“Dream Team, this is the Supreme Team Squad”

In my past life I could do this

The World Cup is such a great sporting event because it only happens every four years and it allows fans to get behind their teams on a deeper, more patriotic level. With that being said, I am never more patriotic* than during the Olympics when basketball is on. It only happens every four years, and I actually cheer the U.S. on as the beat the living crap out of other teams. That is until recently. The first Olympic team I was really cognisant of was the ‘96 Dream Team and the dominance that they showed will never be imitated again on the global stage. The 2000 Athens team, mistakenly named the Dream Team also, won the gold but the world showed the U.S. the strides it had made over the last 2 decades. Then comes the debacles that were the 2002 World Championships (6th place finish), the 2004 Athens Olympics (Bronze finish), and finally 2006 bronze finish at the World Championships.  But now…

PG: Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Deron Williams

SG: Kobe Bryant, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade

SF: Lebron James, Carmello Anthony, Tayshaun Prince

PF: Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer

C: Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandeler

Damn straight!

While we don’t have our very best players going – Amare Stoudemire and KG come to mind – we do have a very good team going to Beijing. What this team lacks in size down low, especially defensively, it makes up for with pure athleticism and perimeter defense. Against the international pick and roll style of basketball, perimeter defense is of utmost importance. Kidd, Wade, Tayshaun Prince and Kobe Bryant – whose role on the team has been described as defense first and scorer second – are all excellent defenders. Down low, both Howard and Chandler are rebounding blocking machines, and the scoring can be taken care of by LBJ, Mello and Redd. Can you say Dream Team.

During the FIBA Americas Championship tourney last year Lebron averaged 18.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, and 4.7 apg all while shooting a ridiculous 72% overall and 84% from inside the 3 point line. In other words, HE WAS UNGUARDABLE! LBJ, the King, will be able to both showcase his talents on the world stage and sell a couple million shoes in China for Nike** in one fell swoop. With LBJ dunking, Kobe defending, Redd shooting, and Dwight Howard being the absolute monster that he is, I dont see any team coming within ten points of the U.S team. And I say good, because its about time we reclaimed our spot as the best basketball playing country in the world.

*Whatever that word means

**I wonder how mucha  pair of Jordans cost in China