The Golden State Warriors guarded a complementary guard and big in the 2023 Draft, with Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis turning out to be high-impact rookies and core future pieces. The pair shared their all-time starting five for Team USA and happened to name the same five players.
PG: Stephen Curry
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Kobe Bryant
PF: LeBron James
C: Shaquille O’Neal
The pair explained why both came up with this lineup.
Trayce Jackson-Davis: “We’ve got a dominant big and we’ve got a four-man who can play the point and pass the ball. We have the best shooter ever and we’ve got two of the best two-way players and the greatest mentalities ever. It’s finished.”
Brandin Podziemski: “I feel like it just makes sense… A little bit of everything.”
Great minds think alike ðŸ§
Who's in your all-time USA Basketball Starting 5? pic.twitter.com/Tqf5NFV1if
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 8, 2024
That is a phenomenal five-man lineup to use for an all-time Team USA team. While the names are more attractive than their actual production on the biggest stage, no national team lineup could beat these five in their prime.
LeBron James has the third-most points in Team USA history (273) and could win his third Gold medal in Paris 2024. Michael Jordan‘s presence in the 1992 Dream Team is what allowed that team to transcend culture, with his influence catapulting USA Basketball to new levels.
Kobe Bryant has won one Gold medal, but Stephen Curry has never represented Team USA in the Olympics. Naturally, Podz and TJD had to mention their franchise superstar, but his inclusion based on history is the weakest.
Two notable omissions have to be mentioned when you talk about Team USA, namely Kevin Durant and Charles Barkley.
Durant could become the greatest basketball Olympian by winning his fourth Gold medal in Paris this year, so his status in a list like this should be unquestionable. He’s also the all-time points leader for the USA in international basketball with 435 points on 19.7 points per game.
Barkley was the best player on the iconic 1992 Dream Team, with coach Chucky Daly featuring Barkley as the primary scorer due to his size and agility making him virtually impossible to guard. He averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds over that Olympic run.
Almost every all-time great American player has played for the national team since the 1990s, with their predecessors playing as collegiate athletes before being barred from competing in the Olympics as NBA players. In terms of all-time names, these five players are arguably the highest-profile players to have donned the jersey.
Even with the achievements of Durant and Barkley, their status is not as high as the other five. Even though it’s a Team USA starting five, it’s almost impossible to make a ‘bad’ choice when it comes to an all-time list.
Big Season Ahead For Podziemski And Jackson-Davis
The Golden State Warriors have seemingly avoided falling into flux by maneuvering Klay Thompson’s departure into a sign-and-trade that landed them Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson, along with the signing of De’Anthony Melton. But these are surrounding pieces behind a core that features Stephen Curry and the young stars on the team.
Podziemski’s emergence as a rookie probably allowed the Warriors to allow Klay Thompson to walk as a free agent, as Podz averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He took the starting spot from Klay at points last season, so it’s clear he’ll retain that position to start the 2024-25 season, coming off an All-Rookie First Team nod.
Jackson-Davis seems to be the center for the future for the Warriors, falling to them with the 57th pick in the 2023 Draft. He averaged 7.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks, giving the Warriors center insurance behind Kevon Looney for the first time in years. He should expect to play bigger minutes, but a starting role isn’t penciled in especially if Draymond Green moves to being their full-time center.
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