Nike Basketball News

Coach K: Numbers Don’t Lie

tonyhellberg1 — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 22:09:51 GMT

Numbers don’t lie.

March math is simple:

You win; you advance.

And at the end of the dance, only one team hears the championship music.

At this exact moment in time, Duke has advanced as far as anyone can. Doubly sweet:

Advancing to the regional semifinals marks Coach K as one of only two coaches in college basketball history who’ve wrapped their practice whistles around victory 900 times.

Reminder:

You can’t do any better than the best.

And with a few more wins, Coach K will have more than all the rest.

Coach K: 800 Wins at Duke

tonyhellberg1 — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 05:38:10 GMT

Believe it or not, Duke wasn’t always Duke.

Cameron Indoor as a way of life; the Crazies a raucous, linear interpretation of winning as an extension of their presence.

And Durham, North Carolina almost didn’t become Krzyzewskiville.

Walk-up lines begat sleeping bags. Sleeping bags begat tents. But winning begat the waiting. And in the early 1980s, Mike Krzyzewski was still waiting for his Blue Devils to click.

Enter: 1984. The first of Coack K’s 25 20-win seasons at Duke to date. And their first March dance card together.

Two years later the Blue Devils produced 37 wins and a runner-up finish. By the turn of the decade, Duke was on the verge of hanging back-to-back national championship banners.

In the two decades since, they’ve climbed the season-long ladder that ends with cutting down championship nets twice more.

Annual contenders. Conference and national front-runners. The current defending champs.

Communication is their calling card. Simply: there’s a reason Coach K’s Blue Devils are talked about more than anybody else - they talk to each other on the floor.

Forcefully. Encouraging. Carrying out his message of leadership.

Congratulations are in order: tonight, Coach K became just the fifth coach in college basketball history to win 800 games at one school.

Under the leadership of one man, Duke became the envy of almost every program in the land.

WBF Blog: Coach K

tonyhellberg1 — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:21:38 GMT

At practice, Coach has a whistle. And for every possible in-game scenario: a play.

Check that: Coach has lesson plans in how to do things the Duke way.

Trace the roots to his own playing days:

He captained. He made All-NIT. He appeared in the North-South game.

Extend the web through the ethos of the program he shepherds:

His teams win. His players graduate. His life is lived through a giant extended family.

One that even includes the sportswriters who chronicle his every move signing up for basketball camps that reverse the roles - allowing Coach to let them know where they have gratuitous room to improve.

Proceeds. Charity. More of those Duke-blue lessons.

Live it. Learn it. Take it with you when you go:

It doesn’t matter when you become part of Krzyzewskiville - or how you got there. Once you’re in, you’re in.

Familiar basketball osmosis: win.

Year in, year out - the challenge begins anew. The task: turning a collection often highly-decorated individuals into the annual essence of team.

The constants:

Communication. Trust. Passion. Emotion. Heart. Relationships. Respect.

Confidence. Leadership. Commitment. Visualization. Discipline.

And from start to finish: doing it all the right way.

The goals:

Realistic. Attainable. Shared.

The result:

A dynasty he built on togetherness.

Dare to emulate at your own risk.

2010 Champions: Duke University

TheLetterJ — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:20:38 GMT

The road starts with a trophy. In some faraway preseason basketball wonderland like Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.

It builds to another, when conferences hand out hardware to the best they have to offer the college basketball universe.

And March - patron month of basketball madness on all levels - actually begins with a trophy. One that certifies you tournament gold.

Preseason. Regular season. Conference Tournament season. Championship trophies each.

They're building blocks. Momentum windows. Achievements to be applauded - but not revered.

Monday night is the place championship daydreams originate. The final 40 minutes where history can forever be changed. And on Monday night, for the first time in nearly a generation, Duke was truly the underdog.

Not on paper. Not based of program pedigree. Not to the oddsmakers. Not according to even the most twisted Bracketology.

But with Butler in the gym - a mere six miles from Hinkle Fieldhouse?

Fate. Underdog. Duke.

Come on: you believed that half-court runner was good, didn't you?

