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Should Anthony Davis head to the Olympics with Team USA?

spt-111228-anthonydavis

Mike Miller

With Dwight Howard now out for the Olympics and in need of back surgery, who will the United States turn to before the international games in London?

Bill Simmons has an answer: Kentucky’s Anthony Davis.

It makes sense. With the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum reportedly not interested in participating, Davis could be the inside presence that Team USA needs.

Dwayne Wade and Ray Allen have talked about their belief that Olympic athletes should be paid, but do you think that Davis, fresh out of college and about to cash in on a rookie deal, is too concerned about that?

As Simmons points out, Davis would be “the ultimate happy-to-be-there” guy. With scorers like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose, Davis can make the difference where the US might need it most: defensively.

He showed in the national championship game that, even without demanding the basketball on the offensive end, he can be an invaluable piece of a well-rounded team.

The United States has found out in recent years that, just because you can throw a collection of All-NBA players together, doesn’t mean you’ll breeze to an Olympic gold medal.

Imagine bringing Davis off the bench, in combination down low with a player like Tyson Chandler, who also brings a defensive presence. Add those two players to three elite-level scorers and I like the options that the Americans will have in London.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_