Pre-Olympics Power Rankings

By Bryan Armen Graham, SI.com

Somewhere Dr. James Naismith is having a laugh.

History's most famous P.E. instructor conceived basketball as a team game emphasizing skill over strength. And it's the institutional neglect of this very principle which has enabled nascent hoops hotbeds like Spain, Argentina and Greece to threaten America's place as undisputed king of the court.

That said, this year's U.S. team should win the gold medal. They have the best coach and they have the best players. Whether they have the best team -- and I believe they do -- remains to be seen.

But it's been eight years since the U.S. even reached the final of a major world tournament. Which is why our pre-Olympics power rankings finds the so-called Redeem Team one spot short of the No. 1 designation once considered a birthright.

Here's a quick look at the international pecking order enter the Olympic hoops tournament. The morning after the Aug. 24 final, we'll debrief with a post-Olympics edition. In the meantime, I'll be live blogging Team USA's games on FanNation starting Sunday when the Americans face off against China.

Pre-Olympics Power Rankings

1 FIBA World Ranking: 3	Spain Say what you want about America's star-laden roster, Jerry Colangelo's organizational overhaul or LeBron's pointed dictum -- there's something to be said for silverware. Spain is the reigning world champion and came within a basket of the European championship last September. With esteemed coach Aíto García Reneses pulling the strings -- and a disciplined, methodical approach perfectly suited for the international game -- Spain has enough talent and verve to make LeBron's guarantee his epitaph. Probable starters: PG José Calderón (Toronto Raptors), SG Rudy Fernandez (Portland Trail Blazers), SF Carlos Jiménez (Unicaja Málaga), PF Felipe Reyes (Real Madrid), C Pau Gasol (L.A. Lakers) Last three tournaments: Runner-up, 2007 European Championship; Winner, 2006 FIBA World Championship; Fourth, 2005 European Championship
2 FIBA World Ranking: 1	United States Anybody who watched America struggle to deliver the knockout blow against Australia in the final pre-tourney game knows, even with their excessive talent and depth, this team is anything but invincible. They frequently look uncomfortable in the half-court offense and still allow opponents far too many open looks. The starting point guard role is also an issue, as Jason Kidd has shown his age during exhibition play. Though Team USA boasts an eye-popping 49-0 record all-time when Kidd is listed on the roster, blind adherance to the history book is the worst mistake Mike Krzyzewski could make. The sooner Chris Paul takes over primary duties at the point, the better America's chances to reclaim the gold. Probable starters: PG Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks), SG Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), PF Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), C Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic) Last three tournaments: Winner, 2007 FIBA Americas Tournament; Third, 2006 FIBA World Championship; Fourth, 2005 FIBA Americas Tournament
3 FIBA World Ranking: 2	Argentina Manu Ginobili spirited the Albiceleste to a first-place finish at the Athens Games, becoming the first player in history to win an Olympic gold medal, an NBA championship and a Euroleague title. The Most Valuable Player of the last Olympics gives the Argentines a rough-and-tumble veteran in the backcourt, but forward tandem Andres Nocioni and Luis Scola are this group's lunch-bucket heroes. Scola scored 28 of his game-high 32 points after halftime to help Argentina rally to defeat Australia in the final of the FIBA Diamond Ball tune-up tournament last week. Probable starters: PG Pablo Prigioni (Tau Vitoria), SG Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs), SF Andres Nocioni (Chicago Bulls), PF Luis Scola (Houston Rockets), C Fabricio Oberto (San Antonio Spurs) Last three tournaments: Runner-up, 2007 FIBA Americas Tournament; Fourth, 2006 FIBA World Championship; Runner-up, 2005 FIBA Americas Tournament
4 FIBA World Ranking: 6	Greece Greece didn't have a single NBA player when they knocked off the United States in the semifinals of the 2006 FIBA World Championship and they still don't. But 10 of their 12 players play for either Olympiacos or Panathinaikos -- essentially the North Carolina and Duke of the Greek League -- meaning their chemistry and communication is second to none. Probable starters: PG Dimitris Diamantidis (Panathinaikos BC), SG Vasileios Spanoulis (Panathinaikos BC), SF Theodoros Papaloukas (Olympiacos BC), PF Antonis Fotsis (Panathinaikos BC), C Ioannis Bouroussis (Olympiacos BC) Last three tournaments: Fourth, 2007 European Championship; Runner-up, 2006 FIBA World Championship; Winner, 2005 European Championship