Durham, North Carolina is on fire tonight. A slow, controlled, bonfire burn. Because they'll be adding a new piece to the campus trophy case.

And it reads simply:

2010 Champions.

The Collection: Hyperdunk NIKEiD

Hotnix — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:46:48 GMT

It's that time of year again. Your favorite college team is gearing up for the biggest tournament in basketball and you're preparing to prove you're their biggest fan. Show your love with a customized pair of Hyperdunks from NIKEiD.

Nothing goes better with body paint, a foam finger, a colorful wig, and noisemakers better than a matching pair of kicks. Starting March 17, you can customize your own at NIKEiD.com. Choose your favorite colors for the base, quarter and tongue, heel, midsole, laces, and swoosh, all the way down to the Flywire. Next, choose a graphic and mascot for the toe box and cap it all off by adding your personal iD to the tongue.

Check out the sneak preview now »

More on The Collection
Peep the new Foamposite Lite »
See The Six East/West editions »
Take a look at the All-star '09 collection »
Check out the Zoom Kobe IV Carpe Diem »
iD your own Zoom Kobe IV »

Blogging the Journey: Coach K

sanampetri — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:52:20 GMT

Ready to Win: After three long years, Team USA's dedication is finally getting put to the test. Coach K talks strategy, and why his team is ready to take home the gold.

Finally, Olympic competition has begun and it is time to discover if we have done what is necessary to close the deal, to achieve our ultimate goal. Now we see if we have prepared properly and made ourselves worthy of winning. As I look back over the three-year process, this past month of training in particular, I feel good about where we are and confident that we have readied ourselves in the best way possible.

A key part of our time together has been the establishment of relationships. Our guys now know who each other are both on and off the court and have developed the type of friendships that foster communication and trust. We will need to rely on those relationships in the heat of on-court battle. We need to respond to one another at a moment’s notice, no questions asked. This type of trust doesn’t come about naturally. It takes time. Thanks to the new program for USA Basketball, we’ve had that time.

Another major part of our training has been becoming adept at the international game. In our training camp we worked with international officials and had them officiate our inter-squad scrimmages and those versus the Select Team. This allowed us to ensure that we could play the international game at game speed, not just in theory. We were able to further establish these habits in our five exhibition games.

Now we are putting our relationships and training to the test in Olympic competition. I couldn’t be more excited.

More on Coach K
Read his Bio »

More on Team USA
Watch The Road to Redemption »
See all Team USA Blogs »
Check out the Olympic Histories »
Meet the Competition »

Blogging the Journey: Coach K

sanampetri — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:00:23 GMT

At the Starting Line: As the moment of truth approaches, Coach K writes about the heroes who inspire him to reach for the stars.

On my way out to Las Vegas for the first meeting and practice of our Olympic team, I was fortunate to be able to make a pretty amazing pit stop. My wife, daughter, and I stopped through Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where my old friend and West Point player, General Bob Brown, picked us up from the airport. Bob and I have remained very close over the years and I have followed his Army career the same way he has followed mine in coaching.

In the summer of 2006, my first summer as the National Coach, then-Colonel Brown came out to Las Vegas with three wounded heroes and addressed our team. His theme was selfless service. It was the best possible way our team could have kicked off our three-year commitment together. I did not yet know back then who my team was – this was our first opportunity to get acquainted with one another. But when I saw their reactions to General Brown and the soldiers, I knew this was a team I wanted to coach. I knew they had heart.

One thing I am always asked about with regard to being the National Coach and coming to compete in the Olympics is about pressure. How are we handling the pressure? Will we live up to the pressure? How is the pressure affecting us? When I addressed the troops at Fort Leavenworth, it gave me a humbling sense of perspective. I believe that what we are doing is important, trying to reclaim the game of basketball for our country. It is a form of selfless service. But what we are doing is nowhere near as important of what our service men and women do every day. We are playing basketball. They are protecting our right to do that.

