Now that the dissection of the future of the current USA team roster is complete, how about I take a look at the possible new additions? There have been a lot of hyped players come out of the draft in the last few years. Comparisons for each of the players have brought up names like Bill Russell and Karl Malone. The next four years will go a long way in deciding just how good those comparisons were. One thing is certain, if they were right, Team USA will be doing just fine in London.

 

Greg Oden

 

There may be no bigger question mark in basketball than Greg Oden. The range of possibilities for him goes from being the biggest draft bust in history to being one of the all-time great NBA centers. Greg Oden has yet to prove that he can stay healthy long enough to be near 100% even in college. All of this intrigue makes Greg Oden’s rookie season all the more interesting. If he’s successful, Oden should be challenging Dwight Howard for the starting center spot in four years.

 

Kevin Durant

 

I know many weren’t exactly in love with how Kevin Durant played in his rookie season. Several of us had very high expectations for the kid. We do have to understand that he went to a team where he not only had to learn the NBA game, but also was expected to be the former Sonics’ best offensive threat. Durant did average 20.3 ppg and had a 42 point game against Golden State, so he should only get better. If LeBron James decides not to play in the next Olympics, Durant may be his replacement.

 

Derrick Rose

 

Chris Paul or Deron Williams should have the starting point guard slot, but with as much hype as this guy has gotten I would be surprised if he didn’t at least get a workout with the squad. Derrick Rose already has the quickness to get into the paint in the NBA and if he can develop a strong perimeter game he should be an all-star for years to come. He should be a big part of Team USA’s future.

 

Michael Beasley

 

One big thing the US is going to need in the future is players who can multiple positions. Many have been speculating that Michael Beasley may be more of a small forward than a power forward. There’s no doubt he’ll get a crack at both playing in Miami this season, but it will be interesting to see just where exactly he falls. If he’s a power forward he could very well be a starter for Team USA. If Beasley’s truly a small forward he may have to share minutes with Kevin Durant.

 

Eric Gordon

 

Eric Gordon was supposedly the best shooter to come out of the 2008 draft. I’m not a big fan of college basketball, so my analysis on that will have to wait. If it comes true that Gordon is a good long range shooter, then he’ll have to be looked at for Team USA. Michael Redd will be getting old by then, and so far the USA program has been reluctant to go after a player who only shoots threes ala Jason Kapono or Daniel Gibson. If he can shoot, he’ll warrant consideration.

 

Blake Griffin

 

Like I said in the previous paragraph, I’m not a big fan of the college game. Blake Griffin will be a sophomore at Oklahoma this year and is projected to be the number one pick in the 2009 draft. Most comparisons have Griffin as a Karl Malone/Carlos Boozer type power forward. It’ll be impossible to gauge this kid until he’s played some pro ball, but Team USA could use another big.

 

I’ve got one more Team USA column coming at you tomorrow. After that, it’s all NBA basketball. I promise! See you tomorrow.

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