Tokyo Olympic Basketball Tournament Discussion

[NZB2323]

Team USA got a big boost today with early commitments from Dame Lillard and Draymond Green, per The Athletic. Jason Tatum looks like the next big name to follow suit. Steph Curry is still "literally 50-50." The Americans will take part in a Las Vegas training camp from July 6th-18th, with scrimmages against Nigeria, Australia, Argentina and Spain before jetting off to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, which run from July 24th-August 7th.

Not sure how much they're going to adhere to the (somewhat strange) 60 odd player pool they released in February, but it's probably safe to assume no one still playing the in the playoffs will be taking part. Lebron and AD have already announced they're out. What could be more fun than Zion posterizing some hapless Lithuanian?

https://theathletic.com/news/damian-lillard-draymond-green-commit-to-team-usa-for-olympics/vI6NU8zzXIhk

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/schedule.aspx

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/roster.aspx

Lithuania has Valanciunas and Sabonis. They're not Zion stoppers, but they're also not hapless.

[IgorK]

This is not likely to be a Gold squad unless other countries are also unable to include all of their stars.

[PlatinumState]

Gonna be a good squad regardless who sits out
Id really like to see Zion in the Olympics

[UcanUwill]

They won’t do it but the US should punt on this olympics and just send dudes under 25 or something. Guys need rest after such a condescended/weird season.

Why? A gold medal, in many (but different) ways, is as meaningful an NBA title.

Not in basketball world sadly. To some it will sound insulting that to NBA players Olympic medal is afterthought, because Olympics is highest high in sports, but not to all sports are the same. To gymnasts Olympics is highest high, but they dont have equivalent of world wide popular and skill dominant league like the NBA, all their practices are aimed for Olynpics, its just not the same with sports like Basketball, Hockey or Soccer.

[UcanUwill]

This is not likely to be a Gold squad unless other countries are also unable to include all of their stars.

Seems like most top Nations will have their A squads more or less, correct me if I am wrong, I havent heard many declines from top talent.

[Chuck Diesel]

Team USA got a big boost today with early commitments from Dame Lillard and Draymond Green, per The Athletic. Jason Tatum looks like the next big name to follow suit. Steph Curry is still "literally 50-50." The Americans will take part in a Las Vegas training camp from July 6th-18th, with scrimmages against Nigeria, Australia, Argentina and Spain before jetting off to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, which run from July 24th-August 7th.

Not sure how much they're going to adhere to the (somewhat strange) 60 odd player pool they released in February, but it's probably safe to assume no one still playing the in the playoffs will be taking part. Lebron and AD have already announced they're out. What could be more fun than Zion posterizing some hapless Lithuanian?

https://theathletic.com/news/damian-lillard-draymond-green-commit-to-team-usa-for-olympics/vI6NU8zzXIhk

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/schedule.aspx

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/roster.aspx

Lithuania has Valanciunas and Sabonis. They're not Zion stoppers, but they're also not hapless.

No of course not. But there will be a Lithuanian who will be hapless when confronted with Zion. Or a Serb. Or an Iranian. More about the spirit of Zion demolishing a foreigner.

[Myth]

They won’t do it but the US should punt on this olympics and just send dudes under 25 or something. Guys need rest after such a condescended/weird season.

Why? A gold medal, in many (but different) ways, is as meaningful an NBA title.

Not in basketball world sadly. To some it will sound insulting that to NBA players Olympic medal is afterthought, because Olympics is highest high in sports, but not to all sports are the same. To gymnasts Olympics is highest high, but they dont have equivalent of world wide popular and skill dominant league like the NBA, all their practices are aimed for Olynpics, its just not the same with sports like Basketball, Hockey or Soccer.

A stacked US team winning isn’t on par with an NBA title, but countries without the fortune of being able to stack the deck winning the gold for their country is, particularly if they knock the US out themselves.

[Sedale Threatt]

Skimming through the player pool at the guys who are probably going to skip due to age and/or long playoff runs, this could be another pretty flimsy roster. Possibly/likely no Booker, Brown, Davis, Durant, George, Harden, Irving, LeBron, Kawhi, Mitchell, Paul, Young, etc. Doesn't inspire a ton of confidence.

[cornchip]

Skimming through the player pool at the guys who are probably going to skip due to age and/or long playoff runs, this could be another pretty flimsy roster. Possibly/likely no Booker, Brown, Davis, Durant, George, Harden, Irving, LeBron, Kawhi, Mitchell, Paul, Young, etc. Doesn't inspire a ton of confidence.

A silver lining is that iirc, Australia and France are projected to be the two next best teams and they may be without Ingles, Simmons, Gobert, Batum, etc.

[Sedale Threatt]

Skimming through the player pool at the guys who are probably going to skip due to age and/or long playoff runs, this could be another pretty flimsy roster. Possibly/likely no Booker, Brown, Davis, Durant, George, Harden, Irving, LeBron, Kawhi, Mitchell, Paul, Young, etc. Doesn't inspire a ton of confidence.

A silver lining is that iirc, Australia and France are projected to be the two next best teams and they may be without Ingles, Simmons, Gobert, Batum, etc.

If other nations have to lose key guys too, that's obviously going to help.

[UcanUwill]

Why? A gold medal, in many (but different) ways, is as meaningful an NBA title.

