Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo was among four players cut from Team USA. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

USA Basketball President Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski have trimmed the U.S. roster to 15 players, which meant four players were cut.

Those who were left off the 15-man roster were guards Tyreke Evans and O.J. Mayo, forward Gerald Wallace and center JaVale McGee were cut. Evans could have made it the final 12-man roster that will represent Team USA at the FIBA World Championships in Turkey, but he missed most of training camp with a sprained ankle. The 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year will get another chance in two years for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Because Team USA was already loaded with guards, there was simply no room for a guy like Mayo. The Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard doesn’t really have a specialty and is more of a volume shooter. Coach K and his staff chose to keep shooting guards Eric Gordon, Danny Granger and Andre Iguodala instead.

Wallace could have filled the role of defensive stopper, but his limited offensive skills probably kept him from wearing the USA colors. Coach K and Co. didn’t want to sacrifice a top-notch guard for a small forward with limited range, and Wallace would have been overmatched at power forward.

McGee was a late invite to training camp in Las Vegas after Amare Stoudemire didn’t bother to show up and Robin Lopez has not completely healed from his back injury. Then, two days into camp, forward David Lee dislocated his finger and had to drop out, which gave McGee a glimmer of hope to make the roster.

Despite playing well in the scrimmage showcase at Thomas & Mack Center, McGee was let go as Coach K chose to keep Tyson Chandler and Brook Lopez, two players with a little more playing experience than the 22-year-0ld Wizards center. But the future is very bright for McGee, who dominated the Las Vegas Summer League and should be the Wizards starting center heading into this season.

Team USA will take a short break before reopening camp on Aug. 9. The team plays an exhibition game on Aug. 15 against France at Madison Square Garden in New York. It’s the first of four exhibition games for Team USA before it leaves for Turkey. USA Basketball doesn’t need to announce its 12-man roster until a day before the World Championship, which begins Aug. 28.

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Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins will be a force to be reckoned with the Sacramento Kings. (GETTY IMAGES)

When it comes to evaluating basketball talent, there are few in the NBA who are better than Geoff Petrie. The Sacramento Kings’ president of basketball operations was responsible for drafting Peja Stojakovic, Hedo Turkoglu, Gerald Wallace, Jason Williams, Kevin Martin and 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans.

Petrie may have picked up another gem in this year’s draft in No. 5 overall pick DeMarcus Cousins, who could be the next Moses Malone – a bigger and more tattooed version. For those who don’t know Moses Malone, shame on you. He was one of the original basketball beasts, a three-time NBA MVP and named one of the 50 Greatest Players.

Malone wore an intimidating scowl when he stepped on the court and played with a brick on his shoulder. Cousins is cut from the same mold. He walks into the arena as if his someone had just stolen his bike. Cousins possesses a little nasty streak and, just like Malone, almost relishes physical contact.

The 6-foot-11 center out of the University of Kentucky has been beastly so far in the 2010 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and his supposed attitude problem has been nonexistent so far. In fact, the Kings’ summer league coaches have been raving about Cousins’ work ethic and has showed some outstanding leadership skills, something that was a big question mark during pre-day workouts and a big reason why Cousins dropped to No. 5 in the draft. Otherwise, if you base it on talent alone, Cousins was arguably the second-best player in the draft behind John Wall, his teammate at Kentucky.

The 19-year-old from Mobile, Ala., attacks the boards like Malone. He’s not a quick leaper but knows how to use his body and rebounds extremely well in traffic. And just like Moses, Cousins has a great knack for getting to the free-throw line.

“He’s a very intelligent player,” Kings coach Paul Westphal said about his young big man. “He’s very agile, he’s got quick feet and he knows where the players are around him. And he’s a great rebounder. He’s going to be an outstanding player.”

Moses Malone was the MVP of the 1983 NBA Finals against the L.A. Lakers. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

There are two things you can’t teach: Speed and size.

Wall has the speed and Cousins has the size.

You can’t criticize Washington for taking Wall, who is an absolute blur on the court, but the three teams who passed on Cousins – Philadelphia, New Jersey and Minnesota – will ultimately regret their decisions. While Evan Turner, Derrick Favors and Greg Monroe struggle to adjust to the NBA game, Cousins has assimilated very well.

“Oh, we’re real happy with him,” Westphal said. “Nothing about his stats or anything else, what impresses me is he really knows how to play. He really has a great feel for a 19-year-old, usually that’s one of the last things big guys learn is the feel for the game.

