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The US Men's Basketball team for the 2012 Olympics had a pool of 20 players announced in January, the 20 finalists who could potentially make the squad. Unfortunately, injuries have racked that group of players since they were announced. Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Chauncey Billups and LaMarcus Aldridge have all suffered injuries while Lamar Odom has simply been mediocre which led to his deactivation by the Dallas Mavericks.
That has knocked the team's potential candidates down several pegs, and as reported by ESPN on Wednesday, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo has stated that the team is looking to add one or two more names. Specifically, the Center position is looking particularly thin.
One of the candidates being discussed to get stuck into the center position as they look for young talent is Detroit Pistons sophomore center Greg Monroe, along with Anthony Davis out of the University of Kentucky and DeMarcus Cousins out of Sacramento.
Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that Sacramento Kings power forward DeMarcus Cousins, Detroit Pistons center Greg Monroe and incoming Kentucky star Anthony Davis -- widely regarded as a lock to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft -- are among the young big men under consideration to be among the late additions Colangelo mentioned.
The young talent search is in part because the natural first choice for more Center depth, Andrew Bynum, has stated he wants to take the summer off. Greg Monroe, a second year player out of Georgetown, impressed many with his play in his second season in the league. He scored 15.4 points and took down 9.7 rebounds per game, posing himself as a double double threat every single night on an otherwise underwhelming Pistons roster.
The final roster with six alternates from the USA is due on June 18.
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