TalkBasket.net Basketball Forums

Full Version: USA national team
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Quote:USA -€œ Colangelo: "“We have to get ready for the 2010 World Championship!"

PHOENIX (Olympics/2010 FIBA World Championship) - Jerry Colangelo came up with a winning formula when he was named managing director for Team USA's men's team in 2005.

He enlisted the services of numerous coaches, and gained commitments from leading players to represent the United States in international competition.

Duke University's legendary boss Mike "œCoach K" Krzyzewski was appointed head coach of the men's team and this summer, Colangelo was on hand as the USA went undefeated and captured the gold medal at the Olympics in Beijing after a thrilling title showdown with world champions Spain.

Colangelo has since been made chairman of USA Basketball, and he gave this interview to Jeff Taylor on behalf of FIBA.

FIBA: Mr Colangelo, what is the immediate future of the senior national team? Tell us when the squad of players will be announced, and also when the announcement will be about the coach of that team as Mike Krzyzewski was uncertain after the Olympics if he would continue to lead the USA.

Colangelo: First of all, everything was put on hold. The one big piece of information that has happened since the end of the Olympics is that I was serving as managing director of the men's team. I'm now serving in the capacity as chairman of USA Basketball. That involves all of the teams: men, women, juniors. But I will continue with my direct involvement (with the senior USA men's team), although I don't know if I will keep the title. I don't think we'll have managing director. But I'll be responsible for the men's team because that's the passion. Coach K and I have not even had that conversation. We plan to meet sometime probably within the next month. We do not have anything we need to do except to get ready for the (FIBA) World Championship in 2010. So there is no requirement for us in '09 (FIBA Americas Championship) to do anything unless we choose to. So there is no immediate urgency of naming players, or coaches or anything like that. One of the things that I'm thinking about is having a trial for some of the best young players in the game here in the summer from which we'll take maybe the top four or five and add them to our mix and see if some of them might be able to make our team, depending on how many of our veterans are interested in coming back. I think we have a good pipeline started. I think it's a matter of servicing that pipeline.

FIBA: That's very exciting to hear you talk about the young players. We were recently in North Carolina and interviewed one of the coaches in the USA Basketball set-up, Davidson coach Bob McKillop, along with one of his star players Stephen Curry. Are you considering adding college players to your national team squad or young players who are already in the NBA?

Colangelo: Here is the problem. It's not a black-and-white situation anymore about the college and pros. There was a time when individuals went to college for four years and then went pro. Today, some of them go to college just for one year and turn pro, so it's a grey area. We're open. The policy is, if we think there is somebody out there who has a legitimate chance to make it, a good example is (Kevin) Durant. Durant came out of high school and I had him at our (Team USA) camp. And that's before he played in the NBA. And (Greg) Oden was invited but couldn't perform because of his injury. So would there be young players invited and have the opportunity? If we feel they're good enough, the answer is yes.

FIBA: You mentioned the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The winner will qualify directly for the London 2012. Otherwise, Team USA would have to go through the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship to reach the Olympics. Does that play into your strategy in terms of how significant the FIBA World Championship will be for the USA?

Colangelo: My personal feeling is that it's very significant. I think it's important to win the World Championship because we haven't done that in a long time. So I think we have an incentive to give them our best. The thing I need to do is to have discussions with a number of our players when they are here for the NBA All-Star break in Phoenix. That's where the game will be played here this February. My plan is to meet with a number of guys in our roster to see how they're feeling about that. I asked for a three-year commitment last time and (now) I'm willing to take two. But that means 2010 and 2012. If we get the job done in '10, then we don't have to worry about '11. If a player says, 'œI don't want to give you a three-year commitment, I'l give you two', fine. I want 2010 and 2012 and shame on us if we don't win in 2010 - that's going to cost you a third year. But you've got the option to make it work.

FIBA: Everything was gold for the USA in China but even then, I'm sure that you, Coach K and the players identified some areas in which the program could improve. What would that be in your opinion? Was there anything important that you think you could have done better?

Colangelo: First of all, we concluded (after 2004) that we needed a new infrastructure. We needed a new culture. We totally fulfilled the short-term aim of turning around the program, getting people with passion who bought into the vision and we accomplished our goal and objective of winning the gold medal. Now the next piece of business is to sustain it. That's another challenge. And so, we would hope to do everything better because you are never finished. This is a work in progress. I think the infrastructure has put in a pipeline that we now have in place. The great interest that we have in our young players who now want to be a part of Team USA -€œ we turned around that culture, too. So, we just want to get better at what we do and not take anything for granted because I do believe the competition is getting much stronger.

