NBA Pre-Season: A Fun Game to Increase International Intrest

Basketball has always been one of the United States' favorite pastimes. Now, it is starting to grow, expanding into different countries all around the world.

It shows in the NBA; the majority of players are still American, but a growing number of International players are also playing. If my idea actually would happen, I think it would grow even more.

I thought of this cool little idea today of the NBA hosting a "USA vs. the World" game of basketball. It would be similar to the Olympics, but all of the best American players, no matter what their age, would play against an all-star team of International players.

At first, I was thinking maybe they should do this instead of the All-Star game. I realised soon after that it would not be a good idea and people wouldn't be happy. I mean, who doesn't love the NBA All-Star Game?

I also thought they could just add it to the All-Star weekend, make it a long weekend and add another day to it, but that would be too long. So that wasn't a good idea either.

I then thought of what I think now is a good idea. I haven't thought out of a date or anything, but sometime in the pre-season, before or after Summer League.

It would just be a fun little game, no series or anything, of the best of the best American players vs. all of the best International players.

The coaches would not necessarily be the best coaches in the NBA, but an American basketball icon and an international basketball icon.

This article wouldn't be complete or nearly as fun without the players that I think would make up the teams, so here they are: (12 Players Per Team)

American Squad

Center, Dwight Howard

Forward/Center, Amare Stoudemire

Forward, Kevin Garnett

Forward, Chris Bosh

Forward, LeBron James

Forward, Carmelo Anthony

Guard, Kobe Bryant

Guard, Dwyane Wade

Guard, Paul Pierce

Guard, Jason Kidd

Guard, Chris Paul

Guard, Deron Williams

Coach: Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson

Neither coaches are probably that good of coaches, but like I said, they don't have to be, they are just important basketball icons being the two greatest ever.

Honorable Mentions: Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, Michael Redd, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson, Caron Butler, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison.

International Squad

Center, Yao Ming (China)

Center, Mehmet Okur (Turkey)

Forward/Center, Tim Duncan (Virgin Islands)

Forward/Center, Pau Gasol (Spain)

Forward, Dirk Nowitzki (Germany)

Forward, Luol Deng (Sudan)

Forward, Andrei Kirilenko (Russia)

Forward, Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey)

Guard, Steve Nash (Canada)

Guard, Tony Parker (France)

Guard, Manu Ginobili (Argentina)

Guard, Ben Gordon (England)

Coach: Jay Triano (Canada). Jay is currently an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors and has coached the Canada summer Olympic team twice. He was drafted by the Lakers in 1981, but never played in the NBA.

Honorable Mention: Samuel Dalembert (Canada), Leandro Barbosa (Brazil), Zydrunas Ilguaskas (Lithuania), Peja Stojakovic (Serbia), Andrew Bogut (Australia), Jose Calderon (Spain), Boris Diaw (France), Raja Bell (Virgin Islands), Andrea Bargnani (Italy).