Everyone knows Yao, Manu and A.I. will be leading their teams. But what about Spain's' Rudy Fernandez or Greece's Fragikos Alvertis? NBA.com talked to one of the hosts of NBA TV's "Basketball International", Simone Sandri (L), to get a handle on the players to watch in the Olympic tournament. From Angola to the U.S., Sandri has a main man and an X Factor for each squad. Here's an alphabetical (by country) look at who to watch for in Athens.
 Angola |
At 35, Carvalho is the leader of this veteran Angolan squad. He's an excellent shooter who thrives in catch-and-shoot situations. Although his athleticism isn't comparable to the other top guards in the tournament, his 3-point range makes him a legitimate scoring threat.
Argentina's medal hopes rest on Ginobili's shoulders.
(D. Clarke Evans NBAE/Getty Images) |
Gomes played collegiately at Valparaiso, where he had a good career. Although Gomes is just 6-8, he's the only big guy Angola has, so he plays center. He's a very good athlete who fights hard under the basket and gets most of his points close to the hoop.
 Argentina |
A player that's well known to NBA fans, Ginobili is the heart and soul of Argentina's national team. Manu isn't just a star in the NBA, he's emerged as one of the best players in international basketball. The pressure falls on his shoulders in this Olympics, though, as he has to play well for Argentina to reach the podium. But because of him, the Argentinians are one of the teams that should be favored to take home the gold in Athens.
X Factor: Andres Nocioni
Nocioni recently made U.S. headlines after the Bulls officially signed him for the coming season. John Paxson made a wise choice for Chicago; Nocioni is just 24, but has already proven himself to be a great pro player in Spain. He's an intriguing player, because he's 6-7, but he plays pretty much every position on the floor. He's most comfortable at small forward, but he's a great rebounder and very athletic. He's even started at center. Basically, he's a good defender and an aggressive offensive player who can take it to the hole and has 3-point range as well.
 Australia |
Heal is a 34-year-old, 6-1 shooting guard who played for both the Timberwolves and the Spurs. He can play point guard, but you generally want him off the ball because he's such a deadly shooter. He has a very quick release, which allows him to get his shot off against taller defenders. With Andrew Gaze not in the Aussie lineup, this team needs his leadership. Will lead the charge on offense.
China's strategy? Go to Yao.
(Andrew D. Bernstein NBAE/Getty Images) |
Andersen is a seven-footer who was drafted in the second round by the Hawks in 2002. He plays center for Australia, but he can step out and shoot the three. He's a very tough matchup, as he can go outside, has a lot of moves, and goes to the basket well too. If he steps up his defensive play, he could make it to the NBA in a year or two. Right now he's playing for European powerhouse CSKA Moscow.
 China |
China will obviously only go as far as Yao will take them. Coach Del Harris needs to do all that he can to get Yao going. If Yao's recent play in the Diamond Ball tournament is any indication of what to expect, then the rest of the world had better watch out. Yao averaged 22.0 points (on 20-for-27 shooting) and 9.3 rebounds in games against Argentina, Australia and Serbia & Montenegro.
X Factor: Yi Jianlian
Yi is the future of Chinese basketball. And an interesting one at that. He's listed as having been born in 1987, but there are reports that he might have been born as early as 1984. Regardless of his age, what is certain is that Yi is 7-1 and a unique talent. I saw him play at the Hoops Summit, and he has great moves facing the basket. He's active around the basket, has a very good shooting touch, and is disciplined on offense and defense. He'll probably be an NBA player soon -- experts are saying he'd be a lottery pick in the next draft -- so Athens could be a coming-out party for him.
 Greece |
Alvertis is a legend in Greece. He's a 30-year-old, 6-9 small forward who gives teams fits because of his size and his shooting. He's extremely good on the perimeter; he has an awkward release, but shot 45 percent from 3-point range last season. He'll drive past bigger bodies and shoot over smaller defenders. The team also needs his leadership. Any chance Greece has of making some noise at home rests firmly on his shoulders.
Alvertis will try to lead the home country to glory.
(Ron Turenne NBAE/Getty Images) |
Dikoudis is one of the best power forwards in Europe. He has a good body and uses it well. He's a good rebounder and is very active around the basket. He's not the best shooter, but he has good post-up moves and gets a lot of second-chance points.
 Italy |
Stateside fans will remember Galanda as the 6-11 gunner who torched the U.S. squad for 28 points in Italy's recent upset win over Tim Duncan and company. Galanda is very comfortable shooting from long range. He's a great catch-and-shoot player, but it isn't just his shooting that makes him dangerous. He's a very smart offensive player who is fundamentally sound and knows the game very well. He's decent around the basket and can use his body pretty well, but he does most of his damage from 3-point range.
