Can Wizards Bradley Beal make Team USA?

By Henry McKenna | Jul 14, 2014

May 13, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) has a break away dunk against Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (24) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

John Wall may have gotten snubbed for Team USA, but there’s no guarantee that the Wizards’ Team USA invitee Bradley Beal will actually make the roster. The roster, now at 19, needs to be cut down to 12 players. His competition at the two spot include Rockets James Harden, Jazz Gordon Hayward, Hawks Kyle Korver and Warriors Klay Thompson.

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CSN Washington’s Ben Standig has the scoop on the Team USA timeline:

"USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo told reporters he would like to have a 15-man roster set by the end of camp with the final 12-man squad set before the team heads overseas in late August. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski remains the head coach."

Harden is a lock to make the team. Hayward may be a longshot. Coach K may have to see a specific fit for Korver if he’s going to make the team. But it appears that in order to make the team, he will have to top fellow-sharp shooter Klay Thompson, as the two players may be too similar in play-style to take both. Thus far, Thompson has proved the more successful shooter in the NBA, topping Beal last season in both points per game and field goal percentage.

The bottom line: Bradley Beal is a longshot for this upcoming roster. At 21-years-old, he’ll get plenty more chances. It seems, however, that the Wizards will go unrepresented on this round of Team USA rostering.

Standig lays out a full positional breakdown:

"Bigs: Demarcus Cousins (Kings), Anthony Davis (Pelicans), Andre Drummond (Pistons), Kenneth Faried (Nuggets), Blake Griffin (Clippers), Kevin Love (Timberwolves)Small forward: DeMar DeRozen (Raptors), Kevin Durant (Thunder), Paul George (Pacers), Chandler Parsons (Mavericks)Wing guard: Beal, James Harden (Rockets), Gordon Hayward (Jazz), Kyle Korver (Hawks), Klay Thompson (Warriors)Point guard: Stephen Curry (Warriors), Kyrie Irving (Cavs), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Derrick Rose (Bulls)"