Here’s one vote for Iguodala

VALENCIA (Jeff Taylor's London Calling) - If there's justice, Andre Iguodala will be in the Team USA Olympic squad.

To be named one of the 20 finalists is an honor, certainly, but Iguodala is a world champion.

He earned the right to compete at the London Games when he was in Turkey in 2010, diving for loose balls and playing defense like his life depended on it.

The 1.98m shooting guard/small-forward was one of the 12 men that qualified the USA for the London Games.

A member of what many in the media dubbed the "B" team, Iguodala and the other 11 players in Istanbul made the coach, Mike Krzyzewski, so proud.

Really, all American basketball fans had to be excited about that team that went undefeated.

The USA’s only real scare came in a 70-68 victory over Brazil in their third game of the tournament.

So why Iguodala for London?

He'll show up for work and play defense.

Remember when the United States played Lithuania in the Semi-Finals, and what Iguodala did to Linas Kleiza, their best player.

Iguodala shut him down.

After that game, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said: "Andre Iguodala, in our own locker room, is our MVP tonight.

"It wasn't Kevin's (Durant) 38 (points), which was fantastic.

"But literally, he (Iguodala) took Kleiza straight out of the game.

"He was one for 11 in the ballgame and in the first half, Iguodala totally frustrated him."

Iguodala embraced his role as a defensive stopper with Team USA and didn’t mind leaving the scoring to others.

When his name was included in this week's preliminary squad, this was his reaction.

“It is difficult at times to have five scorers on the floor at one time in international play,” Iguodala said.

“You have to have guys who can set a pick and pop, guys who can distribute the ball.

"Hopefully those different aspects puts me and my game on that roster.”

When the 76ers played in their first game after the finalists were named, Sixers fans chanted "USA, USA" when Iguodala was nearby.

Iguodala may have to prove in the preparations for the Olympics that he should be on the plane to London.

"I'll tell you this,” Colangelo said.

"Our (USA) practices are going to be pretty interesting in terms of competition."

Iguodala’s name does not resonate internationally like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and some of the other players from the 2008 gold-medal winning side.

One can only hope that when everyone shows up for the training camp on July 6 that he's got an equal chance to make the team.

Jeff Taylor
FIBA

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