Durant deserves roster spot

The message from those running the world's third-best basketball outfit (official name: Team USA) about their just-concluded three-day minicamp went something like this:

It mattered.

It was significant. It will go a long way in determining which 12 players make the final roster for the FIBA Americas Championship here next month, when the country -- you know, us -- that once dominated to the point players from other nations gleefully took their 50-point beatings and then requested autographs tries to qualify for the 2008 Olympics by lighting candles in hopes Argentina isn't its semifinal opponent.

If the message was truthful (insert laughter here), Kevin Durant should pack for an extended stay when he arrives for camp on Aug. 14.

Which means his visit likely will be brief.

An arena full of devil's advocate can be played on this one, countless reasonable arguments on each side about whether an 18-year-old who has yet to score an NBA point should take the spot of a veteran more used to competing against the kind of mature, savvy, skilled players that international teams offer.

Which would mean something if those veterans had overly impressed anyone in foreign hightops playing zone the last seven years.

Forget the part about the

6-foot-10-inch Durant deserving a spot, which he does based on that initial message this week and how he responded to it, including those 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting and six rebounds while helping the Blue team defeat the White 105-104 in a scrimmage on Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

These roster decisions historically have been more political than anything you've seen at recent presidential campaign rallies. Durant arrived a massive long shot to be one of the final 12 and probably now rates as a considerable one. (In truth, the fact he can make consecutive free-throws and doesn't miss layups should make him a lock on this team. That, and it appears Kobe Bryant finally has discovered someone he likes as a teammate.)

"I just wanted to win the game tonight and not worry about showing myself to get on" the FIBA roster, Durant said. "I want to make the team. I want to be part of a great team."

Many will suggest that not rushing Durant's journey on Team USA is not smart, that by keeping him hungry and at arm's length of a roster spot now, his presence will be more important within a program he -- and other young stars like Greg Oden -- should be involved with the next decade or so.

Maybe. But that would have been a more acceptable premise when the U.S. was the world's best team, when gold was guaranteed before tournaments began, when the Americans weren't finishing their last three major international competitions in sixth, third and third place.

How can anyone be considered too big a risk now?

"(Durant) shows so much poise for an 18-year-old," said Jerry Colangelo, managing director of Team USA and the one who will join head coach Mike Krzyzewski in determining the roster for the FIBA tournament. "He has done a great job. You never know..."

No, you do.

Durant worked at shooting guard and both forward spots during practice here (when he was said to consistently be one of the top six or seven players among 17), but it's not crazy to think at least nine of the 12 spots were decided before any Team USA official checked into Wynn Las Vegas.

This just in: Bryant and LeBron James and Jason Kidd and Carmelo Anthony and a handful of others could have slept their way through the entire minicamp and been assured of making the 12.

That's where the message becomes skewed.

"We're going to make roster decisions based on (Sunday's scrimmage), but not now," Krzyzewski said. "We're going to see what we want to do with our system.

"We have a foundation. How do we personalize it?"

It probably won't be with Durant, who instead would depart training camp prior to the FIBA event to ready himself for a rookie season in Seattle.

Maybe he is so good with the SuperSonics that first year, Durant positions himself for a spot on the 2008 Olympics roster. It's not likely.

If you think cutting to 12 will be difficult for next month's tournament, wait until this time next year.

Wait until players like Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion and Chris Paul jump back into the pool of candidates for Beijing.

Durant might not even deserve a spot then. But he does now, especially if you believe that message, which you shouldn't.

"We'll see," said Durant of his chances. "I don't know."

Yeah, he probably does.

Ed Graney can be reached at 383-4618 or egraney@reviewjournal.com.