The 12 Players Team USA Should Select for the 2012 Olympics
The 2008 “Redeem Team” was talented enough to bring home gold for Team USA.
So as we head into the 2012 Summer Olympics, who are the 12 members the United States should choose to represent the country?
With the most talent out of any country, the USA should easily repeat as champions. Some choices are obvious, some you have to think about a little bit more.
Read on for some insight.
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2011 NBA Draft Results: Sacramento Kings Select Jimmer Fredette at No. 10
Sacramento Kings Select Jimmer Fredette, Guard, BYU at Pick No. 10 of the 2011 NBA Draft
Moving back to the 10th pick in the draft, the Sacramento Kings had their eye on Jimmer Fredette the whole time and got their man.
For a team needing fans and a team needing love from a city that they almost turned their backs on, this is a great start to try and win some fans back.
The Kings traded away starting point Beno Udrih with the faith that Jimmer can be their new starter at that position. A bit of a gamble as I would have like to see Jimmer go to a team where he had time to grow into the point guard position and now he is going to be thrown into the fire on day one.
We all know Jimmer can shoot the basketball, but his point guard skills remain very much in question.
From a fan and financial standpoint this is a great pick.
From a pure basketball perspective it is a good pick.
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Cavs select Irving with No. 1 draft pick (AP)
The Cleveland Cavaliers have selected Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick, making the Australia-born point guard their first of two choices in the top four of the NBA draft. Despite playing 11 games in his only college season because of a toe injury on his right foot, Irving was too good to pass up Thursday night with the Cavaliers’ first No.
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2011 NBA Draft: Toronto Raptors Could Select Brandon Knight at Number 5
Brandon Knight could fall to fifth pick in the draft and get selected by the Toronto Raptors
Brandon Knight’s stock has been falling, and not because he’s done anything wrong.
With Enes Kanter possibly getting picked up by the Timberwolves — and Derrick Williams falling into the laps of the Utah Jazz — Brandon Knight could still be available at number five, where the Toronto Raptors select their prospect.
And the Raptors will definitely be interested. From NBA.com:
In working out potential No. 5 picks, the Raptors went big, small and medium. Up front, they looked at Enes Kanter (at a private workout in Chicago), Marcus Morris and Tristan Thompson. In the backcourt, they worked out Brandon Knight and Kemba Walker. They also brought in Kawhi Leonard, who might be best described as a Shawn Marion-esque forward.
Knight is likely the best of the group and highest on the Raptors” board. He’s not as experienced or as polished offensively as Walker, but he’s bigger (6-foot-3) and quicker.
The Toronto Raptors would be foolish not to take Brandon Knight if he falls in their lap.
Plus, he’s a solid addition to the team if he does fall — he’ll have the chance to develop alongside coveted power forward Ed Davis while having weapons such as Andrea Bargnani to defer to when he cannot score. Toronto could use his athleticism and scoring ability.
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Jimmer Fredette: Why the New York Knicks Should Select Him in the NBA Draft
Jimmer Fredette’s draft stock seems to have the sports world more shaken up than the O.J. Simpson trial and Michael Jordan’s first retirement combined.
OK, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But as you’ve probably noticed, it has become impossible to turn anywhere for sports news and not find a segment or an article about why teams should avoid taking the guard who supposedly isn’t a true point guard that can’t play defense.
Let’s start with the positives.
The kid can shoot with the best of them. The former Cougar shot 45 percent from the field, just below 40 percent from beyond the arc and almost 90 percent from the foul line. While these numbers are already pretty impressive, they don’t tell whole story.
How much better would Jimmer’s percentages be if he wasn’t the lone source of scoring on his team? Jackson Emery and Brandon Davies were the next two leading scorers at BYU this past season and their combined scoring average was more than five points less than Fredette’s.
Not to mention that Jimmer didn’t have Davies for tournament—the forward who led the team in rebounds and assists until his improbable suspension.
So, what did the critics say after Jimmer’s sidekick got booted from his squad? Many respected and acclaimed college basketball analysts wrote the Cougars off for an early tournament exit, and I didn’t expect too much either.
In spite of this, Jimmer averaged over 32 points per game in the NCAA tournament, carrying his bunch to the Sweet 16 before being stifled by a deep Florida team.
He’s clearly a leader on and off the court, and appears humbled by the idea of playing for his favorite team.
So what’s his downside?
He will be the palest guard in the league since Eric Piatkowski, but I’m not so worried about that.
Many criticize his defense, claiming that he is either uninterested, untalented or both. This is a hot topic for Jimmer haters, frankly, because it’s an easy one to point out.
Don’t worry; I’m here to defend his defense (or lack there of).
As I mentioned earlier, Fredette was basically a one-man show on the offensive end. So how would his team have fared if their only scorer was on the bench during critical minutes due to foul trouble? Surely we’d be reading columns accusing him of not having his priorities straight had he done so.
