ESPN Insider: Beasley, Jordan lead group of future superstars

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Beasley, Jordan lead group of future superstars


By Fran Fraschilla
Special to ESPN Insider

Updated: July 6, 2007

DALLAS -- It's hard to imagine that Kevin Durant, Greg Oden and Spencer Hawes would all be eligible to play for the Under-19 USA Basketball team that will be leaving for the world championships next week. Just imagine how good that team would have been.

But even without those superstars, this U-19 team will be a force in Novi Sad, Serbia.

This team has depth. Head coach Jerry Wainwright has a nice group of experienced rising college sophomores such as Ohio State's David Lighty, Arkansas' Patrick Beverley and Oregon's Tajuan Porter. They will blend with very talented incoming freshman such as Texas A&M's DeAndre Jordan, Syracuse's Donte Greene and Kansas State's Michael Beasley.

This team has balance. Unlike the guard-heavy 2003 team (which did not medal, by the way) led by former Fighting Illini and current Utah Jazz backcourt mates Dee Brown and Deron Williams, this team is balanced. It possesses excellent outside shooting from Porter and Davidson's outstanding sophomore guard, Stephen Curry. Beverly is a streaky shooter but plays with a typical Chicago inner-city moxie. Syracuse's Jonny Flynn is an effective on-the-ball defender.


Steven Maikoski/USA Basketball
Michael Beasley has impressed on the Under-19 team so far.
USA Basketball's Under-19 world championship team has not won gold since 1991. But with the right mix of experienced collegians like Kansas' Darrell Arthur and incoming freshman stars like Michael Beasley, this team could end the drought.

Under-19 Roster:

Darrell Arthur, Soph., Kansas
Michael Beasley, Fr., Kansas State
Patrick Beverley, Soph., Arkansas
Matt Bouldin, Soph., Gonzaga
Stephen Curry, Soph., Davidson
Jonny Flynn, Fr., Syracuse
Donte Greene, Fr., Syracuse
DeAndre Jordan, Fr., Texas A&M
David Lighty, Soph., Ohio State
Raymar Morgan, Soph., Michigan State
Tajuan Porter, Soph., Oregon
Deon Thompson, Soph., North Carolina

This team has the right mix of superstars and versatile role players. Beasley and Jordan will be impact big men in the Big 12 this coming season and are likely lottery picks next year. They will get help on the U-19 frontline from underrated Deon Thompson of North Carolina. Lighty is a "no mistake" kind of player, and Michigan State's Raymar Morgan is the type of small power forward who will be effective versus the mobile Euro-style big man who plays away from the basket and has traditionally given U.S. teams trouble. Gonzaga's Matt Bouldin is a scorer who should give Wainwright more versatility off the bench.

The USA has not won a U-19 World Championship since 1991. While we have not always sent our best players for various reasons, it's clear that the rest of the world has caught up to American basketball in the past 15 years. We still possess the most depth of talent in the world, but countries such as Spain, France and Serbia can put teams on the floor now with numerous NBA prospects to compete with the team that USA Basketball will send to this tournament.

Against those odds, Wainwright has only two weeks to cultivate a team chemistry that will match his talented group. But he's the right guy to do it. In watching practice this week, I observed that he's mixing a positive approach and a great sense of humor with a firmness and attention to detail that will be needed to play "on the road" in Serbia. He didn't hesitate to lay down the law at practice with no regard for ego or talent level.

Yet for all of this talent, there are no longer any guarantees for Team USA in international basketball. Think back to last summer, when Coach K's squad -- led by LeBron, Carmelo and Dwyane Wade -- took home a disappointing bronze medal in the FIBA World Championships. And they lost only one game. As unfair as it may seem, gold will still be the standard for success for Wainwright and his young team. But does he have enough time to mold the team the way he wants? Probably not. And talent just isn't enough anymore when it comes to "our" game.


Names to remember


If you are an NBA draft addict, here are some names from the FIBA Under-19 Tournament to remember for the future:


DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M

When Jordan walks across the stage at next June's NBA draft, he's likely to give David Stern a giant hug instead of merely shaking his hand because Jordan has an excellent chance to be one of the top five picks because of the rule that requires one year of college. With his pit stop in College Station this season, he will be much better prepared for his rookie year than if he had headed directly to the NBA from high school.

After watching Jordan practice with Team USA in Dallas this week, I was stunned at how much he has improved since last summer, yet it was clear that the opportunity to play a major role at Texas A&M this season will help his development dramatically.

Interestingly, he was listed at 7-foot and 240 pounds in the USA Basketball media guide but 6-10 and 215 pounds on the roster they gave me when I showed up for practice. He looks every bit of 7 feet. He is a very agile big man who is quick off his feet, but his hands are average at this point. And while his defensive skills are ahead of his offense right now, his "give a damn" meter is high and he has a nice feel for the game. This Aggie has a chance to be the dominant big man in college hoops next season.


Donte Greene, Syracuse

The second recent McDonald's All-American to go to Syracuse out of Baltimore (remember Carmelo Anthony?), Greene is an immensely talented small forward prospect who is an explosive athlete. He will benefit from a year under the Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim because Greene needs to learn to put forth more effort on the defensive end of the court. And once he figures out how much he doesn't know yet, he will blossom in Orange.


