Has LeBron been Team USA's best player?

I will be honest & say that I am a LeBron Hater. Never liked his immature attitude or the way he played the game.... Then, he impressed me with his focus & consistency in this year's Playoffs...

Now, he is the biggest difference maker on Team USA... Yeah, KD & Melo have gone off... But, the man who has made the biggest difference is James. He's earned my respect & is ballin' hard...

This article kinda sums it up:

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/06/2936700/sam-mellinger-world-catching-up.html#storylink=cpy

I know Mellinger is a Miami Homer, but he's right this time.

He and Durant have gotten the bulk of the minutes so I expect them to be the most influential players.

Kevin Durant.

Yeah, KD has been electric... And I am 1000x more of a Durant fan than I am of LeBron... BUT, if you're not just looking at scoring, LeBron has played all five positions, he's their best playmaker & the only one who can just go to the rim at will. He took over in the 4th in a tight game vs Lithuania & led the charge on both ends in the 3rd to break away from a scrappy Argentina team...

I really don't want to give Lebron credit, but he's starting to make me a believer...

pretty much so ... Durant being close second since his stroke is money ... but LeBron is playmaker really, he makes right decisions

Yep ... KD still has a way to go to be an allround player ala Kobe/Wade in their prime ... and he's still a below average defender ... he badly got burned on several occasions in these Olympics

Best players so far :

Lebron/KD/Melo

Worst players :
Kobe ( horrible on both sides )
D Williams ( ballhog at times/defensive liability)
K Love (good offensively but can't D to save his life)
Harden : not a factor on D/can't hit a three

Deserve more PT :

Iggy/Davis

No Carmelo or Kevin Durant Has

He's been solid all-around but he doesn't stand out the way Durant and Melo have, those two seem to take turns going off on the opposition. Honestly though, if there's one guy who's ALWAYS killing it for Team USA whenever he's on the floor it's Iguodala. Dude is underrated as f***, and I have to wonder how much better he'd be as a #2 or #3 in the NBA alongside a dominant #1, the guy is the ultimate complementary player and his Swiss Army knife versatility is being completely overlooked by the LeBron humping media. Chris Paul has been pretty beast in running the show as well.

I suppose the point here is that the team as a whole is ridiculously talented, and depending on what facet of the game you're focusing on you could name a different guy as being "the best" at whatever you're talking about. James has been solid all around but he hasn't stood out in one area the way Durant and Melo have when they go off on their scoring sprees.

What's crazy is that Iguodala probably wouldn't make the team if everyone was healthy and available.

Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Rose aren't even on the team.

therealdeal wrote:What's crazy is that Iguodala probably wouldn't make the team if everyone was healthy and available.

Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Rose aren't even on the team.

I think Iggy still would have made the team the way Prince did in '08 as Team USA's designated lock-down defender. Rose, Wade, Bosh and Howard likely would have supplanted Harden, Westbrook, Davis and Chandler respectively.

LeBron is the best player in the NBA...the actual MVP and world champion...

is that really surprising?

BTW, I hate him too.

bruddahmanmatt wrote:

therealdeal wrote:What's crazy is that Iguodala probably wouldn't make the team if everyone was healthy and available.

Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Rose aren't even on the team.

I think Iggy still would have made the team the way Prince did in '08 as Team USA's designated lock-down defender. Rose, Wade, Bosh and Howard likely would have supplanted Harden, Westbrook, Davis and Chandler respectively.

Iggy has been extremely impressive... His athleticism really works in International play.

bruddahmanmatt wrote:

therealdeal wrote:What's crazy is that Iguodala probably wouldn't make the team if everyone was healthy and available.

Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Rose aren't even on the team.

I think Iggy still would have made the team the way Prince did in '08 as Team USA's designated lock-down defender. Rose, Wade, Bosh and Howard likely would have supplanted Harden, Westbrook, Davis and Chandler respectively.

Good point. I had honestly forgotten Harden was on the team.

therealdeal wrote:

bruddahmanmatt wrote:

therealdeal wrote:What's crazy is that Iguodala probably wouldn't make the team if everyone was healthy and available.

Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Rose aren't even on the team.

I think Iggy still would have made the team the way Prince did in '08 as Team USA's designated lock-down defender. Rose, Wade, Bosh and Howard likely would have supplanted Harden, Westbrook, Davis and Chandler respectively.

Good point. I had honestly forgotten Harden was on the team.

Were it not for his absurd beard, I think we'd have all forgotten that he's on the team given the way he's played.

I don't really like Westbrook's style of play for this team either... he's had spurts of great play on both ends, but his one man show really stagnates the offense at times.

LakerFanIam wrote:I don't really like Westbrook's style of play for this team either... he's had spurts of great play on both ends, but his one man show really stagnates the offense at times.

One thing I will say is that he's definitely shown himself to be what many of us have been saying he is for what seems like forever, that is, the man is a true 2 guard and most certainly NOT a lead. His instincts off the ball are actually pretty good. Just like Iggy he's a pretty smart and savvy cutter who can flash down the lane in an instant and use his athleticism to finish, and he's a decent enough shooter off the ball as well. On-ball he's got a great midrange game, it's just that much like Kobe, he gets a bit too trigger happy at times. Defensively the man is capable of being a beast because of his quicks, unfortunately the pusscake NBA no hand check crap hampers him here in the states.

In the end, put him alongside a 1 who can control the tempo and initiate the offense and Westbrook will shine. Westbrook much like Kobe needs a 1 beside him who knows how to say "no".

depends... did he get that date after all with the swimmer?

bruddahmanmatt wrote:He's been solid all-around but he doesn't stand out the way Durant and Melo have, those two seem to take turns going off on the opposition. Honestly though, if there's one guy who's ALWAYS killing it for Team USA whenever he's on the floor it's Iguodala. Dude is underrated as f***, and I have to wonder how much better he'd be as a #2 or #3 in the NBA alongside a dominant #1, the guy is the ultimate complementary player and his Swiss Army knife versatility is being completely overlooked by the LeBron humping media. Chris Paul has been pretty beast in running the show as well.

I suppose the point here is that the team as a whole is ridiculously talented, and depending on what facet of the game you're focusing on you could name a different guy as being "the best" at whatever you're talking about. James has been solid all around but he hasn't stood out in one area the way Durant and Melo have when they go off on their scoring sprees.

Dude reminds me Scottie more and more every day ... I've liked Iggy since he came into the league

Love iggy.

But yeah, Lebron overall has been the best player in the Olympics.

Yes

No brainer, LeBron is mos def the best USA player.

well lebron didnt hit 4 consecutive 3s


haha jk

Messed around and got a Triple-Double...

Lebron by far

Durant next

then Melo

LakerFanIam wrote:

bruddahmanmatt wrote:

therealdeal wrote:What's crazy is that Iguodala probably wouldn't make the team if everyone was healthy and available.

Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Rose aren't even on the team.

I think Iggy still would have made the team the way Prince did in '08 as Team USA's designated lock-down defender. Rose, Wade, Bosh and Howard likely would have supplanted Harden, Westbrook, Davis and Chandler respectively.

Iggy has been extremely impressive... His athleticism really works in International play.

I always wanted Iggy to team up with Kobe. They would be a perfect fit.

Onto topic, yes, Lebron has been the best player on Team USA so far. He's playing much in the same way as Pippen did for the Dream Team in '92, where he (together with Charles Barkley) was the allaround dominating force for the US.