In a recent USA Today article, NBA scouting director Ryan Blake explained, “‘Some of the questions about Fredette’s defense,’ Blake said, ‘stem from the guard having to stay out of foul trouble as he accounted for much of BYU’s offense.’”
Preach to ‘em, Ryan Blake!
While I’m not predicting that Jimmer is going to be making any NBA All-Defensive Teams, it seems clear that his flaws were overexposed by his environment.
This wouldn’t be a problem for the Knicks. As Billups’ backup, his fouls aren’t going to be all that crucial, nor would he play the minutes for that to be a factor.
Do you really think that as a lifelong Knicks fan and New York native, he would shy away from competition? In the NBA, Fredette will no longer be vastly physically superior, so being lazy on defense could mean the difference between being the sixth man and being the 12th man.
So this can go two different ways.
The first is that Mike D’Antoni can get his hands on Jimmer, making him a dangerous pick-and-roll point guard while also continuing to make him a defensive liability (as most players are in D’Antoni’s system).
The other way this could go (my preferred way), is that D’Antoni is sent packing and a more balanced coach is brought in to change the Knicks’ bad habits.
The idea that Jimmer is physically incapable of playing defense is preposterous. He has excellent body control, and just as he listened to his last coach’s orders to not play defense, his body appears capable of doing otherwise.
I’ve also been hearing plenty of complaints declaring that Jimmer isn’t a true point guard and that he isn’t a gifted passer.
His average of 4.3 assists per game in college isn’t the most impressive stat, but as we’ve already covered, he didn’t have too many options.
However, many scouts, including those at DraftExpress.com, justify Jimmer’s game, telling, “Yes, BYU’s offense started and finished with Fredette, but he always seemed to be a willing passer, able to hit the open man if the defense starts to focus too much on him.”
Am I saying that the Knicks need to put all their eggs in Fredette’s basket? Of course not. All I’m saying is that Walsh and D’Antoni should be willing to trade ahead of the Jazz at No. 12 to acquire this kid, if the price is right.
I certainly am not saying that we’re going to be likening Jimmer to stars like Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Derrick Rose. He might not even be the starter once Billups is out.
The Knicks are built as a win-now team and need the role players to act like one. Their roster was less deep than pretty much any team in the playoffs aside from Miami, and they couldn’t even win without a reliable supporting cast.
Aside from a starting center, the Knicks’ biggest hole is finding someone to bring the ball up the court when Billups needs a breather. Hopefully Walsh and D’Antoni don’t overlook Jimmer’s upside.
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2011 NBA Mock Draft: The Latest Speculation on Who Each Team Will Select
We know that Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams are set to go at the top of the draft, but as to what teams will be taking them, that is still up in the air.
Cleveland is not going to trade the No. 1 pick, and all signs point to Kyrie Irving as being the first piece to help replace LeBron James, but they need more than just a point guard to fill the void left by the game’s biggest name.
The second piece will likely come at No. 4 and Cleveland could take any number of players, but not Derrick Williams.
The Arizona Wildcat forward is widely considered the second-best player in this draft but the Minnesota Timberwolves have been a lightning rod for trade rumors during the draft process and could allow any team into the No. 2 pick for the right offer.
There are rumors circling a large group of veterans and we could see trades come fast and furious in this draft with big names landing a new teams before the draft is complete.
The Washington Wizards have three picks in the top 34; the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons could all be on the move, and the Portland Trail Blazers have been active in trying to move up for a point guard.
We’re going to go over all this and more as we look at the latest speculation in the NBA Draft.
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2011 NBA Mock Draft: Toronto Raptors Need to Select Kemba Walker at No. 5
2011 NBA Mock Draft Kemba Walker is Toronto’s Immediate Answer
The Toronto Raptors have some fine pieces, but are still in rebuilding mode as they search for superstar talent one year after Chris Bosh’s departure.
That can all change on June 23.
With the No. 5 overall selection, the Raptors select:
Class: Junior
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 172 lbs
2010 Stats: 37.6 min, 23.5 pts, 5.4 reb, 4.5 ast, 2.3 to, 1.9 stl, .2 blk
You could not find a single player more exciting than Kemba in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. He took the Huskies on his shoulders and brought them all the way to the Final Four. He displayed the superstar qualities every team wants to see—leadership, confidence, intelligence and most importantly, the clutch gene.
Kemba is an unselfish player, but he also knows when it is time to take over a game. He has the passing abilities and vision, but also the ability to create for himself. He has the innate ability to make his teammates believe victory is possible when he is one the court. You cannot teach the ‘it’ factor that Kemba possesses.
He is one of the few stars in the class and one of the few who can make a true difference in Toronto. He would instantly vault over Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan to become the face of the franchise. He is the man who can create a spark in Toronto and spark interest into this Raptors organization.
He will fall into general manager Bryan Colangelo’s lap—it is just a matter of making the right choice when he does.
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2011 NBA Mock Draft: Will Sacramento Kings Select Another Guard at No. 7?
