Team USA gets power surge from Faried

An undersized power forward in the best of times in the NBA with none of the floor-stretching perimeter prowess that 4's are counted on to possess in the modern game -- even more so internationally -- Faried has nonetheless become an absolute favorite of coach Mike Krzyzewski.

No one else was really even considered when it came to finding a replacement in the starting lineup for Kevin Durant after Durant's sudden withdrawal from the squad, which followed Paul George's catastrophic leg injury. But that was largely because of the boundless energy Faried brings to the job and the way he meshed with starting center Anthony Davis.

-- ESPN.com