FIBA: We saw a focused Team USA at the Beijing Games every time the players ran onto the floor. It seemed a lot of that was down to the leadership of players like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. LeBron was particularly charismatic, especially in the press conference after the gold-medal game. Do you have ready-made leaders to step in if this trio decides to take a break from international basketball?

Colangelo: First of all, leaders aren't just made. They emerge. The read that I got from our roster is that most of the guys wanted to play and do it again. Now, that may have been an immediate and emotional response. I wanted to give everyone some time away from it. That's why here in February, when we kind of convene here in Phoenix, we're just going to talk things through. I'll have a much better feel of the lay of the land. But I feel very comfortable that we'll have many players to pick from and to keep the thing rolling.

FIBA: You have mentioned that a lot of players now want to be a part of Team USA and that there is a pipeline. Do you believe that USA Basketball was successful in winning back a public that perhaps wasn't as supportive in Sydney and Athens? Do you believe that everyone is right behind USA Basketball now and is very excited?

Colangelo: Certainly. I think we turned it. I really do. Bear in mind that when I took on the responsibility in '05, I was selling my vision for what we could become. There was a lot of buying into that along the way in terms of sponsorships, so on and so forth, so we had to go out and get the job done. And I think the way the players conducted themselves on and off the court, what we accomplished on the court, the way we were involved in the community in terms of supporting other teams of the United States at the Olympics, the public perception of USA Basketball took a quantum leap and so we're pleased about that. It's important to keep that going in the right direction.

FIBA: How does the national team have a positive influence on the players and the NBA as a whole?

Colangelo: I think the NBA sees it as a tremendous value to have their players not only win, but rise in popularity, name recognition, etc, etc. That's from a league perspective. I think the individual teams whose players were involved have a winning attitude. Those are now better players who have brought the experience back to their respective teams in the USA. So the teams benefitted individually as did the teams overall.

FIBA: Do you think that playing for pride gets more out of the players than playing for money?

Colangelo: We have players who have played for money who were willing to play without pay, and were willing to perform for pride in their country, pride in the game of basketball. It just goes to show that money can't buy everything. What this experience offers is a very unique opportunity that is not in the color green.

FIBA: You have been involved in so many big games throughout your career. What was going through your mind during the gold medal game in Beijing when Spain played brilliantly and the USA had to give everything to win?

Colangelo: I recognized first how much was at stake and how much effort and work we had put in. I was hopeful and prayerful that we would have a good conclusion to the whole thing. I will only tell you that at the moment the Star Spangled Banner was being played, when the flag was being raised and the medals were being draped around the players, there was a moment of total fulfillment.

FIBA: There has been an incredible growth in international basketball the past couple of decades. Where do you see basketball globally in 10 years? Which countries will be the major players that can challenge the USA?

Colangelo: There is no question the game is a global one. We have some outstanding teams representing different countries. Our competitors will now continue to get better and better. You look at Spain, they do a tremendous job and they have a lot of players. Argentina is another country with a great pipeline of players who love the game. But I think the bar has been raised all over the world. I think out of Africa will come one or two very, very good teams in the next decade -€œ I truly believe that. And, teams in Europe - Croatia, Serbia, the perennials -€œ they will continue to get better and better. So, I'm hopeful that the game improves in England, that France has an opportunity to become pretty good. I think in Asia -€œ China with its incredible interest in basketball. I say this all the time: there are 300 million people living in the United States, there are 300 million people playing basketball in China. Just by sheer numbers, you know that they are going to come up with more and more players. The game will become more and more global, and more and more competitive. And I think that is exciting for basketball.

FIBA: With respect to the FIBA rule changes that will come into effect in 2010, do you believe the international game will still be different to the NBA game and if so, what will those major differences be?

Colangelo: We can only speculate on what these changes are going to mean and what impact they will have. We can talk about how the games were different in the past. Basically, we were playing with a different ball under different rules and different types of officiating for American players. So these rules are getting closer to the American game. You might have to say that the adjustment must come from the rest of the world to the new rules because the rules are becoming more like ours.

FIBA: What would you like to achieve as chairman of USA Basketball?

Colangelo: Raise the bar for amateur basketball in this country. We want to help develop young people, not only in the game of basketball but in the game of life. We're working on a new campus for USA Basketball in Glendale, Arizona, which will serve as kind of the clearing house for all amateur basketball. We want to develop the kind of program that has continuity through that infrastructure and pipeline that will give us very competitive teams on a worldwide basis. We just want to get better, and better, and better.

FIBA: What is in the life of Jerry Colangelo every day? You are involved in so many different things. Where do you find the time to do everything?