What happened that afternoon was mutual motivation. Talking to them about serving the United States helped give meaning to our endeavor. The thing we do share with our country’s soldiers is who we represent. We share a love of country and a commitment to represent the United States with honor and extreme pride. Whatever I was able to give them in the form of inspiration, I am honored to have been able to do that. Whatever connection they feel with our Olympic team as we pursue the gold in Beijing, that is an honor to all of us. But we cannot repay them for the service that they do for our entire nation, a service that often goes thankless.

We are all patriotic, but the soldiers are the true patriots. With the Olympics about to begin, we can only hope to make Bob Brown and the rest of our soldiers proud as we embark on our respective missions. We all want to come home winners.

More on Coach K
Read his Bio »

More on Team USA
Watch The Road to Redemption »
See all Team USA Blogs »
Check out the Olympic Histories »
Meet the Competition »

Blogging the Journey: Coach K

Hotnix — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:59:15 GMT

Team DNA: Coach K talks about the importance of having a team that works together, plays together, and has the same unstoppable passion for the game.

There is no question that we’ve assembled a deep, talented team. Physically, they are imposing and each of them has made a name for themselves as stars in the NBA. More importantly, we believe that this is a unit that can compete in the international game. That is one thing that we have focused on, ensuring that we have a team that can play the world’s game, which is very different than the NBA and college games that we are all accustomed to.

Being an assistant coach on the 1992 Dream Team was an incredible experience. Just to be associated with that team is something that I will never forget. I think it’s important to remember, though, that we are not trying to recreate the Dream Team. Chasing the past would be fruitless. We needed to assemble the team that will work at this particular time and meet this particular challenge. In the 16 years since Barcelona, the challenge has changed. International players are better, but more importantly, international teams are better. The gap is rapidly closing between our talent and their teams. Talent will always be important. You can’t win without it. But we have put together a team that is committed to learning and playing the world’s game.

So, our team has a terrific genetic make-up – a combination of talent, commitment, and a willingness to give of themselves to be a part of something bigger. But equally as important to this team DNA is the way in which you nurture it.

This past weekend was the first time we met together as the 2008 Olympic team. It was a whirlwind weekend that took us from Las Vegas to New York City, with numerous events and interviews.

But more than logistics, this past weekend was about forming a collective mind and spirit. You tell them things, and they hear it. You show them things, and they see it. But when they internalize those things that they see and hear, that’s when they feel it. Things like the opening of the Nike USA Basketball exhibit in Harlem late Sunday night remind us that we do not exist in isolation. We are a part of the rich history of USA Basketball. We are representing much more than ourselves, we represent a proud country that loves the game. The events of this past weekend made it possible for our guys to feel and to understand the magnitude of our undertaking. When you have great DNA, nurtured with feeling, you have a chance to accomplish something special.

More on Coach K
Read his Bio »

More on Team USA
See all Team USA Blogs »
Check out the Olympic Histories »
Meet the Competition »

Blogging the Journey: Coach K

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:55:23 GMT

What’s at Stake: This week, Coach K talks about the Team USA selection process, the guys who made the cut, and what it’ll take to win.

I am so proud to be the coach of this team.

This past week really got this summer started, beginning with the press conference and team announcement on Monday in Chicago. The selection process was a difficult one, but we are extremely pleased with the team we will take to Beijing. The final selection was made based on what we have learned about these guys over the years, what kind of NBA seasons they had, where they are now in terms of injuries and fatigue, and what combination of personnel will serve us best against the international competition. We were looking at the total team concept, not just individual positions. This is not an All-Star team. Of course, there are many All-Stars on this team because a key part of the mix you need to win is talent. We have focused on learning what you need to compete in international basketball and bringing together those individuals that best meet those needs.

One of the things I have been most impressed with over the past two summers and going into our third, is the desire these players have to be on this team. It was something they felt in their hearts they had to do – represent their country. All of the 33 guys who played for the National Team over the past three summers did so because it was a commitment that was important to them. When they were unable to play because of family situations or injuries and recovery, they took the time that they needed. But all of these men committed to be a part of this team and have done a great service for the United States and for the game of basketball.

