Ben Wallace To Join Olympic Team

[arthurracoon]

Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace has accepted an invitation to play for Team USA in the Athens Olympics this summer, ESPN has learned.


Pistons teammate Richard "Rip" Hamilton, a guard, also is expected to be named.


Wallace's acceptance comes on the heels of a number of high-profile rejections. Last Wednesday, U.S. coach Larry Brown announced that Tracy McGrady would be the latest NBA star not to play for the team.


McGrady joined Ray Allen, Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Elton Brand and Kenyon Martin among players who have withdrawn from the team or have told the selection committee they would not accept invitations.


The U.S. roster now includes Mike Bibby and Stephon Marbury at point guard, although Bibby has been wavering in his commitment; Allen Iverson and LeBron James, as well as Hamilton, at shooting guard; Richard Jefferson and Shawn Marion at small forward, Amare Stoudemire and Tim Duncan at power forward; and Jermaine O'Neal and Wallace at center.

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This is great for Amare. Now he also gets to go against 3 other great defenders.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

The U.S. roster now includes Mike Bibby and Stephon Marbury at point guard, although Bibby has been wavering in his commitment; Allen Iverson and LeBron James, as well as Hamilton, at shooting guard; Richard Jefferson and Shawn Marion at small forward, Amare Stoudemire and Tim Duncan at power forward; and Jermaine O'Neal and Wallace at center.

Hmm...starting lineup:

PG: Marbury
SG: James
SF: Marion
PF: Duncan
C: Wallace

Bench:

PG: Bibby
SG: Iverson
SF: Jefferson
PF: Amare
C: O'Neal

 

[slinslin]

Why would they start Ben Wallace over Jermaine O'neal or Amare?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Because there is only so much ball for Marbury, James, and Duncan. I was actually debating on O'Neal, but I think Ben Wallace really lets a guy like Marion gamble for steals.

 

[slinslin]

Actually I think they will start

C- Duncan
PF- O'Neal
SF- James
SG- Iverson
PG- Bibby

There is a reason Ben Wallace wasn't invited until the last second.

 

[Chaplin]

If they start James, it will strictly be for publicity purposes.

 

[arthurracoon]

Why would they start Ben Wallace over Jermaine O'neal or Amare?

You need role players in the lineup. You can only have a certain amount of offensive players on the floor at a time as we learnt the last time the US participated in international competition.

It seems like there are many players that are willing to do the dirty work (play defense, grab rebounds). Lots of tough bigmen. Even the guards seem to be oversized (except Iverson)

 

[Chaplin]

Why would they start Ben Wallace over Jermaine O'neal or Amare?

Personally, I think the fact that Larry Brown is the coach might have something to do with it.

 

[slinslin]

Ben Wallace almost makes his team play 4 on 5 on offense.

What happened to the last Team USA that had Shawn Marion and Ben Wallace?

If Larry Brown was so high on Ben Wallace why wasn't he invited until the 8th replacement or so?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

If they start James, it will strictly be for publicity purposes.

Did you even see James last year? The best thing he does is pass. He is Penny Hardaway back when Penny was good.

That is why I have him starting next to Marbury. I actually tried to pick roles.

If they can get Duncan to play center than they should start Amare.

 

[Chaplin]

Did you even see James last year? The best thing he does is pass. He is Penny Hardaway back when Penny was good.

That is why I have him starting next to Marbury. I actually tried to pick roles.

If they can get Duncan to play center than they should start Amare.

Sorry, but Lebron James is still a rookie. He may have looked like Oscar Robertson on the Cavs, but this is a totally different thing.

 

[slinslin]

I would start Duncan and Amare as well.

But I doubt that would sit well with Jermaine O'Neal. So I don't think Larry Brown would do that.

Just like I can't see Iverson coming off the bench.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Iverson would be the perfect sixth man. Convincing him that will be a problem.

I was tempted to sit him over Hamilton

 

[arthurracoon]

Ben Wallace almost makes his team play 4 on 5 on offense.

What happened to the last Team USA that had Shawn Marion and Ben Wallace?

PG: Bibby
SG: Marbury
SF: Marion
PF: Amare
C: Wallace

PG: Iverson
SG: James
SF: Jefferson
PF: Duncan
C: O'Neal

I think those two sets fit together pretty well.

 

[PhxGametime]

I still think a player needs to be a threat - Ben Wallace, Antonio Davis, and Raef LaFrentz couldn't score much and were all undersized when USA lost few years back. Shawn Marion and Reggie Miller were hurt though (Miller still played but wasn't himself) and then the college player (forgot who) didn't contribute much and refs were pretty bad.

IMO the team can still get players to fill a role with players that aren't liabilities. Duncan, Amare, O'Neal, Marion, Jefferson etc can play roles defensively while being a threat to score - I'm not opposed to Ben Wallace but IMO a team doesn't always need a Wallace, Camby, Mutombo, Ratliff, [big] - Hassell, Bowen, Patterson [small] - player on team. Wallace might not need as many shots but doesn't create offense either, offensive rebounds doesn't stand out in games like this - as would in regular season.

 

[slinslin]

I guess Jermaine O'Neal is out. His doctors say his knee need 4-6 months rest.

Duncan and Amare starting!!

 

[George O'Brien]

I suspect that there will be a variety of lineups. Realistically, it will shake out if they get enough time working together.

BTW, it will be interesting to see how Amare responds to having a real run PG. He has the potential of being a great closer on the break, but the Suns don't run the break especially well. Plaing with Bibby and LeBron ought to be a lot of fun.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I still think a player needs to be a threat - Ben Wallace, Antonio Davis, and Raef LaFrentz couldn't score much and were all undersized when USA lost few years back. Shawn Marion and Reggie Miller were hurt though (Miller still played but wasn't himself) and then the college player (forgot who) didn't contribute much and refs were pretty bad.

IMO the team can still get players to fill a role with players that aren't liabilities. Duncan, Amare, O'Neal, Marion, Jefferson etc can play roles defensively while being a threat to score - I'm not opposed to Ben Wallace but IMO a team doesn't always need a Wallace, Camby, Mutombo, Ratliff, [big] - Hassell, Bowen, Patterson [small] - player on team. Wallace might not need as many shots but doesn't create offense either, offensive rebounds doesn't stand out in games like this - as would in regular season.

I admit I don't watch a lot of international ball, but I wouldn't think it would matter if Wallace has a limited offensive game. This team will have some heavy offensive firepower from the other positions, so Wallace won't be needed for points. I doubt he will drift from the block, so they aren't going to really double off him much either.

 

[Joe Mama]

This team scares me. They really need to get Michael Redd on there. He would be much more valuable than LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony. I do like the Rip Hamilton selection. They need guys who can knock down shots consistently from outside the paint. If the coaches of the other teams have half a brain they will just take their entire defense and put it in the paint during the Americans to shoot from outside.

Brad Miller would be an excellent selection to take the spot of Jermaine O'Neal. He's big enough, tough enough, and he possesses the passing and shooting skills that this team will need.

That's how I feel about that.

Joe

 

[F-Dog]

Bringing Ben Wallace is the beginning of the end for the U.S. Now all they need is to leave Mike Bibby home, and you can pretty much write them off.

What the team needs is role players who are tough, versatile and can shoot. Have they asked PJ Brown whether he'd like to play? If not, why?

 

[elindholm]

Have they asked PJ Brown whether he'd like to play? If not, why?

Because then his fans will think he's worth more than $10 million per year?

 

[F-Dog]

Have they asked PJ Brown whether he'd like to play? If not, why?

Because then his fans will think he's worth more than $10 million per year?

PJ Brown has fans?