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Griffin, Aldridge join Team USA player pool
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  1. cedricmasonstone
    cedricmasonstone
    Posts: 98

    Posted 01/16/2012 10:58 AM

    NEW YORK -- The U.S. added Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles

    Clippers    and LaMarcus Aldridge of Portland

    on Monday to the 18 holdovers who hope to go for more basketball gold.



    The Americans announced a 20-player pool, a list from which the 12-man roster

    will be chosen in June for the London Olympics.



    Other than the two newcomers, the remaining players all represented the

    Americans at either the 2008 Olympics or 2010 world championship and have said

    they wish to be considered again.



    Returning from the team that won gold in Beijing are: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Back from the reigning

    world champions are: Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Tyson Chandler, Eric Gordon, Rudy Gay, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom, Chauncey Billups, Russell Westbrook and Andre Iguodala.



    Colangelo had planned to add Griffin to the national team roster in 2009, but

    he was hurt shortly after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick and those

    plans were scrapped. Aldridge was on the national team roster but withdrew from

    consideration for the 2010 worlds for personal reasons.



    But both have a shot now if the Americans decide to bolster the frontcourt on

    a roster loaded with point guards and wing players.



    The final roster of 12 players and six alternates is due June 18, before the

    NBA Finals will be completed in this lockout-delayed season, so there will be no

    time for a tryout camp. But USA Basketball needed to submit the list of all

    candidates by the end of this month so they could be entered in the drug-testing

    program.



    The Americans will have to decide how many point guards to keep from a list

    that includes Rose, the NBA MVP, Paul; Williams, Westbrook and Billups -- though

    he started at shooting guard in Istanbul, as he does now playing alongside Paul

    on the Clippers.



    Size could be a consideration for a potential matchup against a Spain team

    that boasts Pau and Marc Gasol, along with Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka, which could help the two

    newcomers.



    Whoever the Americans pick, they will have the unmatched athleticism that

    allowed them to end an eight-year Olympic gold medal drought in Beijing and a

    16-year absence from the gold-medal podium in the world championship two years

    ago.



    Colangelo assembled the original national team roster in 2005 after taking

    control of the USA Basketball program following the Americans' poor performance

    a year earlier in Athens, when they managed only a bronze medal. That group

    committed to representing the Americans for three years, but then all the

    players and the entire coaching staff signed on for a return after winning gold

    in 2008.



    None of those players competed in 2010, but the Americans won anyway with a

    young team led by Durant, the MVP of the world championship. Colangelo then

    combined the best of both rosters for the new pool.



    Only Jason Kidd, who retired from international

    competition following a long career, Carlos Boozer, Tayshaun Prince and Michael Redd weren't chosen from the 2008

    team. Stephen Curry and Danny Granger aren't back from 2010.




    I am a fan of
  1. Bull Frog
    Bull Frog
    Posts: 95

    Posted 01/16/2012 4:08 PM

    I really hope LaMarcus makes it. We all here in Rip City know he would REPRESENT the Nation very well... Congratulations LA. Nice win in NOLA tonight let's keep rolling and our grooove.... 
    I am a fan of Never giving up. I will be a Blazer fan for all of my life. Rip City!
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