Looking ahead...

What would the USA men's team look like in 2010 for the World Championships? It's a safe bet that J-Kidd will be off the team by then. Michael Redd might opt to not play too. I think Melo stays, LeBron stays. Wade, Deron, CP3, CB4 and Dwight will still be around. Tay and Booz can be replaced. For the sake of argument, we'll leave Kobe off the team because of...something. Let's say his age. So there would be 7 holdovers. (And those 7 might be the top 7 players in the NBA by then too.) Who would get those last 5 spots?

Top 10 candidates:

1. Greg Oden - Barring anymore injuries, GO should be a lock for this squad. His ascension will be key for Team USA and the Blazers. He turns into the Shaq+Hakeem Super-Dream we all want him to be, no one will be able to stop Team USA.

(A Dwight and Oden frontcourt would be SICK.)

2. Al Jefferson - If he continues to improve, he could reunite with AAU teammate Dwight Howard and the aforementioned Oden to form the scariest big man rotation Team USA has ever seen. Add CB4 to the mix and no one will ever doubt the Americans' big men ever again.

3. Kevin Durant - Here's the thing. KD is already a good NBA player. Judging by the way guys like Bron and Melo have improved on their games since coming to the league is enough justification to believe that Durant will get better. And if he does get better....get the hell out of his way.

4. Caron Butler - I like Caron Butler for the team because he and Melo would be an awesome tag team. No one would dare try anything nasty against team USA.

5. Derrick Rose - When you already have Chris Paul and Deron Williams on the squad, you basically have the point guard spot on lock for the next decade. But seeing how those two play really well next to each other, a third point guard would be great. I nominate Derrick Rose. Why? Why not? Kid's a team player, quick and strong. He's perfect for the team.

6. Danny Granger - The 2009 NBA MVP. (Yeah, I can dream can't I?) Danny's gonna be a great player. You have been warned.

7. Monta Ellis - Because Monta is gonna own the Bay Area for the next couple of years. Says here he's gonna be really, really good.

8. Amare Stoudemire - Beastin'. Hopefully, he'd be confident enough to play again by 2010.

9. Brandon Roy - He was a stud last year. He'll be downright deadly in 2 years. He'd be perfect as Dwyane Wade's back-up.

10. David Lee - A character guy. The Christian Laettner of this team. He hustles harder though. And he's used to egos. Wouldn't mind being the human victory cigar.

Honorable Mentions: OJ Mayo, Mike Beasley, Devin Harris, Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey, Daniel Gibson.

So if I were to make my picks now, I'd add Caron Butler (experience and toughness), Monta Ellis (freak athlete at the 1), Greg Oden (Super-Dream!), Kevin Durant (unstoppable) and Al Jefferson (the next great PF). That would give me Jefferson, Oden, Bosh and Howard as my guys inside, Bron, Melo, Butler and Durant (How tall would that rotation be??) on the wings and a backcourt buffet of Ellis, Wade, Paul and Williams. Rose, Amare and Granger are my alternates.

Shooting? Check. Shot-blocking and rebounding? Check. Freak athletes? Check. Everything else? Check, check and check.

So when Team USA wins the gold at the World Championships and at the 2012 Olympics (where Rose, Stuckey, Mayo and Beasley may crack the line-up), I'll be sittin' pretty knowing I was right. And y'all know my predictions are certified gold.