NBA talent alone is no longer sufficient to prevail on the largest international stage.
This is mostly due to the fact that other teams have NBA players on their rosters as well as the longevity of their projects and long-term relationships with their players.
American athletes are hoping to make a statement and atone for their dismal performance in the FIBA Basketball World Cup by doing well in the next Olympics.
In light of this, NBA star Austin Rivers posted on Twitter his ideas and assembled a team that would undoubtedly win the gold medal next summer.
He went with a three-headed monster at point guard, comprised of Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, and Stephen Curry.
And with Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, and Anthony Edwards, he completed the SG/SF lineup.
He chose LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Jimmy Butler for the frontcourt and Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, and Jaren Jackson Jr. for the bigs.
Truth be told, Rivers is absolutely correct when he says that he doesn’t want to hear anything about that team’s inability to take home the gold.
They are some of the best players on Earth, even if several are towards the end of their prime, and they have all played at the FIBA level and have international experience.
The good news is that they are here in their own backyard, which is just what USA Basketball needs in some saviors.
