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Four Burning Questions Ahead of the Pan-American Games Basketball Tournament

By Chris Godfrey

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Which of U.S. College Player will have the Biggest Impact on the Tournament?

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The United States will bring seven college players to the Pan-Am Games among their team of 12. However, it’s unclear how the those players will be used alongside the four veteran professionals that are expected to be the foundation of the team. Assuming that all five veterans start, there is really no indication as to who can emerge as a prominent contributor for the team.

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    • Shawn Long, the bouncy forward from Louisiana-Lafayette is the player who needs this experience the most. There’s a high likelihood that he’ll fall off the map after this tournament, considering he’ll be playing his ball in the Sun Belt during season. Making any sort of indent during this tournament will travel a long way towards keeping his name relevant throughout the season.

    However, my gut feeling leans towards a group of three players as potential impact players.

    Denzel Valentine has the type of versatility that is extremely valuable in international competition. He also possesses a track record of positive performances in big games (I’m excluding his boneheaded play that lost the Spartans the Big Ten Tournament championship).

    Finally, the team has a noticeable lack of knockdown shooting ability. I was very surprised to see Butler’s Kellen Dunham left off the team for that reason. Due to the lack of firepower, I find it to be an almost certainty that Maryland’s Melo Trimble and Wichita State’s Ron Baker will play vital roles as key reserves (and possible zone busters). I also don’t expect to see Baylor’s Taurean Prince earn much playing time, which means there’s a possibility to see Baker (as well as Virginia’s Malcolm Brogdon) playing a certain amount of small forward during the tournament.

    These ready made opportunities will be crucial in terms of determining who will get the first crack at making a name for themselves in this tournament.

    Next: College Players Make Impact at U19 World Championships

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