Elite shooting guards and small forwards to lead Team USA

(BEIJING, June 24) -- With their three-Olympics gold medal streak ending in 2004 with a third place finish in Athens, the U.S. Men's Basketball Team inevitably has fans and analyst alike wondering if a team full of NBA All-Stars is still the key to success in the Olympics. This year Coach Mike Krzyzewski has been tasked with managing a roster that includes elite shooting guards Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Redd and Dwyane Wade and small forwards Carmelo Anthony and Tayshaun Prince.

Kobe Bryant's last game of the 2007-2008 NBA season was a 92-131 debacle suffered at the hand of the Boston Celtics. Still, as the newly crowned NBA regular season MVP, Bryant is expected to dominate both ends of the court at the Olympics. Last season he averaged 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.

2007-2008 NBA scoring champion LeBron James is able to penetrate any defense and can also score effectively from downtown. Though some see Bryant -- a 12-year veteran of the NBA -- as the leader of the squad, LeBron may be the team's go-to offensive player. Last season James averaged 30 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.2 assists over 75 games.

Michael Redd is one of the purest shooters in the NBA, though he is sometimes criticized for being one-dimensional. Some see his role in the team as similar to that of Mike Miller in the 2006 World Championships and 2007 Americas Championships -- a specialty player that can be invaluable in specific situations. In the 2007-2008 NBA season Redd averaged 22.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat has been plagued with injuries the past two years and is still not at 100 percent. His offensive talent and eagerness to play in Beijing have earned him a role as team co-captain, along with James and Carmelo Anthony. While FIBA rules may not allow Wade to get as many free throws as he does in the NBA, his ability to finish lay-ups and play aggressively will be a boost to the team's offense -- as long as he's healthy.

Carmelo Anthony has been one of Team USA's strongest players in recent years, exemplified by the 35-point team tscoring record he set at the 2006 FIBA World Championship against Italy. He can create his own shots and is a deadly shooter, but he'll have to contribute on defense to keep his playing time. His regular season stats in 2007-2008 were 25.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Twenty-eight-year old Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons is the most inconspicuous player on this team. Though he has never been voted in an All-Star, Prince is known for his top defensive ability in guarding the three and four spot thanks to his tenacity and long arms. He is expected to be a solid supporting player within a cast of big names.

Though this roster of guards and forwards may not be able to match the three-point prowess of other teams, they bring unparalleled athleticism to the tournament. There is little doubt about the individual talent on Team USA, but after the disappointing finish in Athens, it may be their ability to work together that is the key to their success in Beijing.