X Factor: Gianmarco Pozzecco
Pozzecco is an energetic 6-1 veteran guard who serves as Italy's spark off the bench. he gets steals, rebounds and assists, but the biggest thing about him is his heart. He really gets his teammates going and gives confidence to the Italian team. He's one of the best penetrate-and-dish players in Europe, and he really changes the pace of the game when he steps on the floor.
 Lithuania |
Jasikevicius is a 6-4 point guard who played collegiately at Maryland. Since returning to Europe, he has emerged as the ultimate winner in the game. In each of the last two years, Jasikevicius has won the treble (country cup, league title and Euroleague title) in both Spain and Israel. He should be playing in the NBA. He's a very flashy player, like Jason Williams, yet he's always under control and makes smart decisions. He's a player who thrives in transition.
X Factor: Arvydas Macijauskas
In my opinion, Macijauskas is the best pure shooter in the world, including the NBA. He's a tad small (6-4) to be a great defender at the two, but he's such a deadly shooter. He's also fearless; he dives all over the place and drives the lane against much bigger players. Plus, he's extremely quick. He's got a great first step and also thrives in transition.
 New Zealand |
Maybe it's because he is a former rubgy player, but Cameron is a 6-7 power forward who plays much bigger than his height. On a team of shooters, Cameron isn't a great shooter. But he's a big, big leader on this team. He doesn't look like a basketball player, to be honest, but he's a tremendous asset in that he has great hands, passes well and moves very well around the basket. He's a tough defender to beat, and he gets a lot of his points on second-chance putbacks. He has the squad's respect and they'll follow him anywhere.
Penney will lead New Zealand on offense.
(David Sherman NBAE/Getty Images) |
Penney, now a pro in Europe, had a great career at the University of Wisconsin. He's just a great, great shooter who doesn't need much room to get his shot off. You can't leave him alone for a second, especially in clutch situations. He's coming off a great season for Gran Canaria in Spain, where he showed himself to be a pure shooting guard who also has the brains to match his offensive prowess.
 Puerto Rico |
"Piculin" is a 41-year-old, 6-11 center who is basically Puerto Rico's own Michael Jordan. He's an extremely intimidating guy who is the ultimate leader. He's very tough and has a great body. He moves very well despite his age, and sparks his teammates when they need a lift. He's had a great career in the NBA and in Europe, and he's earned a lot of respect in international basketball over the years.
X Factor: Larry Ayuso
Ayuso is a 6-1 shooting guard who played collegiately at USC and has shown up in a few NBA summer leagues. He's coming off a good season for Besiktas in Turkey. He has a great scorer's mentality; he penetrates very well and is also very comfortable behind the 3-point line. He's got the ability to get himself free and score from long range. If he gets hot, Puerto Rico could do some damage.
 Serbia & Montenegro |
Bodiroga is one of the greatest players in Europe; he's arguably been the best player in Europe for the last seven or eight years. He's had NBA offers since the Kings drafted him in '95, but he made the decision to stay in Europe, where he now plays for Barcelona. He's one of the most versatile players in the game -- he's 6-9, but he liks to play small forward and shooting guard, and he's even been known to run the point as well. He's a pass-first player with incredible court vision, but he's also a great scorer.
X Factor: Milos Vujanic
Vujanic is an NBA star of the future. He's a 6-3 shoot-first point guard who's arguably the best guard in Europe right now. He's improving his playmaking skills and his ball-handling in an effort to get his teammates involved more, but he's one of those players who can take over a game by himself. Eventually, with his touch and athleticism, he could wind up averaging 20-30 points per game in the NBA.
 Spain |
Navarro, who was drafted by the Wizards in 2002, is a 6-4 combo guard who will have to man the point with Raul Lopez out of the Olympics. Navarro is an extremely exciting player who scores a lot of points. He's extremely fast, has a quick first step, and thrives in a transition game. He's a good shooter as well. Even though everyone knows Pau Gasol first, in talking to both Gasol and Lopez, they said Navarro is the key to Spain's chances in Athens. He has to step up for them to win a medal.
No one in the tournament has an answer for Duncan.
(NBAE/Getty Images) |
Even though he's only 19, Fernandez is coming off a huge season for Badalona in Spain. He emerged as a go-to guy and the team's leader. He's comparable to Manu, in that he's a versatile 6-6 shooting guard who plays with confidence and grace. He runs well, thrives in the transition game, and has a great, great first step. He is projected to be a lottery pick next year.
 U.S.A. |
No one in the Olympics can stay with him. Period. They need to get Duncan the ball all the time, even against zone defenses. Duncan is actually even shooting well from the free-throw line, which could be a big factor for the U.S. in close games.
X Factor: Allen Iverson
He needs to run the team smoothly and with authority, and he needs to be able to beat zone defenses with his outside shooting. If he shoots consistently and controls the tempo of games, then it's going to be very tough to beat the U.S. If he doesn't come through, the U.S. is vulnerable.