Mike Bibby And Karl Malone

[GloveGuy]

Oh god...It's happening...I thought that they were gonna pick the best players...Mike Bibby is not the second best point guard in the league...and Karl Malone isn't Kevin Garnett or Chris Webber...We want the best...we want Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett...not these two guys that aren't good enough...how old will Malone be by the Olympics?...Bibby only averages 16 and 5...yep, he's definitely the second best after Kidd

[scubilete]

I don't know about Payton, but they are taking Malone, and yes, KG is going as well, they just have KG & Bryant on hold. Malone I guess will be 40 at that time, but he said he will be playing next season as well, and you know that he's still scoring 20 when the league doesn't have that many scorers.

Regarding Payton, unless US is planning to go with a bunch of PGs, he will not be there, cause they already have Kidd & Bibby. The team looks pretty good with Duncan, T-mac, Kobe & KG (3 highschools). I think those are good enough, Duncan will be playing Center I guess, cause Shaq is not going to participate and I don't see any option for US to select a real center. Jermaine & Wallace are not real Centers.

US is not looking to embarrass other countries like in 92, they are just looking to regain the sport leadership.

[Chris Ma]

neither Bibby nor Malone should be in the team!!!!!!
they aren't the best in the NBA

[slam37]

Malone is a good choice. I think that regarding international play, Malone's brute side deeply takes advantage of the softness of the USA's opposition. He has more than earned a spot. Yes, there are better forwards, but Malone still is in that elite class, like it or not.

But Mike Bibby? Come on! When thinking of great PG's in the NBA, Mike Bibby simply doesn't come to mind. Statistically he isn't near the top, and unlike the arguable "presence" veterans like Jordan, Malone, and Stockton may bring to the table, Mike Bibby doesn't even command respect. He simply should not be candidate for this kind of thing.

[scubilete]

First of all, you guys need to know this is not the olympics. Maybe they will take the best guys for that competition, but they don't want to use all the best players to compete there. Yes, Mike Bibby might be a bad choice but I think Payton has already been chosen, so they might be trying to give opportunities to others as well.

[Eugene]

Few point guards make bigger plays down the stretch than Mike Bibby does. He's heady, smart and while he doesn't get the assists or points that GP does, he's just as dedicated to the team concept as Payton.

It would've been nice to GP win another gold, but he's got his already.

Malone may have made it due to the lack of big men, sentimental vote, respect, but he's not undeserving of the spot. As much as I despise him (for no reason, apparently) he's a freak of nature and a superb player. It's good to see him get his recognition.

They're going to need to pick up a couple more bigs. Brad Miller wouldn't be a terrible choice -- he's a true center, doesn't need the ball, and a hell of a bruiser. Jermaine O'neal's too little. Big Ben can't shoot. Elton Brand might be a good selection.

I personally want to see Marbury make it. My sentimental vote goes to Mark Madsen, of whom I'll speak in the following post.

All the best,

Eugene

*Boy, I'm on fire today.

[poorch]

cant believe iverson got snubbd out of another olympic spot... god dam wut were thinking, i can c y malone is going, cuz of his strength, but i would rather hav iverson then bibby... the world has never gone up against an ai type player with his speed of run'n/dribbln past everyone..

[scubilete]

Associated Press
Mar. 19, 2003 7:20 p.m.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)—
Shaquille O'Neal hasn't even committed to play for the next U.S. Olympic team, and he already has opinions about who shouldn't be on the roster: Mike Bibby.
As if the Los Angeles Lakers' rivalry with the Sacramento Kings needed any more vitriol, Shaq provided some in the days before the three-time defending champions' final regular season trip to Cowbell Country on Thursday night.

At issue is the Olympic team's selection of Bibby, the Kings' quietly efficient point guard. He played the best basketball of his NBA career during last season's epic Western Conference finals against the Lakers - but O'Neal apparently wasn't impressed.

"How did Mike Bibby get on the team?" Shaq wondered aloud. "Any Cub Scout with Boy Scouts can do Boy Scoutish things. When (Bibby) was in the Cub Scouts, he was a Cub Scout. When he was with Vancouver, nobody heard about (him). Now that he's with Sacramento ... he's on the team. I ain't going.

"And Allen Iverson isn't on the team? Why not? (U.S. coach) Larry Brown should have said, 'If he's not on the team, I'm not going."'

[Nick]

With Karl Malone in the team it will add i nice mix of young and old talent... He's still got it in him i think...he'll still dominate against other countries...

Bibby should be out..but hey, what can ya do..

[Chris Ma]

if we want to select a PG that hasn't won a gold, i would prefer marbury rather than bibby...marbury is far better than bibby

but if webber is in the team, then i wouldn't argue if bibby is on the team as well.

[Andrew]

At least Bibby is prepared to commit his services, and doesn't resort to taking cheap verbal shots at his opponents. Mind you, with the controversy that came as the result of Shaq's "joke" earlier in the season, maybe it's better than he isn't being an ambassador for the league in international competition.

[magius]

i really like marbury, but he's a scorer, or drive and dish. I think the us team has enough of both as is. Bibby makes the extra pass and is unselfish.... the 2 things that the US lacked when they didnt even win a medal last international championship. He also exudes patience and confidence.

They dont really need iverson. How many 30 point scorers do you need on a team to win?! tmac, kg, and duncan are more than enough. Great teams have and need only 2 or 3 great players/scorers and good role players, bibby is the perfect piece to a US team stocked with scorers...... a great role player.

marbury and iverson are NOT role players. They are superstar scorers. And thats a compliment by the way.

malone should not be there, that sharp elbowed bastard. and i hate paul pierce

[jdawgkemp]

Did'nt Iverson prove he can play point guard on national television at the All Star Game?

[bballer22]

well... after what happend in the world games they are not looking for straight out scorers... they are looking for molke playmakers. if u have a look at KG, T-Mac, Duncan, Kobe, now they are almost perfect players. they know wehn to score and when not to. they know what to do. and biby will add a bit of unselfishness off the bench. to take iveson ot marbury or any PG will be a bit of a risk. for sue no one would be able to gurd iverson or marbury, but after the world games the USA want to dominate and dominate they way they did it bak in '92.

i think so far the combanation is great.

[&1]

I'd say Malone, not Bibby. Mailman might not be as dominant as when he was younger but the man is still averaging 20 ppg and definitely has veteran experience in Olympic ball. There should always be room for at least 1 Reggie, Michael, Malone, or Robinson and other Olympic veteran on the team. Only a handful of players, Malone being one of them, would qualify for that role so I think it's a good choice.

Bibby could just as well be replaced by any other Billups, Delk, Bobby Jackson, Cassell, Van Exel, Baron, or Francis. It's not that he's not capable of playing point, but there are so many other talented pgs in the league you can argue a case for and still be right.

Starting lineup should definitely be: Kidd, Bryant, McGrady, Garnett, Duncan. Or if Kobe isn't available, Ray Allen.

[The Big Racist]

bibby out and dr.j in they should give a new change to dr.j because i think he wants to kick estonians ass!!!!!they have only met 1 time in world champions history.(but estonians are not in it this year,(again).yes sure they did it in 70's . its cool to see dr.j playing basketball again(he's 60+ years old!)

[Andrew]

It's been made official, both Bibby and Malone have accepted the invitation to join Team USA.

That means Team USA currently comprises of Bibby, Malone, Duncan, Ray Allen, Kidd and McGrady. Jermaine O'Neal is also supposedly accepted a spot on the roster as well.