Deron Williams

Serious injuries to Derrick Rose and Chauncey Billups may have cemented Williams making the U.S. team, considering fellow point guards Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook also are on board. While Rose and Billups started for the gold medal-winning U.S. squad at the 2010 world championships, Williams wasn't on the roster due to an elbow injury and might not have played even if healthy being no player from the 2008 Olympic title team took part. Regardless of depth, however, Williams is certainly no slouch. He averaged 8.0 points and 2.8 assists coming off the bench in Beijing, and scored a career-high 21.0 points this past season for the New Jersey Nets. His 8.7 assists per game was his lowest in five years, yet was still good for fifth in the league. Last season marked Williams' first full one with New Jersey, but it may have been his last, as he is now one of the NBA's most coveted free agents. He's ranked among the league's top five in assists each of the last five seasons. A two-time All-NBA second teamer, Williams was drafted third overall in 2005 after leading Illinois to the NCAA championship game. He spent his first 5 1/2 seasons with the Utah Jazz before being traded to the Nets. He won four playoff series during his time in Utah - he's averaged 21.1 points and 9.6 assists in 44 postseason games - but has never been to the NBA finals and the Nets haven't come close to qualifying for the postseason since acquiring him.