Potential International lineup for Team USA vs World future All-Star Game format
By Ben Handler
Starting Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece
Giannis is in the lineup of course, but he is a bit of an odd fit with this group. The international team has an embarrassment of riches in the frontcourt, but not a lot of true wing players. As a result, Giannis is thrust into a non-floor spacing small forward.
He’d get to play off four other players who can shoot and playmake, so he’d have free reign to roam around on both ends, running, cutting, picking his spots, and crashing the rim for putbacks and blocks.
It would be wild to watch him in this role, and there’s no telling how teams would try to defend him. The thought of him receiving passes from Luka and Jokic is scary. He could focus exclusively on his strengths and would get a ton of room to operate as he’s ever seen.
Defensively, he’d have to hang with some smaller wings and play more on the perimeter than usual. But he can make up for what he lacks in lateral quickness with length and athleticism. We know he’ll be making plays as a help defender, and if he gets beat he will have plenty of size and shot-blocking backing him up along with his own recovery skills.