2014 FIBA World Championships Primer

Tis the time to wipe the dust off the ole blog. Court Vision has lay dormant for over a month -- largely because my life was marred by any of the following: moving out of the White House, my inability to move into my new residence (which subjected me to a friend's couch for the next 8 days), and summer school final exams.

Besides, I started this blog knowing full well that sports summers have little to offer, and that the vast majority of the posts herein will be published between the months of August and June. As heterosexual, meat-eating, American men are nearly shitting themselves in excitement about the start of football season, I am writing today about... none other than the upcoming FIBA World Championships! More specifically, the well-oiled, always loaded machine that is Team USA Basketball.

I love college football -- but let's be honest: unless you're one of a handful of teams who has a legitimate test in week 1 (SCarolina/A&M,Wisconsin/LSU, Bama/WVU, UGA/Clemson), there isn't much to glean from a 59-0 obliteration of some FCS school. So for one last week until November, let's talk hoops.

Before delving into a team USA roster that is loaded -- yet wholly inferior to rosters in recent international competitions -- let's pay homage to the two dudes that run shit: Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krz...Coach K.

Mike Krzyzewski (left), Jerry Colangelo (middle), and Jim Boeheim (right) converse during a USA practice held in Las Vegas earlier this month. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

When Colangelo was appointed Director of Basketball Operations in 2005, USA Basketball had hit (relatively speaking) rockbottom. A disappointing 6th place finish at the 2002 FIBA World Championships was followed by a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Colangelo's first order of business: find a head coach who shared his vision of commitment and discipline. After hiring Krzyzewski, USA again posted an underwhelming result -- finishing third in the 2006 FIBAs -- but the atmosphere was certainly changing. 

 Eight years later, and the quarterfinal loss to Greece in the 2006 FIBAs is the only time USA has lost in international competition with Coach K on the sidelines. Together, Colangelo and Coach K have made it "cool" for the best players in the world, most of whom play in the NBA, to participate in international basketball. They've turned players sometimes labeled lazy into guys who dive for loose balls or sprint to help a teammate up. These things matter. When the biggest, most athletic and most skilled players on the planet are also doing the oft-belabored "little things" the result is a 65-1 stretch in 8 years. 

Now a breakdown of the position groups on the final 12 man roster:

Guards

I've pegged Steph Curry as a starter since camp began, and that should hold true in the opener against Finland...but not at point guard. Kyrie Irving, whose consistent jumper and ability to break interior defenses, gets the nod as floor general. Hyper-athletic Derrick Rose still shows flashes of his former self, but he's still playing his way into "game shape" and fits well coming off the bench. Klay Thompson is a floor-spacer and plus defender -- both of which will gain him minutes off the bench. James Harden is a firm starter; his offensive floor game remains elite, but he has apparently improved his defensive effort .  The guard spot is the strongest group on the USA roster, in my humble opinion.

Forwards

With the two best wing players in the world (LBJ, KD) opting not to play in the 2014, the USA forwards are a bit of a rag-tag bunch. And by that I mean they would probably play a featured role on any other roster in this tournament. Kenneth Faried's relentless effort on defense and both backboards thrusted him into Coach K's starting lineup. Rudy Gay was added to the roster when KD withdrew, and I think he'll see time at the 3 and even the stretch 4 in small-ball lineups. I was surprised to see DeMar Derozan make the team over Chandler Parsons, but I suppose Coach K favored Derozan's superior athleticism for defensive purposes. 

Bigs

Anthony Davis is not only a surefire starter; but also the most important player on the roster, from my vantage point. Davis's length is a downright problem for opposing frontcourters; and his ability to corral rebounds and get the break started quickly also stands out. Aside from his own strengths, the depth (or lack thereof) behind Davis is somewhat alarming, and renders Davis all the more important. Andre Drummond, DeMarcus Cousins and Mason Plumlee are all solid NBA bigs, but do I trust any of them playing crunch time minutes against a front court of Serge Ibaka, Marc and Pau Gasol? Meh. And if Davis somehow fouls out, (remember only 5 fouls, not 6 like in the NBA) team USA is vulnerable. 

Sunday, September 14th. That's the day of the finals. To be frank: if the USA isn't playing (and winning) the championship game, it will be a letdown. But with the empire that Colangelo, Coach K have only expanded, I am hard-pressed to believe that anyone but team USA will be hoisting a trophy in the next few weeks.