Can you say 2010-11 NBA Rookie of the Year? It’s very possible, giving the Kings back-to-back top rookies.

Westphal says the arrival of Cousins expands Sacramento’s options in the frontcourt. If Cousins plays center he could play alongside up-and-coming power forward Jason Thompson, and if slides to the power forward spot he could pair up with 7-footer Samuel Dalembert, Sacramento’s newest acquisition.

Add 7-foot rookie Hassan Whiteside and 6-9 Carl Landry and all of a sudden the Kings are now equipped to handle division rival L.A. Lakers, who boasts 7-footers Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in their starting lineup and 6-10 Lamar Odom off the bench.

“Now we’ll be able to protect the paint a lot better,” Westphal said.

In Cousins’ debut in the Las Vegas NBA summer league on Monday, he finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds in just over 26 minutes of work in the Kings’ 97-68 blowout of the Detroit Pistons at Cox Pavilion. He thoroughly outplayed fellow rookie Greg Monroe, who simply couldn’t handle Cousins in the low block.

Cousins followed that solid performance with another double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds against the Lakers on Tuesday at Thomas & Mack Center. Matched up against Lakers second-round pick Derrick Caracter, who has played well this summer, for much of the game Cousins displayed an array of low-post moves, a soft touch near the basket, and a face-up game knocking down mid-range jump shots. He only shot 8-for-20 from the field, but skill set was obvious.

And he also squashed any reports that he was overweight. He was listed at 292 pounds during the draft, but he might already shed a few pounds and looked fit enough to dominate. He showed his athletic ability when he blocked Caracter’s shot with his left hand, hustled down the court, bowled over two Lakers and flipped a one-handed shot for a basket.

Cousins is already ahead of the curve when it comes to drawing double teams and kicking the ball out to teammates. Early in the first quarter against the Lakers, Cousins drew a double team and dropped off a nice no-look pass to a cutting Omri Casspi, who finished the play with a dunk.

It probably won’t be the last time Cousins and Casspi will be hooking up for a dunk.

Last year, Petrie and the Kings landed two gems in the draft in Evans and Casspi. With Evans, Casspi and Cousins, Sacramento now has its own version of The Three Kings and could be serious challengers to the Lakers in the Western Conference. Just like old times.

And just like Moses, the Kings are hoping Cousins can lead them to the Promised Land.

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Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles knows a good point guard when he sees one, and he definitely saw something in Brandon Jennings.

Skiles made Jennings the quarterback of his team from Day 1 and the 20-year-old rookie point guard with an old-school game has rewarded his head coach with an amazing season.

Showing great leadership skills and incredible poise in his first time in the postseason, the confident and talented Mr. Jennings single-handedly pushed the underdog Bucks – who were without leading scorers Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd – to a Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks, and his accelerated learning curve is something the Bucks can benefit from in the future.

Jennings mixes a blend of technically sound decisions with a little bit of And-1-Mixed-Tape flare. His game is comparable to a young Kenny Anderson, but with a much better jump shot.

“To be a great point guard, you have to be a vocal leader and you have to take chances,” said Jennings, whose Kid ‘N Play haircut shows his affinity for pop culture history and his fearlessness. Not many kids can pull off the Kid ‘N Play look.

When asked what he has learned in his playoffs debut, Jennings said: “Just keep fighting. “I just kept attacking. I got a little motivation before the game. It made me come out and play aggressive,” said the 6-foot-1 left-hander, who has bumped up his scoring average from 15.5 to 20.8 in the playoffs.

When asked specifically if the Rookie of the Year voting breakdown had a little something to do with his perked up energy and extra incentive in the playoffs, Jennings replied: “Maybe.”

Rookie point guard Brandon Jennings leads the Bucks in scoring in the playoffs. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

“Scott Skiles told me something right around the All-Star break that Brandon Jennings wasn’t getting credit for being a student of the game and gym rat, and I think that’s what’s starting to show now,” former NBA forward and current NBATV studio analyst Dennis Scott said on “NBA Game Time.”

“Last year, going over to Italy, people thinking it was a bad move, he didn’t show well and maybe that’s why he slipped in the draft. Now, he’s proven why he went No. 10 and why him and Scott Skiles are on the same page. He’s proven he’s one of the elite point guards in his young career.”