As we come together for our first team meeting and practice, there are things that we have to work on as a coaching staff and as a team. One thing I am not worried about working on is motivation. These guys are ready to play. The stakes themselves are the motivation. Not only are these guys playing for their country, they are trying to reclaim the game. Some of these guys were on the 2004 Olympic Team and are really on a mission to prove themselves. Even the ones who were not on that team share the desire to show that we can win on an international stage. There are some differences in the way you coach these guys as opposed to college players, but finding ways to motivate this team, considering our collective goal, is not a problem. These guys are professionals, they are quick learners, and they want to be the best.

This is what we have been working towards. Now that we have focused on increasing the commitment involved in being a part of USA Basketball, we hope to see increased results. We want to make our country proud, we want our service to be worthy, but we also want our efforts to produce the goals we established for ourselves.

I can’t wait for my team to arrive and to see what we can accomplish together.

This Is Our Game: Commitment

Hotnix — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:50:05 GMT

This is our story. The story of us as a country, played on a court and erected on a podium. The journey of us told on the hallowed courts of the 1920’s New York and Boston, the 1930’s Chicago and Detroit. The tale of our pride echoed from the past, lifted off concrete, written on hardwood, and inscribed on the floors around the world. The travels of our dreams follow us: from Barcelona to London, Atlanta to Sydney. The journey of Team USA means more to us, because it’s the game America created, and it’s America’s job to show the world how we play it.

This is our game.

Their sweat is our sweat, their dreams are our dreams. Their pain is felt in the hearts of fans across this nation, the millions who support the passion, the pride, and the ferocity with which we will stake our claim.

This is our legacy.

We give remembrance to the teams of our past. We honor those who paved the way before us. Their stories lie at our feet. Because in the hearts of those players, our desires were born. Our dreams came from those who wore the uniform first. This is the legacy that will never end, given to us so that we can take it to a new level: a level unseen.

Together, we triumph.

This is all a part of the journey we take together. We recognize the difficulty of the road behind us and the opportunity of the journey in front of us. We will go higher. Above the rest. Beyond what anyone says is possible. Because the greatest moments in history still lie in our future.

As a planet, we offer the game as a gift for the world to enjoy.

But together, we will make sure the world knows this one vital, important fact about the United States of America: No one balls like we do.

More on Team USA
Meet the men on this year's Team USA »
Meet the women on this year's Team USA »

This Is Our Game: Undefeated

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:49:21 GMT

This is Our Game explores the rich tradition of the U.S. National Teams, uncovering the victories, defeats, and rivalries of the last seven decades. In Part One of the series, as the game spreads to the world, the first and greatest American basketball dynasty is born.

1936-1968.

It all started with a peach basket nailed to a wall, back in 1891, by a high school PE teacher named James Naismith. He’d invented the game as a way to keep his students warm in winter, but it wasn’t long before it’s popularity spread, eventually growing into an American pastime and a global phenomenon.

Basket Ball, a name chosen by one of his students, was soon being played in schoolyards and colleges across the country. By the early 1900’s, official rules were established, the NCAA was formed, and the game became a regular part of life for many Americans. But it wasn’t until World War I, when young soldiers were sent abroad, that basketball was spread to the world.

Before long, the game that started in a high school gym was a major global sport. And so it was decided, almost forty years after that gym class in Springfield, MA, that basketball was to become an official event at the 1936 Games.

From the tip-off, the United States was unstoppable. The team, though made up of young amateurs, won its first five games without much effort. And it was there in Berlin, as Naismith looked on, that one of the world’s longest-running dynasties was born.

From that point on, the U.S men’s team became known for fostering some of the great amateur players in history. The roster for the 1960 games in Rome, for instance, listed future greats like Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and Jerry Lucas. Lucas, only 20 years old at the time, served as the team’s anchor, making an amazing 84% of his shots over nine historic games.

From the years 1936 to 1968, The American team was unmatched in speed, skill, and strategy. From London to Helsinki to Tokyo, the Men’s Basketball Team dominated the court time and again. And with a tally of 63-0, it would take the onset of the Cold War – and the U.S.’s biggest political enemy – to bring the team’s streak to an end.