5 FIBA World Ranking: 5	Lithuania Lithuania disappointed observers at the most recent FIBA World Championship, getting bounced from the quarterfinals and finishing seventh. They were outclassed in Olympic tune-ups against Spain and the United States during the past month, but they'll be favored to advance to the medal round coming out of the comparatively easy Group A. Ramunas Butautas has brought Denver Nuggets forward and University of Missouri product Linas Kleiza off the bench in recent contests. Probable starters: PG Rimantas Kaukenas (Montepaschi Siena), SG Sarunas Jasikevicius (Panathinaikos BC), SF Ramunas Siskauskas (CSKA Moscow), PF Ksystof Lavrinovic (Montepaschi Siena), Robertas Javtokas (Dynamo Moscow) Last three tournaments: Third, 2007 European Championships; Seventh, 2006 FIBA World Championships; Fifth, 2005 European Championships
6 FIBA World Ranking: 16	Russia Since enlisting former Israel national team coach David Blatt, Russia has been the fastest riser on the international stage. The former Princeton University player and Pete Carril coaching disciple led Russia to a surprise victory over defending champion (and tournament host) Spain in the European Championship final during his first year on the job. American-born point guard J.R. Holden, who played collegiately at Bucknell University, has emerged as one of the most promising floor generals in Europe. Probable starters: PG J.R. Holden (CSKA Moscow), SG Sergei Bykov (Dynamo Moscow), SF Sergei Monia (Dynamo Moscow), PF Andrei Kirilenko (Utah Jazz), Nikita Morgunov (Lokomotiv Rostov) Last three tournaments: Winner, 2007 European Championship; DNP, 2006 FIBA World Championship; Eighth, 2005 European Championship
7 FIBA World Ranking: 9t	Germany Dirk Nowitzki poured in 32 points against Puerto Rico in the final of last month's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament to punch his ticket to the Olympics for the first time. Back in the Summer Games for the first time since 1992, Germany will rely on its NBA-hardened frontcourt to advance to the medal round. Probable starters: PG Pascal Roller (Deutsche Bank Skyliners), SG Demond Greene (Brose Baskets), SF Steffen Hamann (Brose Baskets), PF Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks), C Chris Kaman (Los Angeles Clippers) Last three tournaments: Fifth, 2007 European Championship; Eighth, 2006 FIBA World Championship; Runner-up, 2005 European Championship
8 FIBA World Ranking: 9t	Australia The Boomers are large, brawny and tough. They're also largely unknown beyond Matthew Nielsen, David Andersen and former No. 1 draft pick Andrew Bogut, who signed a $76 million contract extension with the Bucks this summer. Probable starters: PG C.J. Bruton (New Zealand Breakers), SG Brad Newley (Panellinios), SF David Barlow (Melbourne Tigers), PF Matthew Nielsen (BC Lietuvos Rytas), C Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee Bucks) Last three tournaments: First, 2007 FIBA Oceania Championship; Round of 16, 2006 FIBA World Championships; First, 2005 FIBA Oceania Championship
9 FIBA World Ranking: 11	China China has struggled to sustain the momentum from their Asian Championship victory three years ago. They'll have every intangible in their favor as they attempt to earn the country's first Olympic medal in basketball since the event's 1936 debut. But advancing out of a group featuring world powers Spain, Greece and the United States could prove a tall order. Probable starters: PG Sun Yue (Beijing Aoshen Olympian), SG Liu Wei (Shanghai Sharks), SF Wang Shipeng (Guangdong), PF Yi Jianlian (Milwaukee Bucks), C Yao Ming (Houston Rockets) Last three tournaments: 10th, 2007 FIBA Asia Championship; 15th, 2006 FIBA World Championship; Winner, 2005 FIBA Asia Championship
10 FIBA World Ranking: 14	Angola Angola didn't win the country's first FIBA Africa Championship until hosting the 1989 tourney. They've won nine of the 10 tournaments since, including last year's event. In spite of their continental success, Angola struggled to a sixth-place finish in the FIBA Diamond Ball tune-up and remains a longshot to advance to the medal round for the first time in their history. Mid-major junkies might remember Joaquim Gomes from his four-year stint with Valparaiso University during the early 2000s, where the post man helped the Crusaders to a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. Probable starters: PG Milton Barros (Petro Athletico Luanda), SG Carlos Morais (Petro Athletico Luanda), SF Olimpio Cipriano (Primero De Agosto Luanda), PF Felizardo Ambrosio (Primero De Agosto Luanda), C Joaquim Gomes (Primero De Agosto Luanda) Last three tournaments: First, 2007 FIBA Africa Championship; 10th, 2006 FIBA World Championship; First, 2005 European Championship