Wrote Sheridan: "(Boozer) brings a physical, low-post offensive game that will be utilized against opponents who will be able to slow the pace and make it a battle of half-court sets."

Sheridan, before news of Billups' withdrawal broke, called Williams "on the bubble" along with Billups, Paul, Tyson Chandler of New Orleans, Detroit's Tayshaun Prince and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, but predicted that Williams and Paul would make it, Stoudemire and Billups would not and that Chandler would get the 12th spot over Prince.

Stoudemire's commitment to the team reportedly is in question because of postseason comments to the Arizona Republic regarding his surgically repaired knees. And the Detroit News recently reported that Billups, who played in this year's NBA postseason with an injured right hamstring, "didn't sound completely sure he was going to be part of the (team)."

"It's a matter of what you want to do and what you need to do," Billups told ESPN's Bucher. "Winning a gold medal is the one thing that I haven't accomplished, and I was looking forward to standing up on that big stage. That's what I really wanted. But I was taught family comes first, above anything else."

Williams and Paul, who would have been tough for USA Basketball to pick between, are the beneficiaries — though Williams might have had the edge over Paul.

"The higher-ups in USA Basketball see (Williams) as a long-term asset who can fill Kidd's role as team leader at the 2010 World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 London Olympics," Sheridan wrote. "He's a better shooter than Kidd and he's stronger than Paul — the latter factor being something to focus on when the Americans have to defend teams with tall point guards."

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Contributing: Mike Sorensen
E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com