The Fiba World Cup did not go as planned for Team USA, bowing out before the semi-finals. Still, the world expects Team USA to return with a vengeance in the coming Olympics – with a squad full of superstar players.
The Olympics will not be an easy rest for the Americans and will have to click on all cylinders to come up with the previous gold medal. With the right coaching system, they should still be the favorites.
With the return of the NBA’s best, here is the expected team that will suit up for Team USA in the 2020 Olympics.
Point Guards: Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving
The point guard position, to begin with, is stacked. Stephen Curry made it perfectly clear that he wants to suit up for Team USA, and will be the starter at one spot. He is expected to put teams away with his deep range shooting and also be a major factor on offense thanks to his playmaking and scoring ability.
Backing him up will be Damian Lillard, who will continue his hot scoring streak in the NBA over the next few seasons. Lillard’s clutch abilities, deep range shooting, and undeniable competitiveness will make him vital to this team’s ability to win games. Lillard might even play alongside Steph at moments.
Lastly, Kyrie Irving will be another excellent addition at the point guard position. His sublime dribbling and scoring ability will give team USA three superstar players at the point guard position.
Shooting Guards: James Harden, Klay Thompson
At the two, James Harden will be the main man. As arguably the best offensive player on the team, Harden will be tasked with consistently putting pressure on the opposing teams’ defenses. He must take control on the break, push the pace, and attack the basket with force. Needless to say, James is a master at all three.
Klay Thompson said he plans to play in 2020 Olympicshttps://t.co/BlbUQPwHKB pic.twitter.com/p2GRyAD14d
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) September 20, 2019
Klay Thompson will be the 1A option at the shooting guard position, thanks to his perfect floor-spacing ability and chemistry with Steph. When he is on the court with Steph, they might be the strongest strategy for Team USA to put teams away early. Not to mention, Klay will play lockdown defense when required.
Harden and Thompson will certainly be a nightmare for opposing teams in the Olympics.
Small Forwards: Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum
Jimmy Butler will likely start at the small forward position, thanks to his two-way ability and size. Butler can be one of the main scoring options for the team, and also be the primary perimeter defender. He is a perfect fit alongside James and Steph and will be the middleman to make things happen on the floor.
Tatum is coming into his own and was arguably the best player for Team USA during the FIBA Tournament before he went down with an injury. He will also be tasked with feeding off Team USA’s superstar guards and score by pushing the pace as much as possible.
Power Forwards: Draymond Green, Zion Williamson, Julius Randle
Green will likely start at the four position and will be the best defender on the floor. His hustle, defense, rebounding, and leadership will bode well with the rest of the guys. Green will do all the dirty work, and be the man mixing it up for Team USA. Green can also run the break, and find the array of shooters down the floor.
Zion is another exciting addition to Team USA and will be tasked with finishing at the rim and using his athleticism on defense. As another big body for Team USA to deploy, he will play some major minutes and will have expectations on him as well. Zion will take valuable lessons from the Olympics experience, which will translate into his NBA game tremendously.
Lastly, Julius Randle can edge out the other forwards for the final USA spot thanks to his excellent post scoring ability and rebounding. Even though slightly undersized, he is very strong and can bully most played on the inside. Randle will also be there for backing up the bigs, and take away some valuable lessons from the Olympics.
Centers: Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns
Davis will start at Center, and will give the USA a legitimate 5 shooters on the floor at one time. Davis can do it all, and is easily the best big man in the tournament. Davis will be one of the key players for this team, and he will perform tremendously. Expect Davis to lead the team in rebounding, blocks, and maybe even points.
Towns will be the second-best big man on the team, and will backup Davis. Towns can score, rebound, and be a threat defensively thanks to his length and shot-blocking ability. He can also run with the rest of the players and will give the USA the final piece of the puzzle for tremendous depth and star talent.
Honorable Mentions: Kemba Walker, Bradley Beal, Victor Oladipo, CJ McCollum, Devin Booker, Kyle Kuzma, Aaron Gordon, John Collins, DeAndre Jordan, and Andre Drummond
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