No Ai In Team

At some point during the 2006-07 NBA season, Allen Iverson will go against J.J. Redick and dust the rookie for 50 points or so and one intriguing story line will resurface: Why was the Kid invited to try out for the U.S. Olympic basketball team and the Answer was not?

Well, first of all, Redick is not guaranteed a spot. The 23-player roster (which includes Redick but not Iverson) announced on Sunday by USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo will be whittled to 15 after training camp in Las Vegas in July, then to 12 for the Beijing Games in August 2008. Second, why would anyone have thought Iverson was going to be suiting up in red, white and blue?

When the national-team concept--with the emphasis on team--was announced, in reaction to America's embarrassing bronze medal finish in Athens, AI had at least four strikes against him: He was part of the '04 debacle, he is a poor defender, he doesn't move the ball (except with his own dribble) and he doesn't project the image USA Basketball is looking for. Though the selection execs might deny it, Iverson's cornrows and tats were a factor, along with his penchant for keeping late hours. Iverson is perfectly within his rights to dress like a sixth-grader, and USA Basketball is perfectly within its rights to make that a consideration. (The lesson learned here is this: If you have an image problem, you had better be able to compensate with your all-around play. Thus Kobe Bryant is a virtual lock to make the team--he plays defense and doesn't need the ball to be a factor on the offensive end.)

The real head-scratcher among the invitees is Carmelo Anthony of the Nuggets, who was also in Athens in 2004, though in body only. At least Iverson appeared to play hard; Anthony complained his way through the tournament. And though he has made strides this season, Anthony still has moments when he is an unwilling defender and puts forth something less than maximum effort. If he is going to make the cut, he had better make about, oh, 90% of his jump shots at the training camp.

Yes, the Dream Team concept--collect the biggest names possible--is dead, and what USA Basketball wants now are players who can make life a nightmare for the opposition at both ends. Before Athens the idea that Bruce Bowen of the Spurs and Shane Battier of the Grizzlies were more ideally suited to an Olympic team than Iverson would've been crazy. Now it says here that one or both of them will be headed for Beijing.