NEXT: The epic rivalry that brought an end to U.S. dominance >>

More on Team USA
Meet the men on this year's Team USA »
Meet the women on this year's Team USA »

This Is Our Team: Coach K

Hotnix — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:47:10 GMT

The best coach in the game has been tasked with architecting the greatest comeback in history. But it will take more than just great players to get the gold.

It was a humbling moment. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, the man many people would argue is the greatest coach in the game, a man armed with so many of the world’s greatest players, watched as Spain took the winner stand at the 2006 World Championships. Lightning struck twice for Team USA and they fell once again on the national stage. When he took over as head coach of the national team in 2005, it wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Coach K has a record of success that is unrivaled by any other coach in college basketball history. In addition to his 800 wins, three national titles and countless awards at the college level, he was the head coach of the 1990 US national team that took bronze in the world championship and an assistant coach on the original Dream Team. He has seen the U.S. at its absolute best and knew what it would take to get back there.

Though his first time out with the team resulted in a loss he looked at the 2006 World Championships as the starting point, not the finish, of his work with USA Basketball. When he was named Head Coach, Coach K had a three-year mission that would culminate at the 2008 Olympics: restore Team USA to its previous greatness. Not another Dream Team. An entirely new era of basketball.

"That's in the past, and that was beautiful," said Krzyzewski. "You want another one, you have to go out and create something special of your own. We are the U.S. national team. What we want to be called is not a 'Dream Team.' We want to be called a 'championship team.' The other one will not happen again."

The first step on the road back to the top was at the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament, the qualifying competition for the 2008 summer games. Coach K, a firm believer in the fundamental game, focused on the foundation, selection the best men for the job. This was the first tournament where Coach K had the opportunity to actively participate in the selection process. Previous years the team was a collection of the individual players in the NBA, not necessarily a hand-picked arsenal of the strongest players for the twelve spots.

"They have guys that have played together 10-12 years. The talent level has gotten so much closer that with that continuity they have the advantage" Coach K said of the competition.

With the inclusion of defensive specialist Tayshaun Prince and marksman Michael Redd, Coach K showed his dedication to assembling a well-balanced squad. And once the roster was created it would take dedication, sacrifice and teamwork to build the on-court chemistry needed to win. Superstars, like Kobe Bryant, were on the same page from day 1.

"He is everything I thought he would be and more. I have been excited and waiting for this opportunity for a long time. Playing for him now, you realize why he is such a great coach. He communicates extremely well with his players. He’s very intense and has a passion for what he does and he has a great sense of humor," said Kobe.

After spending their summer in Vegas in and intense team-building camp all their hard wok paid off during the FIBA Americas tournament, with the new and improved Team USA marching through all comers to the gold. Compiling an undefeated record they got their revenge over Puerto Rico, a team that delivered a crushing 19 point defeat in 2004, and the reigning world champs Argentina.

Coach K is now focused on getting prepared for this summer's training camp and then finalizing his roster by July 20th. If all goes according to his master plan, Coach K will be right back to where he was the last time he was at the Summer Games: watching his players wear gold around their necks.

"I want to make sure we finish this process off right and win the gold medal," Krzyzewski said.

More on Coach K
Read Coach K’s blog »

More on Team USA
See all Team USA Bio’s »
Check out the Olympic Histories »
Meet the Competition »

This Is Our Game: Controversy & Defeat

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:41:14 GMT

This is Our Game explores the rich tradition of the U.S. National Teams, uncovering the victories, defeats, and rivalries of the last seven decades. In Part Two of the series, a legendary streak comes to an abrupt end as Russia emerges on the world stage.

1972-1984.

As the threat of a Third World War looms over the country, Team USA suffers its first ever defeat to its Cold War rivals.

Between the 1940’s and the early 1990’s, the Cold War weighed heavily on the minds of Americans. And in the 1970’s, the controversy, terror and politics finally began to overshadow the goodwill of the games.