Deon Thompson, North Carolina


USA Basketball
DeAndre Jordan looks like he could develop into a top-five pick in next year's NBA draft.


While he is still stuck in a logjam on North Carolina's frontline, Thompson should step out from the shadows this season and play an important role for coach Roy Williams' Tar Heels.

Thompson has made incredible progress on improving his body since his senior year of high school, when he weighed about 300 pounds. He looks great, and while not as skilled in the lane as some teammates, Thompson is very effective because of his effort and toughness. In fact, along with Tyler Hansbrough inside, Thompson gives the Heels some of the best muscle up front in college basketball. He is not yet an NBA prospect but could be with more playing time and experience.


Michael Beasley, Kansas State

In an exhibition game versus Team Africa, which included a collection of college players from countries such as Senegal and Nigeria, Beasley impressed. He is an enormous talent with size, strength, athleticism and a nice shooting touch to 17 feet. He's like a Timex watch -- his body can take a licking but keeps on ticking. His maturity and effort are the only things keeping him from having a major impact on the Big 12 this season. If new Wildcats coach Frank Martin can get Beasley to give an honest day's effort, the freshman should get off to a fast start in Manhattan.


Solomon Alabi, Nigeria (Florida State)

Alabi will represent his native Nigeria in the tournament, but afterward he will be getting ready to help coach Leonard Hamilton's Seminoles climb the ladder in the ACC. While he was well-coached at Monteverde Academy in Florida and already possesses NBA athleticism, Alabi is still a couple of seasons away from possessing even the rudimentary offensive skills that would allow him to have any impact on an NBA team.


Andrew Ogilvy, Australia (Vanderbilt)

While I have not seen this big Aussie yet, I have talked with the Commodores coaching staff, and they are very high on him. Like many Australian players who have had success at the collegiate level, Ogilvy comes from the Australian Institute of Sport, where he has been well-schooled.

Australia is the defending U-19 champion; it blew through the field in 2003, thanks in large part to former Utah Utes and current Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut. Current Baylor senior guard Aaron Bruce had a big hand in Australia's success as well.


Boban Marjanovic, Serbia

After working with this young big man at the Reebok Eurocamp, I am hopeful that he will get a chance to get valuable experience and playing time for Serbia. Surprisingly mobile for his size, Marjanovic is strictly a low-post player with huge hands and feet. He doesn't run like a gazelle, but with his huge frame, it is worth the wait for him to get up the floor.


Victor Claver, Spain

This young star played major minutes for Pamesa in the ACB playoffs in Spain. In addition, he was the most promising young player at the Reebok Eurocamp last month. He is an athletic power forward with effective post moves, a nice handle in the open court and a smooth jump shot. Claver lacks strength, however, and needs more experience. However, with the exception of potential complications with contract buyouts, he is likely to be a high NBA selection in the near future.


Nicholas Batum, France

After a 23-point performance at the Nike Hoop Summit in April, Batum had NBA scouts talking him up for this year's lottery. Yet the youngster made a surprisingly rational decision to resist the temptation of the NBA for now. Instead, he will lead a very talented French team into this tournament before returning to Le Mans in the French Pro A league next season.

Batum is as good an athlete as anyone who will play in college basketball this season. His skill level, however, needs to catch up. An inconsistent jump shot and average ballhandling kept him from having a big impact on his Le Mans team this past year. If he improves, he could be a top-five selection in the 2008 NBA draft. If not, he'll still go somewhere in the lottery. He is similar to former Connecticut star Rudy Gay two years ago; some scouts love Batum's game while others aren't enamored with him.


Tournament favorites


Chemistry will be a big issue for Team USA because many of the teams in this field have played together for at least the last couple of summers. Based on recent history, no one would be shocked if the U.S. team fails to win the gold. However, Wainwright is a great motivator and something tells me that he will relish this difficult road trip. Here's a handicap of the tournament's best teams:


1. USA

As mentioned, the U.S. team has the talent, but does it have enough time to jell? In Novi Sad, the Americans will be treated like Carolina going into Cameron Indoor Stadium. The loss of Kansas forward Darrell Arthur is a huge blow to Team USA's gold-medal hopes. Late Friday, it was announced that Arthur had suffered a stress fracture in his left leg during the U-19 practices and will be unable to compete. He was going to be one of the stalwarts on the frontline and an experienced leader for this young team.


2. Spain

Can the Spaniards follow the lead of Pau Gasol and his FIBA world championship team from last summer? Because of their experience, the answer is yes.


3. France

This is the second-most athletic team in this tournament, and has played together for a while. The team's future NBA lottery selection, Nicholas Batum, might not even be its best or most valuable player.


4. Serbia
For a country that takes basketball very seriously, finishing a disappointing 11th in 2003 was unacceptable. Serbia will be looking for redemption at home.

Don't forget these "dark horse" teams:


Lithuania

This is the closest thing to Indiana high school hoops. For a country with only 3 million people, it turns out a lot of good basketball players.


Argentina

There might not be another Manu Ginobili on this squad, but these guys have a system of play that has promoted long-term success.

Fran Fraschilla, a college basketball analyst for ESPN, is a regular contributor to Insider.