Despite having the most talented basketball players in the world, legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski knew trotting out a virtual all-star team wouldn't work against elite international teams like Spain and Argentina. The Americans learned this the hard way when they settled for bronze medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.
So when Coach K became Team USA 's head coach, he and the team's managing director, Jerry Colangelo, set out to form a squad that would play together for a while to build chemistry and cohesion.
A secret to Team USA's sucess
Since NBA stars were allowed to compete in the Olympics, USA Basketball always took a "best player available" approach. This meant that the roster was constantly changing, with little to no time for players to develop chemistry and familiarity with each other's playing styles. This tactic worked for a while, starting with the Dream Team in 1992, which demolished everyone en route to the gold medal.
Dream Team II achieved the same thing in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. However, the competition began to catch up in the 2004 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, when they narrowly defeated Lithuania in the semifinals before beating Australia by ten to win the gold medal.
However, Krzyzewski and Colangelo recognized the importance of continuity in building a successful team. Instead of constantly switching out players, they focused on creating a core group that would commit to playing together for multiple international competitions. This approach was a significant reason why the "Redeem Team" was so successful in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in bringing the gold in the men's basketball competition to the United States.
However, several players from that gold-medal-winning squad returned for another tour of duty in the 2012 Summer Games in London. These were LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams.
"A number of those guys played again in 2012. We won the World Championships in Istanbul in 2010, with (Kevin) Durant as the star, and had a lot of young players. Five guys from that team were on the 2012 team," Coach K said on "The Dan Patrick Show."
Related: Mike Krzyzewski on how Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant approached Team USA practices: "They were all business"
That approach continues today
Although Krzyzewski has already retired from coaching Team USA and the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA, the process he and Colangelo started over a decade ago remains crucial in Team USA's continued success. Each Olympic cycle, the team's roster is carefully crafted to balance talent, experience, and chemistry.
"A key word that Jerry Colangelo, who ran USA Basketball, and I embraced was continuity. Those guys gave it, and that's what LeBron is giving right now, along with Kevin, Anthony Davis, and Steph," Mike said. "A lot of people don't realize Steph was part of two of our world championships in 2010 and 2014, so he understands international ball and wants to win a gold medal. Having those four veterans is huge as far as the continuity aspect."
Team USA has already secured its spot in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics after beating South Sudan and Serbia in the group stage. The Americans still have to play Puerto Rico before moving on to the knockout stages.
Related: Mike Krzyzewski talks about coaching LeBron James: "He and Kobe were the two guys who were just above everyone in preparation"
Most Popular
Comments / 0