Eric Snow, a former NBA point guard and now a commentator on NBATV’s “Game Time,” said Jennings doesn’t get enough credit for being able to absorb the NBA game in such a short amount of time after spending one season in the Italian League last season.

“He has kept his team afloat and kept them with their sharpness all the time, and a lot of it has to do because Scott Skiles demands it,” Snow said. “When he first got the starting position, most of us were shocked because it was so sudden, so early in the season. But Scott has seen something in him and he’s been able to display that all season long.”

So, who is the better rookie point guard: Steph Curry or Brandon Jennings?

“Steph Curry may be more [talented], but Curry to me wouldn’t be a better fit for Scott Skiles. Jennings has the right mode, the right mentality, and still a little feisty.”

Snow added: “Playing point guard in the NBA is extremely tough, especially for a young guy. It’s hard to command that respect because you’re trying to learn at the same time.”

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It’s the unofficial halfway point of the 2009-10 NBA season and here are the individuals who helped shape the first half of the regular season.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Nate McMillan, Portland Trail Blazers

McMillan and Mike Woodson were in a dead heat for this award, but I have to give it to the coach who has watched his roster get decimated by injuries and then, to add insult to injury (no pun intended), McMillan ruptured his Achilles’ tendon during practice because the Blazers didn’t have enough bodies to scrimmage. McMillan still wears a walking boot when he’s coaching on the sidelines. Now that’s dedication!

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Lamar Odom (F), L.A. Lakers

The popular choice here is Jamal Crawford of the Hawks, but if you look Lamar Odom’s overall production in the amount of minutes he plays, he is more of an impact player than Crawford, San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili or Dallas’ Jason Terry. If Odom played more minutes, he would be in the top three in rebounds. He initiates the Lakers’ triangle offense and is a very underrated defender. At 6-10 with guard-like handles, Odom is a nightmare matchup for a lot of teams and he is a vital cog in L.A.’s championship aspirations.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Aaron Brooks (G), Houston Rockets

When the Rockets let go of Rafer Alston, it signaled that the coaching staff and GM Daryl Morey was convinced that Aaron Brooks can, and will be, the point guard of the present and future of the franchise. Brooks has not only lived up to their expectations, he has surpassed them. The ultra-quick point guard has improved his scoring from 11 to 19 and despite the increase in field goal attempts, he is shooting better this season (42%) than last season (40%).

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zach Randolph (F), Memphis Grizzlies

The comeback player of the year doesn’t have to be awarded to a player returning from an injury. It could be someone who was sent to basketball Siberia (see L.A. Clippers) and left to rot there. But Randolph has revived his career in Memphis and was a first-time All-Star this year. Randolph is a 20-10 player and has given the Grizzlies a legitimate inside threat who can command a double team.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Tyreke Evans (G), Sacramento Kings

Take away Brandon Jennings’ 55-point game against the Warriors and Evans has the more impressive rookie season. The former Memphis stud is averaging 20.3 points, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals compared to Jennings, who is averaging 16.9 points, 6.2 assists and 1.3 steals. Trade rumors regarding Kevin Martin has solidified Evans’ standing as the foundation of the rebuilding Kings. The rest of the first-team All-Rookie squad should include Stephen Curry (Golden State), DeJuan Blair (San Antonio) and Darren Collison (New Orleans).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Gerald Wallace (F), Charlotte Bobcats

The easy pick here would be Dwight Howard, last year’s winner. But I can’t ignore Wallace’s impact this season. He is currently seventh in rebounds (10.9), 14th in steals (1.59) and 27th in blocks (1.1.) Those may not be gaudy when paired next to Howard’s stats, but Wallace does more than just rebound and defend. He is the heart and soul of the Bobcats’ second-ranked defense and his all-out hustle doesn’t usually show up on the stat sheet.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
LeBron James (F), Cleveland Cavaliers

Last season, I chose Kobe Bryant over LeBron James and Dwyane Wade because the Lakers had the best record. This season, despite major injuries to Mo Williams and Delonte West, the Cavaliers have the best mark at the All-Star break because James has been out of this world and is playing like a demigod. During the Cavs’ 13-game winning streak, LeBron is averaging nearly 30 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists. In his last four games before the break, he posted scoring totals of 36, 47, 32 and 32. His Cavs also knocked off Kobe’s Lakers (twice), Howard’s Magic (twice), Wade’s Heat (twice) and Joe Johnson’s Hawks (twice). It would take a monumental upset for LeBron James not win back-to-back MVP awards.