Colangelo: (laughs) I was up at 5:15 this morning and been at it since, and it's now 11:15. Yes, I have been blessed with pretty good health. I have a pretty good clock and I don't need a lot of sleep. I enjoy being active. Since I never plan to retire, I'll just go as hard as I can for as long as I can.

FIBA: What can you tell us about your recent trip to Africa, before Christmas? Did that have something to do with your role as chairman of USA Basketball, or with the NBA?

Colangelo: No. I am on the board of a Christian organization, a non-denominational called Young Life. I was there with one of the international directors and there was an African conference in Tanzania where 17 were represented. That was an amazing time for me and my wife. And then we did go on a safari for the first time. That was an interesting time also we took pictures, had fun experiences. So it was a non-basketball trip.

FIBA: What was the animal that you were talking about most when you returned to America?

Colangelo: The leopard. I had a leopard about 10 feet in front of me and I got some great (photo) shots of it -€œ one of which if I sent it to the National Geographic it would be on the cover.

FIBA: Thanks very much for your time, Mr Colangelo.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/in.../arti.html
Quote:USA -€œ Wade: "œToo early to decide about status with Team USA"

MIAMI (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Team USA's Dwyane Wade was at his best at the Olympics and has carried his outstanding form in Beijing into the NBA season.

Wade, who turns 27 on January 17, is in his prime. The explosive Miami Heat guard is leading the league in scoring at 29 points per contest 36 games into the campaign.

He says it's far too early to tell if he'll be in the United States squad for a third straight Olympics when the London 2012 Games are staged.


USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo told FIBA.com last week that he would soon be speaking to some of the gold-medal heroes from China when they show up for the NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix.

"It was an unbelievable experience," Wade said to the Florida SunSentinel.

"It was probably something, with the team we had, if you do it again now, you'll never get that experience of the guys that we had."


Wearing the red, white and blue isn't what Wade is focusing on.

"I'm not even thinking about that right now," he said.

"We just got done with Olympics."


When the hugely-successful Colangelo is involved with something, though, it can be hard to say no.

"Jerry's a pretty good recruiter," Wade said.

Colangelo spoke of the pipeline of players that now exists with USA Basketball.

There is no shortage of interest from players wanting to represent the country in international competition.

Wade's rookie teammate with the Miami Heat, Michael Beasley, is hoping he has a chance to play for the Americans.

"I would definitely like the chance, just for the simple fact of representing your country," Beasley said.


At some point, the baton will be passed from players like Wade, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James to a new generation of stars.

"There's a lot of young guys that are ready to step into this thing," Wade said.

"We'll have to see and judge it for the best of our careers, as well."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/la.../arti.html
Quote:NBA - Cavs GM Ferry recognizes Olympic impact on NBA; Colangelo hands out rings

PHOENIX (NBA All-Star Game) - Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry believes last summer's Olympic title-winning experience for the United States men has had a profound impact on their careers.

Ferry, who knows what it's like to play for Team USA boss Mike Krzyzewski -€œ his former coach at Duke University -€œ has LeBron James on his Cavs roster.

"It was like a corporate business retreat," Ferry said of the last three summers when the USA players joined together to play international basketball.

"These players all got to talk the game, share ideas and see how each other was working. That's had a far greater effect on each player than I ever imagined."


USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo recently spoke to FIBA.com about how the Olympic experience was beneficial to the NBA and he hasn't changed that opinion.

Colangelo, who met with the Team USA players that were at the All-Star Weekend to gauge their interest in playing at the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics, said: "“They got a big win, and they brought that culture back to their teams."

Ferry agrees.

"That whole thing was really good for basketball, and really good for the NBA," he said in a column written by cnnsi.com columnist Ian Thomsen.

"We reap the rewards here in Cleveland because LeBron's come back and continues to grow from the experience.

"You can go through a lot of the teams and see it was a great thing for basketball."


The structure put in place by Colangelo and the players' willingness to embrace it was crucial.

"Because it was a program,'' Ferry said.

"It wasn't just a team. They were together and they got to know each other, and the peer pressure within at some level had to be really, really strong.

"“It wasn't just who won or how many points I scored. It was the process. They were together the last couple of years and they all shared -- this is what I do to get better, this is how hard I work.

"“They shared it without saying it, just by doing it. And at some level it pushed them, and they had to have grown from that.''


Rings of Honor

Players involved in the NBA All-Star Weekend that competed at last year's Beijing Games were honored at half-time of Sunday's game.

The United States' gold-medal winners at the Olympics were presented with rings by Colangelo.