2011 NBA Mock Draft: Will Sacramento Kings Select Another Guard at No. 7?
The Pick: Kemba Walker, PG UConn
It amazes me that Walker has seemed to slip down draft boards since his prolific run in the NCAA this season, but it appears that there are some growing concerns about his play at the point guard position.
Walker has the game of a two guard, but at just barely 6’0″ tall and not even 180 lbs, he’s going to need to learn how to facilitate an offense really quickly.
The Kings already have Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih in the fold, but they’d be hard pressed to take another prospect over Walker if he falls into their lap.
MUST READ: Brandon Knight & 13 Most Raw Prospects
Kemba’s explosiveness is certainly not in question, but if the Kings are going to take him with some proven guards already in the fold, he’s going to need to learn how to play the point position on the fly without a large learning curve.
He does have the ability to create some open shots for his teammates with his ability to drive to the rim and kick it out to the perimeter, but he’ll need to learn not to fall in love with shooting the rock.
The Kings would do themselves a monumental favor by taking a chance on Walker, who has a serious chance to thrive in Sacramento.
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NBA Trade Rumors: Can the Phoenix Suns Move Up to Select Derrick Williams?
The Phoenix Suns currently own the rights to the No. 13 pick in this year’s NBA draft. Many have speculated that they’ll take Jimmer Fredette if he’s available, but now it seems they may have eyes for a bigger prize.
Jonathan Givony, who runs DraftExpress, recently tweeted, “Sources say Washington & Phoenix have been the most active teams trying to trade up for Derrick Williams. T’Wolves want a ‘veteran big man.”
If it’s all about getting that big man for Minnesota, then the Suns probably have a better shot at the pick. 27-year old Marcin Gortat has spent the majority of his career as Dwight Howard‘s backup. He showed he can really produce after the Suns acquired him.
He averaged 13 points and nine rebounds in less than 30 minutes a game for Phoenix last season. The “Polish Hammer” could be the kind of veteran big man that Minnesota would want. The T’Wolves would have to give up a player as well to make the deal work under current salary cap rules.
Recent rumors are suggesting that the Suns may be interested in Minnesota’s Jonny Flynn, who has shown up in his fair share of trade chatter over the last several months.
The actual trade between Phoenix and Minnesota would be Marcin Gortat and the No. 13 pick for Jonny Flynn and the No. 2 pick.
If the Suns landed Flynn, it would almost certainly increase the chances of seeing Steve Nash dealt this offseason as well. The team needs to kick start a rebuilding, and Nash could bring them some good pieces for that.
For Minnesota, Gortat would be an enormous upgrade over their current starting center–Darko Milicic. They could also still grab a shooting guard with Phoenix’s No. 13 pick, and be in decent shape for next year with Ricky Rubio, Michael Beasley and Kevin Love already in place.
Rating Derrick Williams’ Game 2K11-Style
You can follow Andy Bailey on Twitter @_Andy_Bailey
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2011 NBA Mock Draft: Charlotte Bobcats Select Jonas Valanciunas with 9th Pick
Height: 6’10″
Weight: 230 lbs.
Position: PF/C
Age: 19
Comparison: Nenad Krstic
He still needs to add a lot of strength, but his solid fundamentals should help him transition into the NBA.
He runs, defends and rebounds fairly well. Plus, he has a very solid basketball IQ for an 19-year-old player.
He may not be the kind of dominant center Charlotte would like to replace Kwame Brown and Joel Przybilla, but I think they’d be excited to see Valanciunas fall to them.
Click on Any of the Picks for a More Detailed Explanation:
1: Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving
2: Minnesota Timberwolves – Enes Kanter
3: Utah Jazz – Derrick Williams
4: Cleveland Cavaliers – Jan Vesely
5: Toronto Raptors – Brandon Knight
6: Washington Wizards – Kawhi Leonard
7: Sacramento Kings – Kemba Walker
8: Detroit Pistons – Jonas Valanciunas
9: Charlotte Bobcats – Bismack Biyombo
10: Milwaukee Bucks – Marcus Morris
11: Golden State Warriors – Tristan Thompson
12: Utah Jazz – Jimmer Fredette
13: Phoenix Suns – Jordan Hamilton
14: Houston Rockets – Donatas Motiejunas
15: Indiana Pacers – Alec Burks
16: Philadelphia 76ers – Markieff Morris
17: New York Knicks – Josh Selby
18: Washington Wizards – Kenneth Faried
19: Charlotte Bobcats – Klay Thompson
20: Minnesota Timberwolves – Marshon Brooks
21: Portland Trail Blazers – Nikola Vucevic
22: Denver Nuggets – Jordan Williams
23: Houston Rockets – Chris Singleton
24: Oklahoma City Thunder – Tyler Honeycutt
25: Boston Celtics – Justin Harper
26: Dallas Mavericks – Tobias Harris
27: New Jersey Nets – Nikola Mirotic
28: Chicago Bulls – Nolan Smith
29: San Antonio Spurs – Charles Jenkins
30: Chicago Bulls – Jon Leuer
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