The 2012 FIBA Olympic National Team: Who's in and Who's out

With the NBA basketball season underway and the 2012 London Olympics not too long after this season, the choice for the current head of FIBA, Jerry Colangelo is who will make that roster for the FIBA USA Olympic team. He will start to cut down from the 30+ potential players to 18-20 soon and will cut it down to 12 by the Olympics. Colangelo, along with other coaches will have to decide between some of the talent from the Olympic Redeem team of 2008 which was

PG Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Deron Williams
SG Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd
SF LeBron James, Tayshean Prince,
PF Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer
C Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh

This team, after a long drought, won the Gold medal after the bronze medal fiasco of 2004. Colangelo will also have to chose from the W Championship team of 2010 which involved

PG Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry
SG Chauncey Billups, Eric Gordon
SF Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Andre Igulodala
PF Danny Granger, Lamar Odom
C Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love

These guys won the World Championships as well and clinched the berth of the United States competing in the Olympic games.

Colangelo will also have to choose from other superstars like Rajon Rondo, Amare Stoudemire, the Lopez Brothers, LaMarcus Aldridge who are on the roster and even Blake Griffin, who was not on the roster but wants to play....

So I will predict who will eventually end up as the inductees in what I like to call the Supreme Team, this is not a list of who the best players are or who even will be on an all star team this season, this is instead what will fit together the best on a team of this magnitude.

And easy pick since this guy is the best distributer in the game, an unselfish player who is the best passer in the NBA and yet is so much more, he is a very accurate 3pt shooter, he is a great perimeter defender, especially on the quick point guards, and he plays the passing lanes better than any point guards in the NBA. As the starting point guard, with his basketball IQ he will successfully handle the egos on the court and put everyone in check on the offensive side of the ball, and while he isn't a great athlete, he will do noting but improve this team on the defensive side of the ball.

Say what you want about him, he has been the best player since Michael Jordan, and Jerry Colangelo loves having an older guy start and be a leader of the team. The difference is that this guy still has a lot left in the tank. A gifted shooter, passer, defender (when he want to) and especially closer, he will be there at the end of games to finish off teams who dare to hang around this team for three and a half quarters. As the starting shooting guard, he will not play a heavy amount of minutes but will be there to keep defenses honest with mid range and three point shots as well as suffocating defense on the best wing player on offense.

He was in many ways the star of the 2010 world Champion team as he lead the young team to a gold medal last year, now he will be asked to be part of a group to win it a gain in 2012, but make no mistake about it, his role will still be large. He will probably be the primary scorer and go-to guy for this team with his ability to make shots consistantly, and with his length he can be a bother on defense. As the starting Small Forward, he will take the most three as space the floor as the spot up shooter on the court. He will also have time where he will be isolated to make shots when the offense stalls

Depending on the NBA Finals results which look favorably or Miami, and despite the star power, this will be his team, as the current consensus best player in the NBA, he does it all. Shooting, rebounding passing the only thing he wont be asked to do is close, and their may not be a reason to. As the power forward for this team, he will be asked to play the middle of the defense and be the post man point guard, and with his skills, he will make it hard on a team to defend him and the rest of the shooters on the court. He will also guard the power forward on the team but considering most are stretch fours, it shouldn't be a problem for LeBron James.

While Dwight Howard does not know what team he will be on in the NBA next year, he should be a lock to make the Olympic team, far and away the best defensive force in the NBA, the blocking king simply is everywhere in the paint and with his athleticism makes any team he is on a top 5-10 defensive team in the NBA. As the starting center, he will also get some looks posting up in the paint since he has the size and the body to make plays down low and he will bring down some rebounds as well. The three time defensive player of the year will however be focus on the opposing national team team to score as little points as they can.

Dwyane Wade in any lineup is the starter, but in the Olympics, because of the sheer talent on this team and his sacrifice as he in the last Olympics, will be the first player off the bench for the Olympic squad this year. As arguably the most exciting player to watch based upon his blocks, steals, dunks and drives to the basket, he will energize this team if they ever come close to falling behind and will provide not only the scoring in which he lead in the last Olympics, but also will provide defense that will stop any momentum the opponent will have. I expect the former finals MVP to have a very strong Olympic season.

