Greg Monroe upset at the US Select Team snub - NBA Update
Detroit Pistons centre Greg Monroe has expressed disappointment for not being on the US Select Team.
Monroe averaged 15.4 points and 9.7 boards last season, and is currently in Orlando for the Orlando Pro Summer League. Monroe believes that given his performances last season, his name should have been in the roster or at the least;
the committee should have invited him for a tryout.
“No disrespect to those guys on the roster, but looking at the guys on the Select Team roster, I should have been on there,” he said. “That's just how I feel. That's just the confidence I have in myself. The season I had, I don't
know if I was considered, but at least (I should have been) invited. That's how I feel. Some people might feel differently but I think I should've been invited.”
The Select Team did have a few surprise entries this year. Lance Thomas, the New Orleans Hornets forward, who averaged only 4 points and 3 rebounds per game was the part of it and Boston Celtics Greg Stiemsma who finished the last
season with 2.9 points and 3.2 boards per game also managed to get into the initial roster.
Amongst all of the bigs selected for the roster, only DeMarcus Cousins of Sacramento Kings had a season that can be compared with Monroe’s. Cousins averaged 15.4 points and 9.7 boards last season.
Greg also fears that after the snub his 2016 Olympic and Select team chances may well have been jeopardized;
"If I can't get on the Select Team (this year), I'm not expecting to be on the team in 2016," Monroe said. "I'm not going to sit here and wait.”
Adding Monroe to the squad would have brought additional depth at the post position, and would have challenged Team USA in practice. USA is short on big men this year and will have to rely on LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Carmelo
Anthony at the low post. With Dwight Howard out injured, the Olympics bound team has only got one true centre in Tyson Chandler and two power forwards in Kevin Love and Blake Griffin.
Tags: