FIBA: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, & Team USA Best American Squad Since 1992 Dream Team?August 30 07 It was another day at the office for Team USA. Punch the time card. Drink some black coffee. Take to the old factory line and dominate Uruguay for an easy 118-79 victory. Business as usual for Stars and Stripes, who, after last night’s win, improved to a perfect 7-0 at the FIBA Americas Tournament. Something has been lost in Team USA’s workmanlike approach: this is the best American squad to take the international floor since the 1992 Dream Team.
Kobe Bryant could be the most talented player to ever ’rep’ the red, white, and blue. He’s easily the best player Team USA’s had since Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson took over the world at the 1992 Olympics.
But Bryant hasn’t even been Team ’s USA’s best player. That honor goes to Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Melo has been scoring in bunches, while King James has mostly facilitated for others until last night’s epic 11-for-11 first half against Uruguay.
Some American teams have treated their own end like an afterthought, something somebody else would handle. Those days are finished. Everybody plays individual and team defense on this American squad. No exceptions.
In the past, international squads would sag on Team USA, daring athletic slashers to pony-up from the outside. This worked against so-so shooters. But would you dare specialists like Michael Redd, Mike Miller or even ‘Amare Stoudemire’ to rain from the outside?
At the 2002 World Championships and the 2004 Olympics, players became frustrated with their roles. For example, Anthony understandably got upset when Larry Brown chained him to the bench without providing an explanation. In 2007, everybody knows and accepts their role. No miscommunications. And that’s why all the players, one through twelve, have looked so good. So far, it’s been all good for Team USA. But their place in history will be determined by their finish at the 2008 Olympics.
Agree or disagree? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts. Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA Blog.
Posted by
Sack Man
on 09.3.2007 | I think the 92 team looked better shirtless...but they also looked better pantless . | Posted by
http://www.nikeshopking.com
on 09.2.2007 | We deal with brand shoes like Nike, jordan, air force one, Adidas, Puma, Timberland boots, etc. We have especially Nikes like Shox NZ, R4, TL, TL2, TL3, Turbo, Monster, OZ; Air Max 95, 97, 2003, 2004, 2005 2006, TN, Dunk, Air Jordan I-XX. clothes ,hat, glasses,MP4 ,sony PSP ,We prefer to wholesale of cartons, but we can also supply mixed colours and sizes as you like. Drop shipping can be done also. Normally we need 24 working hours to process your order after receipt of payment. You can expect to receive the shoes in around 5-7 days. Buyers please feel free to contact us. Please contact us: msn nikeshopking@hotmail.com EMAIL: nikeshopking01 @yahoo.com.cn . and browse our website http:/// We are waiting for you. Best regards . | Posted by
Ab Scientist
on 08.31.2007 | But which team looked better shirtless? . | Posted by
Jacob from Australia
on 08.31.2007 | most of the people on here are exactly like the past USA teams and are arguing about whos the best player on the team and wat every1 should be doin! yes kobe is good, yes lebron is good and yes melo is good. all in their own ways! every1 on the team brings sumthing to the team:kobe - scoring and tenacitylebron - passing and hustlemelo - scoring and versatlitykidd - experience and dime dealerhoward - beast on the boardsamare - tenacity and speed for a big man (oh and outside shooting haha)redd - shootingmiller - shootingwilliams - passing and hustlebillups - passing and late game heroicsprince - hustle and tenacitychandler - beast on the boards and in the paint.stop hating on individuals man! this is a team game and they all linking for once. no1 argued bout if magic, michael or larry was betta!!! give USA a break and let them play like they are atm.peace . | Posted by
on 08.31.2007 | Wait. 4th quarter, 4 seconds to go, gold medal on the line, you think they’d go to melo? gimme a break. There’s one guy everybody in team USA would trust with a winning shot, and he wears number 10. did you see the WB game? everybody knew it was going to kobe, but they couldn’t do anything about it . | Posted by
Lakers Fan4Life
on 08.31.2007 | KOBE’s game knowledge/skills, his defensive tenacity/strength, and all around hustle is what makes this team unstoppable. Had KOBE been on the olympic’s squad in 2004 instead of LEBRON or CARMELO, the U.S. team would’ve won the gold medal. NO IF’S, AND’S OR BUT’S about it.Those NBA fans all know, the eastern conference is way weaker then the western conference. boston celtics should emerge as the east champs for the next 3-4 years. but the Spurs_Suns_Mavericks_Lakers_Warriors_Nuggets_Rockets_or Jazz would still beat them in any finals showdown. Just My Opinion Of Course. . | Posted by