Among the Americans receiving jewelry were Western Conference all stars Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul.

Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, James and Chris Bosh were in the Eastern Conference squad and accepted rings.

Representing the all-conquering women's team in Phoenix were Tina Thompson and Lisa Leslie and they also received rings to commemorate their Olympic title win.

Other Beijing Games players involved in the NBA All-Star Weekend were recognized at half-time, including Western Conference All-Stars were Dirk Nowitzki of Germany, Pau Gasol of Spain and Yao Ming of China.

Argentina's Luis Scola and Gasol's brother Marc and Rudy Fernandez (also Spain) took part in the festivities and were recognized.

As for the All-Star Game itself, the West proved to be best.

Bryant had 27 points and Shaquille O'Neal poured in 17 as the Western Conference rolled to a 146-119 triumph over the Eastern Conference.

Kevin Durant scored a Rookie Challenge record 46 points for the Sophomores as they won 122-116.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/la.../arti.html
Quote:USA -€œ Vegas looks to be "home sweet home" for Teams USA

LAS VEGAS (2010 FIBA World Championship) - Las Vegas is where the United States captured a gold medal at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship before travelling to China and winning last year's Olympic title.

Now USA Basketball is planning on returning to 'The Entertainment Capital of the World' for the next four summers to prepare for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 London Games.

"It makes too much sense to be in Vegas" said USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo.

"We were thrilled to be there. The support we received from the community was outstanding and it's the perfect place for us to train and be together."

In addition to winning the 2008 FIBA Americas Championship in Vegas, Team USA held training camps and played warm-up games in the city.

According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, USA Basketball are preparing to put pen to paper on a four-year deal for the national side to continue training in the city.

"We'll be there," Colangelo said. "We just have a few things to work out. Nothing major."

By defeating Spain in the gold medal game at the Olympics, the United States do not need to qualify for next year's FIBA World Championship.

That means it's unlikely any of the Olympic champions will participate in national team workouts this summer in Vegas.

Colangelo expects to invite 24 other players to the camp this summer.

"We want to use this summer as sort of an indoctrination period as to what we do," he said.

As for the Team USA coaching staff for Turkey, Colangelo says that decision isn't likely to be made until later this year.

Duke University's legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski led the Americans in international competition the past three years.

"We've got plenty of time for deciding who our coach will be," Colangelo said. "I have some people in mind. But I want to talk to Coach K first and get his input before I proceed."

USA Basketball's decision to return to Las Vegas has been greeted with a lot of enthusiasm by the city.

Las Vegas Events president Pat Christenson said in the Review Journal: "“We're talking (about) the best basketball players training and playing in our city. We're talking the national and international media reporting on it.

"And (when) you get a game like we've had in each of the last three years, it's like having the NBA All-Star Game every year, except it means something."

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/news/la.../arti.html
Quote:Jerry Colangelo stepping down as USA Basketball chairman

After leading the resurrection of the USA Basketball program for eight years, Jerry Colangelo will not seek a third term as chairman of the organization.

Colangelo said in a news release that he will stay on as Managing Director of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team.

After back-to-back terms as chairman and president, the long-time NBA executive said he is making the move in order to concentrate on building the national team pool for the 2017-2020 period when Gregg Popovich takes over as head coach replacing Mike Krzyzewski.

“Given the coaching change and the challenge of assembling a group of players for FIBA's new competition schedule, this is a good time to devote my full attention to the Men's National Team,” said Colangelo. “As Chairman of USA Basketball, I'm proud of what our teams at all levels have accomplished and how our players have embraced the responsibility of representing their country. I look forward to working with the next Chairman to ensure that we continue to honor and build on USA Basketball's rich tradition.”

Colangelo took over as Managing Director of the Men’s National Team in 2005, just one year after the U.S. men finished with a disappointing bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Under his leadership, which included securing the participation of the top NBA players and installing Krzyzewski as head coach, the U.S. men’s team has won 88 of 89 games, compiled a current 53-game winning streak in major international competitions. In August the men’s team won its third consecutive gold medal at the Olympics in Rio and is also the two-time reigning World Cup champion.

"Under Jerry Colangelo's hands-on leadership, USA Basketball has been a model organization that has set the standard for international competition," said NBA commissioner Adam Silver. "Jerry has not only overseen outstanding success on the court, but he has shaped the culture of the entire program and strengthened USA Basketball's commitment to youth development. We thank Jerry for his service as Chairman of USA Basketball and look forward to his continued contributions as Managing Director of the Men's National Team."

http://www.nba.com/article/2016/11/03/je...l-chairman