July 27, 2010

USA Following LO's Lead

There are a plethora of reasons that Lamar Odom was chosen as one of 23 American players to participate in the National Team's camp this summer.

High on that list is Lamar's versatility, a trait he flashed by starting at center for USA White in the 2010 USA Basketball Showcase at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday.

"He can play two positions and we need somebody like him at the 5 internationally because he gives you that mobility -- Chris Bosh did that a little bit for us and Lamar is the same kind of long guy," USA assistant coach Jim Boeheim said. "He's, I think, a very key, key guy for this team."

But maybe even more important to Team USA 2010 than Lamar's versatility is his experience, not only as a now two-time NBA Champion but also as the only player in camp to have previously competed in worldwide international competition, when he was part of the 2004 Olympic team which took the bronze medal in Athens.

Team USA Coach Mike Krzyzewski knew immediately entering the camp in Las Vegas last week that LO would be a leader on the team and is happy to have the versatile swingman around.

"I love Lamar Odom," Krzyzewski said. "He's a pro's pro. I can see him on any team because of his ability to be coached and the fact he really understands the game."

But as Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal writes, getting back to Team USA wasn't a sure thing for Lamar, who has had to turn down invites since 2004. But LO is happy to get another chance to play international ball and capture the gold he and his teammates covet.

He said he wasn't sure he'd get another chance to represent his country after he couldn't play in the 2006 Worlds because of the death of his 6½-month-old son, Jayden, from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A shoulder injury kept him out of the 2007 FIBA Americas Tournament and eliminated him from 2008 Olympic consideration.

"You want to make God laugh, tell him your plans," Odom said. "I've been through a lot in my life. It hasn't been easy. But I'm blessed to have a tremendous family, a tremendous basketball family, to have the opportunity to be coached by great coaches, to learn a lot about life and basketball.

"I was hoping (another chance with Team USA) would happen. It's something I really wanted to do."

STUDENT AND TEACHER
While that Olympic experience left Lamar with the bitter taste of a goal unfulfilled in his mouth, it also taught LO a lot about international ball that the other players in Team USA camp have yet to learn.

"I think what's really important for our team to know is the expectation," LO told Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles referring to the pressure Team USA faces as they head to Turkey late next month. "If we don't win and win every game -- that's what you need to do to win a world championship -- we're going to be considered as a team that lost. ... We, America, expects to win. Especially at basketball."

So Lamar and teammate Chauncey Billups the only other player on the squad with an NBA championship ring have been looked to as leaders on a Team USA 2010 filled with fresh faces, many of whom have been in the league less than five years.

"Chauncey and Lamar have won championships and they know what it takes to win a championship," one of those players, Kevin Durant told McMenamin. "We're going to lean on those guys as much as possible; they're really the leaders of this team. We just got to follow them and try to learn as much as we can."

Durant said entering the camp that LO was one of the players whose brain he was anxious to pick and Durant, the NBA's leading scorer last season and largely regarded as the "face" of Team USA 2010, said he's found Lamar very receptive, open and helpful.

"For a guy who's won two championships in a row, he might come in and think he's better than everybody else here, but that's not the case with Lamar. He's totally the opposite. He's been a great, great teammate so far, always encouraging the young guys and telling young guys what we need to do and it's going to be good to have him over there in Turkey."

Because of that leadership Lamar is pretty close to a lock to make the squad, though that won't be finalized until just before the team leaves for the FIBA World Championships in Turkey late in August.

"I feel young, but I guess because of mileage and time on the court that I'm a little older," LO told ESPN LA. "[Being looked to as a leader] is a compliment coming from these guys that are superstars in their own right. A lot of what I have to tell them is not, 'You should make this move or make that move,' but it's to how to kind of see the game, how to implement your teammates in your game to kind of bring them up."

Making the squad would mean a lot to LO. Helping them win the World Championship would be yet another dream come true.

"I'm probably closer to the end of my career than the start, so this is something that I just wanted to kind of have on my resume," he said. "The opportunity to represent your country doesn't come around a lot and this is something that I couldn't pass up."

To read McMenamin's entire piece on Lamar's second Team USA trek, in which he delves into what has changed in LO since his first appearance, click here.