The 1972 summer games started off like any other, with Team USA marching through its opponents with ease. Teams like Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Brazil, Spain, Australia, Japan and Egypt posed little threat to U.S. dominance. But the USSR proved to be a different sort of challenge; as they faced their Cold War rivals in the finals game, they battled from the tip-off, exchanging leads throughout. The Americans knew they had it covered, scoring two clutch free throws with three seconds left on the clock – enough to ensure a 50-49 victory.

Then tragedy struck.

After Russia’s inbound pass, with just one second left on the clock, the referee unexpectedly blew the whistle. After a few moments of confusion, he emerged from a conference with the other refs and announced that the Russian head coach had called a timeout. As a result, the clock would be turned back to three seconds.

When the Russians missed their opportunity to score, Team USA began to celebrate their victory. But the Russian head coach, after flagging down the refs, argued that the clock was improperly reset. The U.S. could do nothing but stand by and wait – and finally, after a long period of deliberation, they saw that the clock was again being set to three seconds. The Russians took to the court again, and were given another chance to score. This time, they sank their shot before the buzzer, and were awarded the gold.

Team USA, believing they were robbed, refused to accept silver medals.

After all of the controversy, tragedy and defeat of the Munich Summer Games, the U.S., still holding a grudge from their previous loss, went to Montreal four years later in search of revenge. After stomping their way through Italy and Yugoslavia, Team USA battled until the final minutes for a 95-94 victory over Puerto Rico. They followed up with easy wins over the remaining competition, including a 2-0 win over Egypt, who had to forfeit for political reasons. The U.S. won the top prize that year, the Russians trailing at third.

In Moscow, eight years after the upset with Russia, yet another political issue overshadowed the games. This time, it was the Soviet-Afghan conflict; Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan was opposed by U.S. allies around the world, and to send a message, Americans and supporting countries staged an official boycott of the games. Without the Americans in the tournament that year, Yugoslavia swept the gold, and the Russians took the bronze.

In '84, Russia and many of its Communist allies returned the favor, protesting the games in Los Angeles. Future legends like Michael Jordan, Chris Mullin and David Robinson were given their first taste of the international spotlight. Unsurprisingly, without their strongest competitor in the tournament, Team USA walked away with the gold.

Until the Cold War ended in the mid '90’s, political rivalries were played out on the hardwood, the defeats as devastating as losses on the battlefield. The next time Team USA faced their Russian rivals in 1988, they suffered a loss that rallied them to assemble the greatest collection of athletes in history, forever changing the game of basketball.

NEXT: Defeat in Seoul gives birth to the American Dream >>

More on Team USA
Meet the men on this year's Team USA »
Meet the women on this year's Team USA »

This Is Our Game: The Dream Team

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:38:43 GMT

This is Our Game explores the rich tradition of the U.S. National Teams, uncovering the victories, defeats, and rivalries of the last seven decades. In Part Three of the series, discover how a defeat in Seoul gave rise to the Dream Team, an extraordinary group of men who forever changed the game.

1988-1996.

Four years after losing the gold in 1988, the United States vowed to never let it happen again. To guarantee victory the US changed the rules and forever changed the game.

With the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. boycotting each other’s Olympics, 16 years since had passed since the two rival teams last met at the Summer Games in 1972. In 1988, the U.S. squad, as usual, was a group of talented college players, but in the years leading up to this, the world had begun to catch up to Team USA, and in Seoul, Korea the talent gap was closed for good.

Although the Cold War was still on, this time there was no controversy. The battle between the world superpowers raged only on the hardwood. When the dust settled, Team USA was beaten fair and square by the Russians 86-72 in the semis and had to settle for the bronze medal. For decades the U.S. had been able to dominate with college athletes, but the loss in 1988 proved that era was over.

In 1989, USA Basketball approached the governing body of basketball, FIBA, and asked that a lopsided rule be overturned to allow US professionals to play in international competition. Previously, only pros from South America and Europe could compete in the Games. FIBA agreed. Now allowed to select anyone they wished, the USAB made a bold decision to create what would be known as the Dream Team – the best team ever to take the court.

