(Rondo brings a little UK flavor to Team USA, Getty/Ethan Miller)
As Wednesday rolled around, the Team USA brass had a big decision to make in loo of the team’s August 15 matchup against France in New York.
Team USA basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski decided to cut four players, leaving the team with 15 of the NBA’s finest players.
The decision was tough, but when everything was said and done Tyreke Evans (Sacramento Kings), O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies), JaVale McGee (Washington Wizards), and Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Bobcats) were left of the 15-man roster that will take part in the 2010 FIBA World Championships.
The week long mini-camp in Las Vegas, along with the White-Blue scrimmage that took place last week gave Colangelo, Krzyzewski, and Team USA assistants an opportunity to figure out what players would fit best on this year’s team.
Former Kentucky Wildcats standout Rajon Rondo made the final cut and for good reason.
The fourth year point guard is currently the Boston Celtics most integral player, a nightly triple-double threat, and a vocal leader on and off the court. Despite having an unspectacular night during the Blue-White scrimmage in Las Vegas, Colangelo and company knew Rondo was too good to pass up.
Rondo will team up with several other players including Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls), Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), and Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers) to create a formidable back court for Team USA.
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies), Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers), and Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia Sixers) round out the wing positions, with Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves), Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers), and Jeff Green (Oklahoma City Thunder) manning the power forward spots. Rounding out the center positions are Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks) and Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets).
The 15-man Team USA roster might not boast the big names of the 2010 Beijing Olympics—namely LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, or Dwight Howard—giving way to a younger generation, but it is stacked with elite NBA talent.
France should be plenty scared for their August 15 matchup against the United States and so should a lot of other teams in the FIBA World Championships.
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