 Posted: Thu 4:17, 15 Aug 2013 Post subject: What if 3-on-3 basketball was an Olympic sport - |
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| What would it be like if the best basketball players in the world competed in an international 3-on-3 basketball tournament?
FIBA was hoping to see such an event take place at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro, , leaving us to only imagine what it would be like if a trio of LeBron James, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant took on the rest of the world in a 3-on-3 tournament. But that doesn't mean we can't dream. With some of the best basketball talent coming from beyond the U.S. borders, a 3-on-3 pick-up style tournament on the blacktops of Brazil would be arguably one of the most popular events of the upcoming Summer games. Just imagine some of the trios. We did: (NOTE: For this exercise,Air Max, we were very flexible with players who have dual-citizenship. Each team is made up of three starters and one bench player. In most instances, we tried to make each team balanced at each position. While this event was suggested for the 2016 games,Nike Shox, we are looking at the best possible teams in the present day.) Argentina: G Manu Ginobili (SA), G Pablo Prigioni (NYK), G/F Carlos Delfino (MIL), F Luis Scola (IND) Australia: G Kyrie Irving (CLE),Billiga Air Max, G Paddy Mills (SA), G Dante Exum (H.S. '14),Billiga Nike Shox, C Andrew Bogut (GS) Brazil: G Raul Neto (UT), G Leandro Barbosa (WAS), F/C Thiago Splitter (SA), C Lucas Noguiera (ATL) Canada: G Steve Nash (LAL), F Andrew Wiggins (Kansas), F Anthony Bennett (CLE), F Andrew Nicholson (ORL) France: G Tony Parker (SA), G/F Evan Fournier (DEN), F Nicolas Batum (POR), C Joakim Noah (CHI) Germany: G Dennis Schroeder (ATL), G Luca Staiger (Bayern Munich), F Dirk Nowitzki (DAL), C Chris Kaman (LAL) Great Britain: G Ben Gordon (CHA), G Andrew Lawerence (WAS), F Luol Deng (CHI), F Joel Freeland (POR) Italy: G Marco Belinelli (SA), F Anthony Raffa (Coastal Carolina), F Danilo Gallinari (DEN), F/C Andrea Bargnani (NYK) Lithuania: G Martynas Pocius (Real Madrid), G/F Linas Kleiza (Fenerbace), F/C Donatas Monteijunas (HOU), C Jonas Valanciunas (TOR) Nigeria: G Tony Skinn (FA), G/F Giannis Antetokounmpo, F Al-Farouq Aminu (NO), C Festus Ezeli (GS) Puerto Rico: G Jose Juan Berea (MIN), G Ricky Ledo (DAL), F Moe Harkless (ORL), F Devon Collier (Oregon State) Russia: G Alexey Shved (MIN), G/F Sergey Karasev (CLE), F Andrei Kirilenko (BKN), C Timofy Mozgov (DEN) Serbia: G Sasha Pavlovic (POR), F Vladimir Radmanovic (CHI), F Darko Millicic (FA), C Nikola Pekovic (MIN) Spain: G Ricky Rubio (MIN), F Pau Gasol (LAL),Billiga Nike Free, C Marc Gasol (MEM), F Rudy Fernandez (Real Madrid) Slovenia: G Goran Dragic (PHO),Nike Free, G Beno Udrih (ORL), F Bostjan Nachbar (Barcelona), C Primoz Brezec (Noviny Novogorad) United States: G Chris Paul (LAC), F LeBron James (MIA), F Kevin Durant (OKC), F Carmelo Anthony (NYK) After looking at some of these rosters, it's hard to imagine why race-walking should take precedence over 3-on-3 basketball. What would you rather see: LeBron James, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant versus Steve Nash, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett, or rhythmic gymnastics? |
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