on 08.31.2007 | 4th quarter, 4 seconds left, who do you give it to?Carmelo Anthony.I’m not a fan of his, but I’ve seen the crunch-time stats. He’s got the best % in that situation of anyone on this team. . | Posted by
Jian ming chan
on 08.31.2007 | Steve Nash is the best player in the NBA! . | Posted by
that one guy
on 08.30.2007 | kobe is the differnece maker just liek that guy said lebron’s been on this team multiple times kobe’s the new guy and so is jason kidd whos’ just important. Im not dissing lebron who’s great but kobe is the difference maker . | Posted by
we are all witnesses
on 08.30.2007 | To the guy who compared kobes championships to lebrons r blind to the facts! kobe has been in the leugue 9-10 years or something lebron only four! lebro took a team with people who play middle shcool level (exagdurated) to the finals and dont say the east is weak because they had to beat a strong detroit to get there the spurs were obviously the better team but it took mj 6 years to get to finals. those 3 championships u r talking about were all shaq what has kobe been ever since he left barely making the playoffs? eliminated in first round? this offseson lebron perfected his jumpsot next he will improve his defense by the time hes kobes age he will be unstoppable! look out cuz lebron an cavs dynasty is on the way! . | Posted by
on 08.30.2007 | KOBE HAS 3 CHAMPIONSHIPS .HOW MANY DOES LEBRON HAVE?????????0!!!!!!!!WATS WITH ALL THE HIPE ABOUT HIM BEING SOOO GOOD WHEN HES NOT EVEN THAT YOUNG ANYMORE.KOBE HAD HIS FIRST NBA CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS 3RD OR 4TH SEASON. . | Posted by
on 08.30.2007 | LEBRON IS OVERRATED. . | Posted by
on 08.30.2007 | bryant is better than all of the players on the usa team. he has the most talent, as well as knowledge of the game. KOBE 4 MVP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . | Posted by
bobby k
on 08.30.2007 | kobe bryant has been the most important part of team usa. he has been the frontman of the whole team. if they played him more, he would be leading the international tournament in scoring. . | Posted by
on 08.30.2007 | lebron the difference maker? do you even realize that lebron’s been with this team multiple times, and failed? scoring is not the issue in this international game; when the u.s. is filled with players who can all score, that’s not the problem. it’s shutting down the opponents. everybody focuses so much on the offense in these fiba competition because the u.s. constantly blows out teams by dozens of points, when that’s not even the true essence here. the reason why there’s a blow out is because of the defense. why do you think even without melo in the last game, we still blew them out? because of defense. we didn’t miss his scoring; if kobe doesn’t play, we won’t miss his scoring either. it’s his defense and passion we will miss. scoring matters more in the nba. also, why is everyone so impressed with lebron’s shooting percentage? don’t these people realize that 90% of the players on the team have crazy shooting percentages during the fiba games? is it because they’re THAT good? of course not. these are the same players who shoot less than 50% in the nba. it’s the international game people, with different court layout and different rules and much less skilled opponents. get a clue before you glorify lebron. plus, he usually gets most of his points on dunks or layups. . | Posted by
on 08.30.2007 | Agree. Team USA’s real test will come next summer . | Posted by
GREG
on 08.30.2007 | THEY HAVENT GOT A SERIOUS OPONENT ,INCLUDING ARGENTINA (TONIGHT)HAVENT GOT THE BEST PLAYERS(14 QUICKS) .THE REAL FACE OF USA TEAM WILL SEE WITH STRONG TEAMS . | Posted by
on 08.30.2007 | What’s the difference, though? The teams that Lebron has been on and this one? If you replace Lebron with Kobe on those teams, gold medals is the outcome. . | Posted by
Snupy
on 08.30.2007 | I think James is the ulitmate difference maker. Period. Full Stop! . | Posted by
on 08.30.2007 | Lebron won’t have to make a winning shot with 4 seconds left. The U.S.A. finally has a team again that will blow out every team they play. . |
No profanity or inaproppriate remarks. All i.p. addresses will be saved and abuse/hate posts will be reported to providers and authorities as part of the anti-spam act of 2003, thank you for posting comments on the articles only. | | | |
|  | About
Oly Sandor | Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More |
|
