Last week, we introduced the idea of selecting Team USA Basketball by having teams from different regions of the country play against each other for the right to compete internationally. The idea is to assemble the top talent that comes from the region to create the most potent team possible. Then, see how that team matches up against other American regions, as constituted by the Little League World Series. Today’s region of concern is the Northeast, and the players all have to be from, or started playing basketball at the high school level in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecticut. Who made the cut?
While compiling the list of players, it became clear that the Northeast would be the weakest region in our hypothetical tournament. Only seven players who played in the NBA last season hail from the Northeast. Therefore, in this region we had to dip into the college ranks, much like the Olympic teams of old did. Special thanks to Eric Hastings for helping solidify these rosters, and shoutout to Ryan Boyce for helping to develop the idea. Without further ado, here are the Team USA representatives from the Northeast:
Guards
Michael Carter-Williams - Milwaukee Bucks
Carter-Williams is the most accomplished guard on this roster, and that isn’t a great sign for its depth. The former rookie of the year is a rising younger player for the Bucks, and heads this squad’s particularly shallow pool of guard talent.
Shabazz Napier - Orlando Magic
Napier is another rising young point guard, who was a rookie last season and should carve out a role in Orlando. His performance at UCONN solidified his reputation as a great tournament guard, and he could help this team off the bench. Confidence is the best performance-enhancing drug, and Napier oozes it.
Ricky Ledo – F.A.
Ricky Ledo has only played in 28 games over his two-year career, with both the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks. He hasn’t done much of anything after coming out of Providence, where he sat out his only season due to academic ineligibility. However, that is more NBA experience than two of the other guards on this team.
Kris Dunn – Providence
Kris Dunn is a prospect from Providence that is expected to go in the lottery of next year’s draft. If he left college after last season, he may have cracked the lottery as well. Dunn is an explosive scorer who can take over a game, and his skillset should translate to the NBA. He is as NBA-ready as the college guards come, and would be a bonus to this team.
Wayne Selden, Jr. – Kansas
Wayne Selden, Jr. is a junior in college at Kansas, but showed this summer that he can handle the international game. He starred at the 2015 World University Games, where Team USA went undefeated and won the gold. He may be buried on the depth chart here, but he has experience that some of the players on this list do not.
Forwards
Noah Vonleh - Portland Trail Blazers
As a rookie in Charlotte, Vonleh didn’t play much after being injured for much of the season. He was traded to Portland, where he should see much more regular playing time. Vonleh is still a young prospect, but his size will help on the frontline.
Nerlens Noel - Philadelphia 76ers
Noel is one of the best players on this team, and even though his offensive game is still improving, his defense is outstanding. He is an important fixture in Philadelphia’s future plans, and would easily start for this squad.
Matt Bonner - San Antonio Spurs
Matt Bonner is the three-point specialist for team Northeast, as he is for the Spurs. Bonner plays hard, but his lack of athleticism is limiting. He could come off the bench to space the floor, and with the shorter three-point line in the international game, could be a real asset spotting up in the corner.
Pat Connaughton - Portland Trail Blazers
Pat Connaughton was drafted in the second round last season, and is a shooter as well. He does sport some elite athleticism, however, and is a beast on the glass for his size. Connaughton would be a valuable piece on the wing, as pretty much the only true small forward on the team.
Ryan Gomes – F.A.
Ryan Gomes played more than seven seasons in the NBA, and though he last played in Spain for a short stint, would still be a valuable addition to this team. He has averaged double-figure scoring numbers in his career, and could surprise in his return to NBA relevance.
Centers
Andre Drummond - Detroit Pistons
Andre Drummond is the only player on this team with real Team USA experience, as he played for the FIBA World Cup gold medal winning team last summer. Though he played only sparingly, Drummond is still the best player on this team, and is an absolute force inside. The offense would run through him, and he would have to be a monster to give this team a chance.
Kaleb Tarczewski – Arizona
Finally, Kaleb Tarczewski is a senior at Arizona, who was one of the most understated, yet important players for the Wildcats last year. He has great size and is developing, and is projected to go in the second round in next year’s draft.
As you can see, this isn’t exactly a deep squad. They might not even last a half against some of the other regions, but that remains to be seen. Stay tuned as we preview more Team USA regional squads, leading up to the LLWS-style tournament to determine who represents the country.