Creating Dream Teams For Olympic 3-On-3 Basketball
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The International Olympic Committee, despite its deep and treacherous corruption, showed a sense of good spirit on Friday by announcing that 3-on-3 basketball will be added to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Citing a need to target young fans, the IOC noted that 3-on-3 basketball "was a successful innovation at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore 2010 and Nanjing 2014," and so it will move to the big time in 2020.
The exact details of how that sport will be figured out were not included, and we don't even know if it will involve NBA players or not. But the IOC did say that there will be a men's and women's division, and they will each include eight teams.
Of course, given the USA's dominance in the sport, it's not ridiculous to assert that the U.S. has enough great players to make up all eight teams. But assuming the IOC might want to actually encourage that "I" to mean something, here are some imaginary super teams that are sure to bring back fond memories of NBA Street for many basketball fans.
THE WARRIORS
Kevin Durant
Stephen Curry
Draymond Green
It's kind of silly, but it's also true: The Golden State Warriors are good enough to compete on this international level. Durant is unstoppable. Curry's a sharpshooter. Green does so many things all over the floor. This team would contend for gold. They actually might not ever lose.
THE OLD GUARD
LeBron James
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Paul
With the Games taking place in 2020, LeBron will be at the old age of 35, Carmelo will be 36, and CP3 will be CP35. In basketball years, that's pretty old. It'd be fun to see these three show off their individual old man game on an international stage.
Kobe Bryant, who will turn 42 in the summer of 2020, would be the coach, obviously.
But with LeBron playing, let's just hope they don't go with street rules where you call your own fouls. That'd be a painful pace.
The No. 1's
Blake Griffin
Anthony Davis
John Wall
They were all selected No. 1 overall (Griffin in 2009, Wall in 2010, Davis in 2012), and they'll all still be in their primes when the summer of 2020 rolls around. This team could probably win a few games!
THE CHUCKERS
James Harden
Russell Westbrook
Klay Thompson
Thompson has finished in the top-five of 3-point attempts every year from 2012-13 through the current season. This trio would try to win the gold while recording zero assists. Harden, too. With Durant gone in OKC, Westbrook led the league in field-goal attempts -- something he did two years ago when Durant was still a teammate.
This team would shoot. Probably not necessarily win. But it would shoot.
AUSSIE POWER
Kyrie Irving
Ben Simmons
Matthew Dellavedova
Irving, who's looking more and more like one of the very best players on this round planet these days, would have to represent his birth country -- and it's be worth it. This team wouldn't be too bad.
Sure, Patty Mills or Andrew Bogut might be better choices for the third spot. But where's the fun in that?
THE MELTING POT
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Kristaps Porzingis
Nikola Jokic
Come on, IOC, let's make things interesting. Let's allow a Greek, a Latvian and a Serbian team up to try to conquer the world. Let's make things difficult for the old US of A, what do you say?
These are just some ideas. What else can you figure out?