The USAB selected a group of Hall of Fame talents in their prime. Legends like Michael Jordon, David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley and others made up a team that struck fear in their opponents before the game started.

The excitement around the Dream Team started to build well before the Olympics even began. Basketball fans, not just of the U.S., but from all over the world knew they would be witness to the greatest collection of basketball players on one team. Even before the whistles were blown in Barcelona, opposing teams took time out to take photos with their idols. The Americans had truly arrived.

On the court, their dominance was unparalleled. Against Angola, they won 116-48. In the semis against Lithuania - a team with professional players - they won by 51 points. The squad bulled their way through 7 of the world's top teams, running explosive fast breaks and making showtime plays fit for an exhibition game without calling a single timeout. The Dream Team left no doubt that this was their game, and the gold came back to its rightful owners.

It was always going to be a hard act to follow, but Dream Team II was almost as impressive at the 2004 Games in Atlanta. Like the original Dream Team, they crushed their opponents, winning by an average of over 32 points a game. Stars like Charles Barkley and David Robinson, who had played on the original Dream Team, led a team of new players who continued the U.S. reign of dominance.

Dream Team I and II represented the golden age of modern international basketball for the United States. As the international competition raised its standards, Team USA answered the challenge with two of the greatest teams every assembled. These were huge shoes for future US national teams to fill, a task that proved too much for some.

NEXT: The world catches up, and Team USA takes a fall >>

More on Team USA
Meet the men on this year's Team USA »
Meet the women on this year's Team USA »

This Is Our Game: The Fall

Hotnix — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:37:19 GMT

This is Our Game explores the rich tradition of the U.S. National Teams, uncovering the victories, defeats, and rivalries of the last seven decades. In Part Four of the series, Team USA gets the biggest wake-up call in history.

2000-2006

The Dream Team changed the game in 1992. The world responded in 2000.

After the Dream Team's exciting victories in 1992 and 1996, basketball's popularity exploded around the world. Players and teams from everywhere – Argentina, Lithuania, Russia and Spain – developed their own unique styles. It wasn’t unusual to see 7 footers shooting threes or offensive possessions where the ball was passed ten times before a shot was taken.

The world wasn’t just trying to catch up with Team USA. They, too, were trying to change the game.

At the 2000 Games in Sydney, the U.S. team took home the gold, but a closer look showed cracks in their game. They no longer beat opponents by 40 or more points, but faced some very close calls. Lithuania lost to them by only nine points – the first time Team USA won by less than double digits. Playing Lithuania again in the semis, they squeaked by with a 2 point win. They went on to beat France for the gold, but it was clear they were no longer the team to fear.

When the 2004 Athens Games came around, people expected more of the same winning ways.
But for too long, the international competition had been playing as unified teams while the U.S. pro team was a collection of 12 great individual talents. That year, it was that solid team play, that on-court chemistry that beat out America's raw talent.

In the very first game of the tournament, Puerto Rico gave Team USA the biggest wake-up call in history: a 19-point loss. Another loss came to Lithuania in the prelims and the final nail in the coffin was a semifinal loss to Argentina, the current reigning world champs. After suffering a string of embarrassing defeats, the U.S. realized something needed to change if it wanted to regain the gold.

There was only one man to lead the charge.

In 2005, the legendary Coach K was brought in to not just coach, but to start a program that would rebuild a team from scratch. After wrapping up the season with Duke University, he assembled a team for the 2006 World Championships.

The new Team USA wasn't used to working together and the players were hampered by injuries, resulting in a 101-95 loss to Greece in the semifinals. Though they didn't win the top prize, there were signs that they were back on the right path. They won most of their games by 25 points or more, and defeated the defending world champions to win the bronze.

As the 2008 Summer Games approached, Coach K’s next mission was to prepare Team USA for the battle to earn their spot in Beijing. With players dedicating three years to the development of the team and more time for training camp, entered the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament ready to prove regain the throne.

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Meet the women on this year's Team USA »