The current NBA MVP has been one of the young stars that have risen over the past couple of NBA season, and many can attribute it to the 2010 World Champion team that he started at point guard with last season. He has great speed, great handling and is a strong offensive force attacking the basket. He will be in charge of distributing the ball to the other talented playmakers in the NBA as well as creating his own offense by attacking the basket and using his crazy athleticism to make some impossible baskets.

Carmelo Anthony is a scorer, there is no doubt that that is his great in scoring the basketball, and while his defense is sub par, he will do his job to make shots for this Olympic team as he did in 2008 in the Olympic being among the leaders in scoring for the American National team. It won"t happen this time, mainly because there are just too many great players on this team, but Carmelo will be in the game when three pointers will be needed because he has been one of the best high volume three-point shooter in the NBA.

Blake Griffin if picked would be new to the Olympics, but I'm sure he could handle it as he has been one of the most explosive players on the planet last year, leading the league in dunks and having the sheer athleticism to make plays. Because he doesn't need the ball until in the air for an alley-oop, he will make it much easier for the other guys to play basketball. And while he wont make a ton of shots, expect the reigning rookie of the year for those shots (dunks) to be spectacular. He also is a pretty good rebounder and will hustle for this team every game.

LMA has been underrated for some time, but because other American centers in the NBA have injury concerns, he is unselfish and he is a really good post defender, LaMarcus will find a spot on this team. He is just too good, he has an effective mid range jumper that will keep defenses honest, he has a sweet post game that is effective and he is an above average rebounder. But it is because he is humble is the reason why he will make this team as he will not get a lot of shots and I'm sure that LMA will be fine with that.

Kevin Love is on a bad team in the NBA, but he has been an effective offensive player and an outstanding rebounder who uses his strength to get position to get both offensive and defensive rebounding, as a member of the 2010 squad he also received a boost playing for the olympic team, leading the league in rebounding and scoring 20 points a game, and while he will be the big man who will play if there is an injury, I doubt that he will not find his way as an effective player on this team, he is just too good.

Andre Igulodala was key defensively to win the 2010 world championships. The fact that he is athletic as well fits into the style of offense that the National Olympic team needs and if one of these players cannot play, he is capable of scoring, passing, getting rebounds, blocking shots and getting steals. This seven tool player will probably be the 12^th man of this team, but he will be a guy who will not pout because of playing time and will always support his team.

Oh and to the guys who will be alternate is these guys drop out...and the list is not in order

Amare Stoudemire....the injury history suggests the Knicks wont want to see him play in the Olympics and is quite frankly a poor post defender to play anyways

Andrew Bynum...Injuries are the reason why this semi dominant center wont be on team

Tyson Chandler...Good guy, good player but didnt fit in the 2010 World Championship team

Gerald Wallace..Doubt he gets in because he is never been interested but he would be a good fit

Rajon Rondo..has no shot to make this team, literally

Eric Gordon..Nice shooter, but really doesnt provide anything else, although Jerry Colangelo likes those kinds of guys.

Russell Westbrook...Dont think he would defer on this high powered team and can't shoot consistently

Deron Williams...Just too many great players to make this team, don't see the 2008 Olympian making this team this time around

Chris Bosh...Don't think that Colangelo will pick more than two members on a team, and is just too star-studded of a roster.

Carlos Boozer...is not who the Olympic team needs to

Tyreke Evans...just wont make the cut

John Wall...needs more time to develop, but may make the team in 2016

This is my prediction of who will be in the 2012 Olympics. Obviously, some may drop and others may be preoccupied with free agency but this mix of superstars will be a great mix of the the 2008 Olympic team (6 players) the 2010 World Championship team. I expect the players (besides Dwight) on the 2008 team will be there last Olympics, but for the rest of these guys this will be their first and they will probably want to partake in this event four years down the line....