Team U.S.A. is certainly a young squad. Players like James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis, Kevin Love and others make up the core and they are leading the way to a possible gold medal for the U.S.

But this team isn't without its on-court issues. The team does tend to stand around too much, offensively they can rely too much on the three-point shot and have let teams like Lithuania and Argentina stay in the game for longer than they should.

Luckily for the U.S., they have a savvy veteran who will be there in a pinch - Kobe Bryant.

Bryant is the elder statesman of the team and although he hasn't put a huge stamp on the team, he has been there to put teams away like Australia when he went crazy from the three-point line, or be the level-headed player when things get chippy on the court as it did with Argentina when Melo got nut-punched by an Argentinean player.

So as a player who has seen it all, done it all, and continues to do it all, is there anything else the former NBA MVP can learn from his younger teammates? Absolutely nothing if you ask him.

"Can you learn anything from these young guys?" he was asked.

 

 

Bryant: "No."

 

 

"You know everything?"

 

 

Bryant: "I don't know if I know it all, but I know more than they do."

Of course you might read that and think he is being just the cocky player he is seen as throughout his career but he is right. Bryant has won multiple championships, played in past international games for the U.S., and much more.  Think about it, what can possibly Harden, Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul or even James teach him?

He has won scoring titles, been an All-Star, and has a resume all of his teammates would want. If anything, he can teach his teammates a thing or two.

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