Group stage has wrapped up and Team USA just locked up the top seed going into the knockout rounds. While this super loaded squad is still the favorites, don’t fall into the trap of thinking the gold is guaranteed. Some super close calls in pre-Olympic exhibitions tell us that anything is possible, especially as the world continues to creep up on us.

With that being said, as Team USA has started to look more cohesive and put together more dominant efforts, it led me to think of how the Houston Rockets could benefit from the growth Team USA has shown thus far.

Besides the obvious of assembling a worldclass roster of basketball’s best, the one thing that Olympics ball emphasizes most is the need for sacrifice. FIBA rules cut down the game clock from 48 to 40 minutes and also features more usage of a running clock, meaning that every minute of gameplay is more valuable than we’re accustomed to.

That translates to an urgency for coaches unlocking the right lineups and potentially cutting players, some of All-NBA caliber, out of the rotation altogether. I’ll spare you the tiring Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid discourse that immediately became irrelevant once they played the very next games.

But back to the sacrifice of time and minutes, it’s a tough pill to swallow. These guys are used to being “the guy”, but they knew what they were signing up for. Come Olympics time, this isn’t about an individual, it’s about a team playing for the letters on their jerseys.

For Houston, I think it’s important that this roster recognizes that Ime Udoka will figuratively have a lot of mouths to feed this season. Everyone has to understand that they might ride the bench longer than hope or expected. The Rockets have a very talented roster on paper. It’s mixed with prospects and veterans, all hoping for a chance to contribute.

An argument can be made that Houston’s 11-through-15 — Aaron Holiday, AJ Griffin, Jae’Sean Tate, Jeff Green and Jock Landale — are good enough to be their 6-through-10 in the rotation. However, all of those aforementioned prospects that have been heavily invested in will be expected to see the court too.

Udoka will have options and it’s likely that everyone will get a chance at some point or another, but the key is for them to be ready to execute at a high level. That transitions into my next point of everyone buying into their role.

Be a star in your role.

A major reason that Team USA has looked better by the game is that each guy has bought into their role more and more with each minute played. As gifted as the men’s team is, it has to be reiterated that most of these players have had to adjust to being a role player. It’s no wonder that it took awhile for them to get acclimated.

It’s why I think adding Derrick White in replacement of Kawhi Leonard, and in lieu of another superstar level player was a wise move. White fills in the gaps that other guys aren’t usually tasked with and it has paid tremendous dividends through the course of the group stage. White, along his teammate, Jrue Holiday, are perfect examples of why the premium on defensive aces can run so high.

The reinstallation of Kevin Durant has also benefitted Team USA immensely, not just because he’s our most decorated international player, but because he fits in anywhere. It’s no joke to say that he may be the most seamless superstar ever in that he can slide into any system and look like a natural. On top of that, he’s doing it as the sixth man with no complaints or worries about pride.

Finally, look at the contributions of one of the game’s purest buckets and *cough cough* future trade target, Devin Booker. He’s not known as one of the best defenders in the league, but he’s often embraced his role as a wing defender during these games because that’s what the coaching staff needs from him. Conversations of him relinquishing his starting spot seemed fair at first, but he’s held up and been one of Team USA’s best so far.

For the Rockets, I think it’s important for everyone to realize they have a role to play, despite their status. It’s an honest assessment given the volume of prestige picks we’ve brought in over the past four seasons. Not everyone can be “the guy”.

The bright news is that the players we’ve taken don’t give off The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air offense vibe.

Jabari Smith Jr. has been challenged with a multitude of defensive assignments, but he’s not one to gripe because he isn’t getting enough isos. Amen Thompson was projected as the point guard of the future coming in, but he excelled playing off the ball in the dunkers spot for a majority of the time last season. Dillon Brooks has shown he can be a go-to guy in international play, and while an abundance of self-confidence was the biggest knock on him going into free agency last year, he mostly appeared to keep the amount of shots he took in check last season.

Those are just a few examples, but the stems for a selfless identity are there. Everyone just has to buy into it. That includes the Rockets’ biggest stars, Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green.

However it shakes out with the pecking order on this team, these two players will be the biggest determinants in the immediate success of this team. It’s still to be seen if that means the team is better with Green operating as a sixth man, or Sengun taking a step back as the offensive focus to let Green shine, but it is something that I think will certainly be settled this year.

If/when the 2024 Team USA manifests itself into the gold medal, it will only be because they stayed the course and operated as a tight-knit unit. Basketball has passed the point where pure talent is the end-all be-all. The same goes for these Rockets. All the first round picks and free agency splurging won’t result in wins unless the pieces work together as one.