I'm sorry, but this wasn't impressive
Harrison Barnes, a forward who is now on the Dallas Mavericks, has no All-NBA accolades, or special awards outside of being an NBA champion with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, would be the best player on any non-USA Olympic roster. He is clearly the worst on team USA (no offense to Barnes by any means), and I was surprised he was on the roster. This team excluded the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, LaMarcus Aldridge, Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis, and many, MANY more. I mean, heck, the Sixers from last year (2015-16) probably would have beaten Serbia. I'm not impressed at all by Team USA, because this is what should have happened. PERIOD.
The only Serbian playing in the NBA currently is Nikola Jokic, a backup center on the Denver Nuggets. It's a miracle in my mind that they even passed Spain or France (I didn't pay attention, because I knew all along that team USA would not lose), and those teams had real NBA players such as Pau Gasol and Ricky Rubio (Spain) and Rudy Gobert, Tony Parker and Nicolas Batum (France). Outside of Gobert, those guys would be a long shot to make team USA in general, but they headline the international talent. France was supposed to be the best team, yet Kyle Lowry (at this stage) is better than Parker, DeAndre Jordan would equalize Gobert, and Paul George is better than Batum. And you still have to account for Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, etc. There should have been no chance, ZERO, of beating team USA.
Look, I understand it's an Olympic medal, and few people get that opportunity to win one in the USA. But honestly, if you make the USA Olympic team, you should be damn proud of yourself just for being there, because there are so many Jabari Parker's, D'Angelo Russell's, Karl-Anthony Towns', and Harry Giles' out there not making the team, yet still making the NBA, that aren't considered for the roster. Just by being awarded with the honor of playing for the world's superteam is more than enough, but beating that competition is almost predetermined. One role player in the NBA or a team of All-Stars (and Harrison Barnes)? The question shouldn't be who will win, it's how much will the latter win by? Congrats on the gold, team USA, but it should have been given to you in the opening ceremony.