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Before we crown Brandon Jennings this season’s rookie of the year, let’s not overlook a young King in Sacramento who is quietly putting together just as good of a season – if not better.

Tyreke Evans doesn’t get the same media attention as Jennings because he plays for a small-market team in Northern California and, unless you have the NBA League Pass, you won’t find his games on national TV.

But the lack of exposure hasn’t stopped the 6-foot-6, 220-pound point guard/shooting out of Memphis from establishing his position as a top rookie candidate, and he has more than filled the vacuum left by leading scorer Kevin Martin, who has been out since Nov. 6 because of an injured wrist.

Whether he’s at the point or on the wing, Evans’ ability to influence games with his versatility and aggressive, attacking style is a big reason why the Kings have remained competitive in the Western Conference.

In the year of the rookie point guards, Evans and Jennings have distinguished themselves from fellow first-year players such as Darren Collison (New Orleans), Jonny Flynn (Minnesota), Eric Maynor (Utah), Toney Douglas (New York) and Ty Lawson (Denver).

Ever since his 55-point outburst on Nov. 14 against Golden State, Jennings has been given his own highlight segment nightly on SportsCenter. But when you compare Jennings’ and Evans’ individual statistics, Evans is right on his tail on a few of categories and a lot better in others.

Jennings has a slightly higher average in points (21.1 to 20.2) and assists (5.7 to 5.1), but Evans is ahead in steals (1.4 to 1.0), owns a higher shooting percentage (46% to 41%), has a big advantage in rebounds (5.0 to 3.9) and gets to the free throw line more frequently (121 to 82).

The only significant aspect of the game that Jennings is more superior than Evans is 3-point shooting. Jennings has knocked down 43 of 100 (43%) 3-pointers while Evans has made just 11 of 40 (27%).

Evans and second-year forward Jason Thompson have thrived under Paul Westphal’s player-friendly offense and both young guns have pushed Sacramento into the top tier in terms offensive production. Thompson is averaging 2.6 (14.2) more points and 1.3 (9) more rebounds per game.

Jennings appears to be slowing with the physical nature of the game wearing down his body. Evans is built for the pro game and he should only get better as the season progresses.

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The Indiana Pacers have nothing but great things to say about first-round pick Tyler Hansbrough.

The NBA Summer Pro League is the best place to evaluate a rookie, a second-year player or a developmental league player looking for a guaranteed contract. If a player can survive and thrive in the summer league, they will most likely survive and thrive in the NBA. The summer league is where coaches, scouts and general managers get to see their prized rookies during the controlled scrimmages and find out if they scored a home run or struck out in the draft.

There were a handful of first- and second-year players who stood head and shoulders above the rest. They were (in no particular order):

BLAKE GRIFFIN, L.A. Clippers, PF: Named the most outstanding player of the Las Vegas Summer Pro League. In his summer league debut, the No. 1 overall pick scored 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds. Against the Memphis Grizzlies and their top rookie Hasheem Thabeet, Griffin scored 18 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and lowered the boom on the Griz with three spectacular dunks in the first half. He is the most NBA-ready player from the class of 2009. The 6-10, 250-pound man child from the University of Oklahoma has tremendous bounce off the floor and a terrific athlete for a true power forward. He runs the floor incredibly well and attacks the rim with force. The Clippers are extremely happy to have Mr. Griffin and he should complement second-year guard Eric Gordon and PG Baron Davis.As long as he doesn’t get hurt, Griffin is a lock to be the 2010 NBA rookie of the year.

No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin was named the most outstanding player in the Las Vegas Summer Pro League. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

RUSSELL WESTBROOK, Oklahoma City Thunder, PG: The second-year point guard was easily the best player in the Orlando Summer League. The former UCLA standout showed great explosion on his dribble drives and finished strong at the rim. Westbrook was paired with rookie SG James Harden and the two lit up the scoreboard and played like vets. After a solid rookie season, Westbrook is primed for a breakout season and validate OKC’s gamble in last year’s draft.

TYLER HANSBROUGH, Indiana Pacers, SF-PF: The Pacers definitely got their money’s worth with this pick. Hansbrough is a coach’s dream, and Coach Jim O’Brien is gushing about his prized rookie. “The first thing that he brings is intensity and an energy level that very few people that I’ve been around in my life can bring to a practice,” O’Brien said of Hansbrough, who was named to the All-Summer League first team in Orlando.

