Last spot on USA roster is an irrelevance

NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - It seems every man, woman and child has had their say on the USA Women's Olympic roster since it was announced last month.
 
Basketball writers in particular have found a surprising amount of vigour to bemoan the omission of their favourite player - with many putting forward some admittedly excellent mitigation to advocate those who have been overlooked and are not part of the initial chosen few.
 
I do of course note the presence of the one final space on the roster which was deliberately left open by USA Basketball, an indeed baffling strategy which in itself is perhaps worthy of discussion for another day.
 
But, what has been especially compelling has been an almost unanimous failure by people to tackle the ‘elephant in the room’ - who should be cut to make space for the player(s) they are so admirably promoting, including the likes of Brittney Griner, Asjha Jones and Cappie Pondexter who seem to be the main candidates fighting it out for the last slot.
 
I hold my hand up in utter shame for even mentioning this since I am sure some of my fellow basketball writers around the globe will call me a hypocrite. After all, I was guilty of an outrageous example of sitting on the fence myself recently when I was unable to bring myself to even name my EuroLeague Women Final Eight All-Tournament Team.
 
But nevertheless, the debate over the formation of the USA Olympic roster has thrown up a couple of things.
 
Firstly, I think it has highlighted the tough decisions that have to be made at the elite level when you have a talent pool as deep as the ocean. A situation when you could easily be left with a bunch of players who are ultimately frozen out of the final cut and yet could easily argue they are equally as good as another bunch of names who do make it to the big event.
 
As basketball writers, we can eulogise quite easily about the players we feel should be in a team or on a roster but having the gumption and bravery to make an equally strong case as to why another player (or players) should not be heading to London is another matter altogether.
 
Perhaps to make such a case would not quite be professional suicide but may well make future relations with some players a little frosty in the future and I completely understand that.
 
However, I guess someone potentially calling you out for suggesting they shouldn’t go to the ‘biggest shown on earth’ is nothing compared to the absolute reality of actually picking up a telephone and literally crushing someone's Olympic dreams. Wow, that’s a task most definitely not for me.
 
There will be those of you who are a little cynical about top level players these days and about whether money matters most and that is understandable in the modern sporting era. But, when it comes to the Olympics, please don’t give me any baloney about not making the line-up as just being part and parcel of professional sports. I suspect it hurts to make the dreaded call and is even more painful to receive it.
 
The decision makers at USA Basketball don’t have the luxury of us writers as being able to conveniently ignore having to make a case to omit specific players. From the outside looking in, they do seem to have something of an impossible task in sifting through an almost incomprehensible plethora of women’s basketball talent.
 
Just don’t ask me to offer too much sympathy about it.
 
For while I am genuinely very sad indeed for those players who will miss out on experiencing the London Games, my attitude towards the USA Olympic roster choice is unashamedly one of complete indifference.
 
USA basketball and head coach Geno Auriemma has a ‘Dream Team’ (of sorts) at his disposal: Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Candace Parker – need I continue?
 
If somehow you’re still not convinced as to their impeccable quality, then perhaps you should check out this incredible list of players’ honours at USA basketball.
 
Auriemma has the kind of selection headaches that every single other coach around the world would gladly experience in a heartbeat.
 
The only modicum of empathy I can show for Auriemma is that he will get little credit if he wins gold due to the level of expectation and a status of overwhelming favourites but his reputation (and I could even argue his entire professional resume) will be utterly soured if he doesn’t deliver gold.
 
Secondly, I am fascinated by the time and energy being given to this mysterious last slot available on the USA roster.
 
The way I look at it is (perhaps ridiculously) simple - does it really matter who USA takes to the Olympics?
 
After all, aren’t they dripping with so much talent and so far ahead of everyone else in the competition that even a USA second team would get somewhere near the podium if they were allowed to enter?
 
After all, two from the aforementioned Pondexter, Griner and Jones would be in the line-up and you can throw in a raft of other players – how about the irrepressible Candice Dupree and Rebekkah Brunson for a start?
 
Arguments over who should complete this roster is like walking into a car showroom when you have won the lottery and trying decide which model of Aston Martin you are going to drive out with.
 
It doesn’t really matter how long you stand and argue over the fine technical detail. For when you do eventually decide what to do and make your final choice, you will inevitably exit the forecourt, turn right and have everyone looking on with envy as you cruise along the boulevard with class and style.
 
I guess you just have to keep a close eye on your rear view mirror in case some pesky Russian or Australians cause a surprise by catching you up and denting your ambitions.
 
Only I suspect all the other nations competing in London will have to offer something a lot more serious than a mere ‘basketball fender-bender’ to knock USA off course and halt their journey to the top of the podium.
 
For even if USA does lose a game along the way, I can’t believe it will be anything other than a minor pain in the behind.
 
This classy and awesome basketball machine will show their superior quality when they inevitably reach the gold medal game.
 
And, with so many All-Star players guaranteed to be on the floor, I am convinced that my current indifference to the actual make-up of the USA roster will be justified.
 
Whoever turns up they will be so much fun to watch and will surely cruise to success.
 
Paul Nilsen

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