rebounding? Say hello to Elton Brand, Antonio Davis and Shawn Marion. Passing? Jason Kidd and Andre Miller fit the bill. Looking for someone willing to give up their body? Ben Wallace and Raef LaFrentz are your men. Wanna talk charges? Kidd knows a little something about those. He was a master during the 2002 Playoffs.

Add Ray Allen, Michael Finley, Reggie Miller, Jermaine O’Neal and Paul Pierce and you have just as dangerous a team as you can find anywhere this side of an NBA All-Star Team. With a lineup like that, how can you lose?

Chances are they won’t very often.

Chris Clark is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

Tell us what you think about this column. E-mail us at HoopsHype@HoopsHype.com