UTILITY MAN
His leadership will be key, but with their big men dropping like flies – three have already opted out of the camp – Lamar's length and versatility are crucial to the team's success as well.

"(I can play) every position. When it comes to basketball, I'm a basketball player. I don't have a true position. Whatever you need me to do you need me to fill in," LO told USA Today. "In baseball, they'd call me a utility guy. If you need me to pitch, I'll pitch or if you need me to pinch hit, I'll pinch hit or play third base, second base, first base or center field. (With 10 guards on the team) you've got to let them do their thing. I'm basically at the 4 or 5, but just kind of roaming; (I can) get the ball off the glass and I can push it."

During the showcase, Lamar played mostly center and though he only scored a pair of points, he did grab six rebounds, dished out three assists and had a steal and a block. But LO said his numbers don't matter here.

"I'm the type of guy who doesn't need to play a lot," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "But if you need me to do a specific thing, play a certain role, I'll do it. I'm a team guy. I'm a locker room guy. I take pride in that. Hopefully I can help this team achieve its goal, and that's win a gold medal."

In a tournament like the FIBA World Championships, where very few elite big men will participate, the U.S. won't necessarily need a seven-footer on the floor at all times, allowing The Package to slide in as the big in a small lineup.

“I don’t know what team jumps higher,” Lamar told the New York Times. “I don’t think another team is going to be quicker. We’ll make up for our size in other areas.”

NBA.com's John Schuhmann told Lakers.com's Mike Trudell in a Lamar themed podcast that he believes Lamar will be a starter for Team USA in Turkey.

"They're definitely going to use him at the 5," Schuhmann said. "If they're going against a big lineup, you could see Odom and [center Tyson] Chandler on the front line. If not, you could see [power forward] Rudy Gay and Odom [at center] out there. It's tough to get a gauge on who is going to be that other starter. I think the four starters of [Derrick] Rose, [Chauncey] Billups, [Kevin] Durant and Odom is kind of safe to say and then it's just that fifth guy that's tough to say."

WELCOME MATT
While Lamar was training in Las Vegas with Team USA, his Lakers made a key addition to their lineup by signing former Orlando Magic forward Matt Barnes.

LO and Barnes had a notable encounter and subsequent war of words in March after a game in Orlando. But Lamar said now that Barnes is wearing the Purple and Gold, the past is the past.

"He's a teammate now," LO told ESPN Los Angeles. "That was an on-the-court issue and he has a Lakers jersey on now, so it will be no big thing."

With Luke Walton experiencing lingering back issues that could sideline him next season, No. 7 felt the Barnes move was timely and supports all the moves the Lakers front office has made to get backup point guard Steve Blake and backup center Theo Ratliff:

"Our organization does a great job of filling guys in, but Luke, he would be missed in the locker room and on the court. Maybe the addition of Matt Barnes helped out a little bit," he said. "I think those pieces are guys that can help us, guys that are willing to produce, guys that obviously have played different roles for their teams over the years, basketball players with high IQs, basketball players that don't need the ball to help you," Odom said. "Along with our core group of guys they'll definitely help us."

RELATED STORIES
Lamar Odom: the grizzled vet in this bunch of USA Basketball players (ESPN Los Angeles, July 25, 2010)
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5408042
Thunder: Live From Las Vegas (OklahomaCityThunder.com, July 22, 2010)
http://www.nba.com/thunder/blog_chrissilva/usab_100722.html
USA Basketball roster is short on experience and size (New York Times, July 23, 2010)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/sports/basketball/23teamusa.html
U.S. relies on versatility to overcome injuries (USA Today, July 22, 2010)
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2010-07-22-1591405819_x.htm
Lakers forward Odom craves international success with Team USA (Las Vegas Review-Journal, July 24, 2010)
http://www.lvrj.com/sports/lakers-forward-odom-craves-international-succ...
Podcast: Schuhmann on Odom, Team USA (Lakers.com, July 26, 2010)
http://my.lakers.com/blogs/2010/07/26/podcast-schuhmann-on-odom-team-usa...
Lamar Odom puts spat with Matt Barnes behind him (ESPN Los Angeles, July 25, 2010)
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5407883