USA Men’s basketball’s 28-man roster was announced today and the usual suspects like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony all made the player pool. New comers like Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins and Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal also cracked the cut for a chance to wear the letters U-S-A across their chest. No knock to the en kids, some of whom will play for Coach Mike Krzyzewski this summer in Spain for the Basketball World Cup, but there were some definite omissions from that list. While Coach K did acknowledge that no ones’s spot is etched in stone, we did have to ask how some players didn’t even get an invite?
Take a look at the players who deserved an invite to play for Team USA.
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Image Credit: Getty Images Brook Lopez, Brooklyn Nets
The endangered species that is the NBA center being still exists in some arenas. Brooklyn is one place these hardwood relics still roam. Lopez might be a bit injury prone and, well OK, he’s slower than Jonah Hill’s metabolism. Still, the California native should at least get the chance to prove he can hang before being completely passed over.
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Image Credit: Getty Images DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
No one on this list is having a bigger season than DeMar DeRozan. The kid from SoCal turned OVO Raptors frontman has elevated his game from simple slasher, to dynamic dunker to bonafide all star. Everyone expected the Raptors to tank on the season for a shot at current Kansas Jayhawk and Toronto native, Andrew Wiggins. But behind DeRozan’s play, any shot at the lottery is all but over. Any player that can drag the a team in Canada from afterthought to respectable this quick deserves a shot to rep for Team USA.
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Image Credit: Getty Images DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers
DeAndre Jordan is exactly what Team USA needs. Tyson Chandler isn’t getting any younger, so why not give him a rest for someone who has still yet to reach his maximum potential on either side of the ball. Jordan leads the league in rebounds (14 per game), field goal percentage and is third in blocks. Rebounding and defense are always issues when it comes to Team USA and international play. Jordan can play a key role there and would fit in with fellow Lob City residents, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, both of whom are on the roster.
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Image Credit: Getty Images Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
You know you’re real when you earn an abbreviated name in the league as a rookie. D-Wade, KD, all of the J-Will’s you can think of and now MCW. Carter-Williams should probably take a backseat to Wall, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and other young studs who are already proven on the pro level. However, he should be in the group to be groomed. A tall point guard that can create for himself and others, and push the ball in transition? Why not? Don’t forget he’s also second in the league in steals per game at 2.48 a game. A point guard that plays defense on the US Olympic team other than Chris Paul? What a concept.
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Image Credit: Getty Images Jabari Parker, Duke
There’s usually a college player on the Olympic teams (see Christian Laettner on the original Dream Team, Anthony Davis on the 2012 Olympic Team), so why not start a new trend and include Jabari Parker on the 2014 World Cup games team? He’s likened so much to Carmelo Anthony, who is Team USA’s most dangerous scorer not named Kevin Durant. Parker could add scoring off the bench and, to his benefit, become more acclimated with the pro game taking on NBA players in practice and in international play.
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Image Credit: Getty Images John Wall, Washington Wizards
In what’s unquestionably Wall’s best season, it’s a bit strange to see his name missing from the pool of players picked to rep that Red, White & Blue. Could Coach K still be salty that he chose Kentucky over Duke? Nah, that’s a doubtful excuse. Maybe it’s because his numbers and erratic play haven’t demonstrated what kind of player Wall could be, until this season. The man with his own dance is averaging career high 20 points and 8.5 assists for the Wizards. He stood out last summer in during Team USA minicamp, but maybe not enough.
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Image Credit: Getty Images Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
You know you’re real when you earn an abbreviated name in the league as a rookie. D-Wade, KD, all of the J-Will’s you can think of and now MCW. Carter-Williams should probably take a backseat to Wall, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and other young studs who are already proven on the pro level. However, he should be in the group to be groomed. A tall point guard that can create for himself and others, and push the ball in transition? Why not? Don’t forget he’s also second in the league in steals per game at 2.48 a game. A point guard that plays defense on the US Olympic team other than Chris Paul? What a concept.