Is there such a thing as anti-billboard material? Typically before a tournament as big as the 2010 FIBA World Championship, you’d expect a little posturing a la the “We’re the team to beat” variety.
This is absolutely not the case with prospective Team USA player Lamar Odom. Over at Spanish-language Sport.es, a piece suggestively entitled “España es la mejor selección del mundo,” the Los Angeles Laker cites coach Sergio Scariolo’s presence plus the full global reach of basketball as making Spain the one to look out for in Turkey.
“Spain can play,” said Odom, “and [they] have very good players,” including presumably Marc Gasol and Rudy Fernandez, two Spanish studs Odom singled out in the piece.
“Spain is a great team that plays disciplined and […] we have to be prepared,” said Odom after declaring that, when playing at full potential, Spain is indeed the world’s top team in this tournament. (“Creo que España, al máximo nivel de su potencial, es la mejor selección del mundo.”)
Naturally, Odom still likes his own team’s chances as well: “We are young, but our team wants to compete and win. Things will work out.”