Stephen Curry will don the Golden State Warriors uniform this season. Curry is joined by his father, Dell (left), and mother, Sonya. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

STEPHEN CURRY, Golden State Warriors, PG: The book on Curry was that he is a lights out shooter with a quick release and unlimited range. What the book didn’t say about the son of former NBA sharp-shooter Dell Curry is his court awareness. One scout at the Vegas Summer League said Curry has “super court savvy” and is “deceptively good getting to the basket.” Don Nelson has been able to find gems in the past (Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway, Latrell Sprewell, Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard) and Curry is no exception. In five games, Curry averaged 17 points and made 10 of 29 3-pointers.

TYREKE EVANS, Sacramento Kings, PG-SG: Whether he’ll end up as a point guard or shooting guard with the Kings, one thing is certain – Evans is a player. At 6-5 and 190 pounds, he has the size and the athleticism to get his own shot, creating a lot of matchup problems against smaller backcourts, and he can defend. He’ll pair up quite nicely with 6-6 SG Kevin Martin. One scout said Evans “looked smooth.” Against the Milwaukee Bucks’ summer league team, Evans poured in 33 points and got to the free-throw line 19 times, converting 17 of them. He also added seven rebounds and seven assists. Now that’s a stat line!

BRANDON JENNINGS,  Milwaukee Bucks, PG: The Euroleague experience has definitely paid off for Jennings. The 6-1 left-hander looks comfortable running pick-and-rolls and his body has matured enough to point where he can get in the painted area, set up teammates or score on his own. He averaged 14.6 points and a summer-league best 8.2 assists. His quick hands were also on display, averaging 3.6 steals per game. Bucks coach Scott Skiles has liked what he has seen so far from his future point guard. Against the Sacramento Kings, Jennings scored 13 points, dished out 14 assists and racked up a summer pro league record seven steals.

ANTHONY RANDOLPH, Golden State Warriors, SF-PF: Another great find by Don Nelson. The versatile forward lit up the Vegas Summer League circuit with a then-record 42 points against the Chicago Bulls. However which way you spin it, scoring 42 points is impressive regardless of the level of competition. Randolph made 13 of 22 field goals and 16 of 21 free throws. When asked about his explosive effort, he said he was disappointed he only got three rebounds.

GEORGE HILL, PG-SG, and DeJUAN BLAIR, PF, San Antonio Spurs: The San Antonio Spurs’ youth movement has officially started. Hill, a 6-2 combo guard with freakishly long arms, is a very steady and very smooth player with the potential to be a lock-down defender for Coach Gregg Popovich. Hill plays under control and his facial expression never changes – it’s the Tim Duncan influence. Blair is playing with a huge cinder block on his shoulders, proving to scouts that he probably should have been taken in the first round instead of the second round. The 6-7, 265-pound former Pitt standout averaged 16.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and shot 53% from the field.

CHASE BUDINGER, Houston Rockets, SF: The former Arizona Wildcat was somewhat of a surprise in the Vegas Summer League. The 6-7 small forward showed he can get his own shot and a quick bounce off the floor. He averaged 18 points a game to lead the Rockets and shot 68% from the field and 94% from the free throw line in five games. Not bad for a second-round pick.

HONORABLE MENTION: Anthony Morrow, Golden State – The undrafted guard from Georgia Tech established a summer league record 47 points against the New Orleans Hornets.  DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors – The one-and-done USC guard-forward was coveted by Toronto from Day 1, and he has not anything to disappoint the Raptors. Rodrigue Beaubois, Dallas Mavericks, G: Mavs owner Mark Cuban calls his outstanding rookie from France “Roddy Buckets.” He had a 34-point game against Houston on July 11. Jodie Meeks, Milwaukee Bucks – Another second-round draft pick who played well in Vegas. The former Kentucky sharpshooter led the Bucks in scoring at 19 per game and made 53% of his 3-pointers. Darren Collison, New Orleans Hornets – Hornets coach Byron Scott loves the way Collison plays the game: hard and fast. Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves – Not the top guard in the Vegas Summer League, but showed he can handle the point. James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder – Surprisingly athletic and has the ability to put the ball on the floor and create shots for himself.

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