"Size issue for USA basketball" - Former LeBron James' teammate proposes best starting 5 option for Team USA
There are still many questions about Team USA's starting lineup in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but it seems like LeBron James' former teammate has the answer. Richard Jefferson proposed a starting five that head coach Steve Kerr can use.
On the latest episode of "NBA Today" on ESPN, Jefferson shared his ideal starting lineup for Team USA in the upcoming Olympics. The one-time NBA champ recognized the size issue with the Americans, so he built a big lineup that could possibly trump any other team in the world.
"We dealt with size issue for USA Basketball. The US has a unique ability to have the biggest lineup maybe in the history of basketball. We have LeBron James at 6'9" and we've got Jason Tatum at 6'8" and a half, 6'9". We know Anthony Davis, he doesn't like playing the four or five so we put Kevin Durant at 6'11" as my small forward. And then we're going to put Anthony Davis, it doesn't matter about this position at center and then we're going to put Joel (Embiid)," Jefferson said.
Richard Jefferson's proposed starting five might just be the biggest one in history since the backcourt players are LeBron James and Jayson Tatum, who both are around 6-foot-9. Kevin Durant is not 6-foot-9 like he says and is closer to Anthony Davis' and Joel Embiid's height of 6-foot-11 to 7 feet.
However, the lineup will have some issues with spacing, considering the size of a FIBA court and no illegal defensive three-second violation. So Jefferson has a solution for it: insert Steph Curry in the lineup in place of Jayson Tatum.
"The one thing that you might tweak is say, 'Hey, Jason Tatum. Maybe we put Steph on that floor for more spacing.' But we act like Kevin Durant isn't going to cause a bunch of spacing. We're going to act like Joel Embiid doesn't need two people on him at all times. So this is the one cause this spacing Steph and KD, they know how to play around," Jefferson said.
LeBron James comments on Derrick White joining Team USA
Derrick White was named as the replacement for Kawhi Leonard on Team USA and arrived in Abu Dhabi to join the preparations for the Paris Olympics. White is coming off the best season of his career in which he helped the Boston Celtics win the NBA championship.
White will be joining his Celtics teammates Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum. He'll also be teaming with LeBron James, who reacted to his addition last Thursday. Here's what James said about the veteran guard:
"What can Derrick White add? His poise, his ability to guard, his ability to shoot the ball. Bringing another championship DNA guy, it's great."