Not in basketball world sadly. To some it will sound insulting that to NBA players Olympic medal is afterthought, because Olympics is highest high in sports, but not to all sports are the same. To gymnasts Olympics is highest high, but they dont have equivalent of world wide popular and skill dominant league like the NBA, all their practices are aimed for Olynpics, its just not the same with sports like Basketball, Hockey or Soccer.

A stacked US team winning isn’t on par with an NBA title, but countries without the fortune of being able to stack the deck winning the gold for their country is, particularly if they knock the US out themselves.

Yes, that is true. In Europe, I feel like NBA outweights alternatives where paradoxically basketball aint that popular. What I mean, for example in Lithuania, where basketball is very popular, things like EUroleague and FIBA is also very important, its part of national identity, so to a lot of kids, fans and players NBA is just a distant destination and not the main dream, there every kid dreams of playing for Lithuanian national team, they dream of winning a medal and having a airport welcoming parade (which happens). But in Germany, no one cares about local clubs, if you basketball fan, you are NBA fan, just a niche of Germans care for Bayer or Alba basketball teams, you know what I mean? But yes,I imagine most internationals would rather win Olympic medal than NBA title, thats a good correction of your part, when I wrote my comment, I had Americans in mind.

[Bologna Smasher]

The roster can become even thinner if upcoming free agents like DeRozan, Lowry, Allen, etc. decide not to play. It's going to be an interesting final roster.

[bisme37]

The weakness will be at center. FIBA rules favor bigmen as far as no defensive 3 second rule and no goaltending. And other countries just have plain have bigger bigs than the US does. Hopefully Bam can be the anchor and I agree with bringing Brook Lopez if possible. Either way I think there will be enough talent on the squad to make them at least slight favorites in my view.

[kenwood3333]

It was already short and condensed season for nba players, if they particpate in the olympics, how are they going to get their rest and recover for the next season? Esp Curry who has been playing extended minutes carrying the team all season long.

[Sactowndog]

Team USA got a big boost today with early commitments from Dame Lillard and Draymond Green, per The Athletic. Jason Tatum looks like the next big name to follow suit. Steph Curry is still "literally 50-50." The Americans will take part in a Las Vegas training camp from July 6th-18th, with scrimmages against Nigeria, Australia, Argentina and Spain before jetting off to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, which run from July 24th-August 7th.

Not sure how much they're going to adhere to the (somewhat strange) 60 odd player pool they released in February, but it's probably safe to assume no one US player still playing the in the playoffs will be taking part. Lebron and AD have already announced they're out. What could be more fun than Zion posterizing some hapless Lithuanian?

https://theathletic.com/news/damian-lillard-draymond-green-commit-to-team-usa-for-olympics/vI6NU8zzXIhk

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/schedule.aspx

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/roster.aspx

Tweaked it for you as Bogi is still playing in the playoffs and from what I have seen of Bogi he will play even if he had to swim to Tokyo.

[HeatIn5]

The roster can become even thinner if upcoming free agents like DeRozan, Lowry, Allen, etc. decide not to play. It's going to be an interesting final roster.

Don't think those guys make huge difference

Curry/Trae
Lillard/Westbrook
Beal/Does Jimmy play? If not then - Ingram? Jaylen?
Tatum/Zion/Draymond
Some combo of Bam, Lopez, Plumlee - could see a look to Dwight/Drummond as insurance.

I kinda expect a ton of small ball with Zion/Draymond at the 5

[Catchall]

So that camp starts while the playoffs are still going, right? I wonder if younger guys like Mitchell, Ayton and Booker will join despite deep playoff runs.

Mitchell will want to rest his ankle. Can't imagine he'd do the Olympics.

[Catchall]

If I were Team USA, I'd be talking to Jayson Tatum and Ja Morant. I might even look into Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs as deeper rotation players.

[Chuck Diesel]

Team USA got a big boost today with early commitments from Dame Lillard and Draymond Green, per The Athletic. Jason Tatum looks like the next big name to follow suit. Steph Curry is still "literally 50-50." The Americans will take part in a Las Vegas training camp from July 6th-18th, with scrimmages against Nigeria, Australia, Argentina and Spain before jetting off to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, which run from July 24th-August 7th.

Not sure how much they're going to adhere to the (somewhat strange) 60 odd player pool they released in February, but it's probably safe to assume no one US player still playing the in the playoffs will be taking part. Lebron and AD have already announced they're out. What could be more fun than Zion posterizing some hapless Lithuanian?

https://theathletic.com/news/damian-lillard-draymond-green-commit-to-team-usa-for-olympics/vI6NU8zzXIhk

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/schedule.aspx

https://www.usab.com/mens/national-team/roster.aspx

Tweaked it for you as Bogi is still playing in the playoffs and from what I have seen of Bogi he will play even if he had to swim to Tokyo.

Well the title of the tread does specificy “USA basketball” though I am aware international players and their fans love patting themselves on the back for caring about FIBA tournaments.

Definitely hope we get a full strength Serbia.

[HeatIn5]

Don't see Booker playing if they make a finals run, same with Mitchell as said with his ankle.

Really wondering if we see Westbrook added with Beal in the mix. He'd be a great guard with the 2nd unit and a perfect change of pace to go with a Lillard/Curry backcourt.