The ‘REAL’ Team USA 2004

The 2003 Team USA Olympic qualifying roster, was so much better than the actual Olympic Team USA one year later. Check it out

2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Team Roster

NAME POS HGT WGT AGE AFFILIATION/SCHOOL
Ray Allen G 6-5 205 28 Seattle SuperSonics / Connecticut ’96
Mike Bibby G 6-1 190 25 Sacramento Kings / Arizona ’98
Elton Brand F 6-8 265 24 Los Angeles Clippers / Duke ’99
Vince Carter G/F 6-6 225 26 Toronto Raptors / North Carolina ’98
Nick Collison F/C 6-9 250 23 Seattle SuperSonics/Kansas ’03
Tim Duncan C 6-11 248 27 San Antonio Spurs/ Wake Forest ’97
Allen Iverson G 6-0 165 28 Philadelphia 76ers / Georgetown ’96
Richard Jefferson F 6-7 222 23 New Jersey Nets / arizona ’01
Jason Kidd G 6- 4 212 30 New Jersey Nets / California ’94
Kenyon Martin F 6-9 234 25 New Jersey Nets / Cincinnati ’00
Tracy McGrady G 6-8 210 24 Orlando magic / Mount zion Christian Academy ’97
Jermaine O’Neal F/C 6-11 242 24 Indiana Pacers / Eau Claire H.S. ’97

2004 USA Men’s Olympic Games Roster

NAME POS HGT WGT AGE AFFILIATION (SCHOOL) HOMETOWN
Carmelo Anthony F 6-8 229 20 Denver Nuggets (Syracuse) Denver, CO
Carlos Boozer F 6-9 258 22 Utah Jazz (Duke) Bratenahl, OH
Tim Duncan C 7-0 248 28 San antonio Spurs (Wake Forest) San Antonio, TX
Allen Iverson G 6-0 165 29 Philadelphia 76ers (Georgetown) Villanova, PA
LeBron James G 6-8 240 19 Cleveland Cavaliers (St. Vincent-St. Mary High School) Cleveland, OH
Richard Jefferson F 6-7 222 24 New Jersey Nets (Arizona) West New York, NJ
Stephon Marbury G 6-2 205 27 New York Knicks (Georgia Tech) Purchase, NY
Shawn Marion F 6-7 215 26 Phoenix Suns (UNLV) Paradise Valley, AZ
Lamar Odom F 6-10 225 24 Los Angeles Lakers (Rhode Island) Miami, FL
Emeka Okafor F 6-10 252 21 Charlotte Bobcats (Connecticut) Houston, TX
Amare Stoudemire F 6-10 245 21 Phoenix Suns (Cypress Creek High School) Phoenix, AZ
Dwyane Wade G 6-4 212 22 Miami Heat (Marquette) Miami, FL

The 2003 roster had very good shooters; Ray Allen, Vince Carter, and Mike Bibby. The roster also had tremendous ability to break down the zone defense by dribble penetration – Vince Carter, Tracy Mcgrady, Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin.

You also had the unwavering floor general who at the time back in ’03 was the consensus #1 PG in the NBA – Jason Kidd.

At the time, Elton Brand and Nick Collison were not All Stars, but Elton Brand was already playing at a high level and Collison gave you hustle, boards, and blocks.

Now look at the 2004 roster:

Stephon Marbury?
Emeka Okafor?
Carlos Boozer?

Almost no shooters…

The ’04 Olympics team almost was a B-list roster.