Gregg Popovich became Papa-vich almost immediately after Team USA’s win over Poland on the final day of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. What should have been the culmination of another USA dominance at the World Cup turned into a sad post-mortem following the worst finish by an American squad in an Olympic or World … [Read more…]
The FIBA Basketball World Cup — known as the FIBA World Championship from 1950 until 2010 — is arguably the most intense international basketball competition in the world. And, based on the strong play during the qualifying rounds, the world can’t wait for #Spain2014. Host team Spain — led by the Gasol brothers — captured … [Read more…]
Despite several players declining invitations to play in this summer’s FIBA World Cup, it will be hard to find a more talented and deeper roster than the one USA Basketball will send to Spain. USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzewski have built a solid enough program that it can withstand the … [Read more…]
It was the perfect storm. An NBA All-Star suffers a major injury on national TV while playing a meaningless intrasquad scrimmage on a court many suspect does not meet NBA standards. Everyone at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Arena cringed when Indiana Pacers star Paul George broke his lower right leg while trying to block a … [Read more…]
When Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski were putting together their list of players for Team USA in preparation for the 2014 FIBA World Cup of Basketball they may have been listening to California Love on their Beats by Dre headphones. OK, that’s probably way not how Coach K and Jerry C. roll. But you can’t … [Read more…]
Mike Krzyzewski got a well-deserved victory shower after the United States held off Spain 107-100 in the men’s basketball gold-medal game. Instead of a Gatorade bath, Krzyzewski got doused with water courtesy of LeBron James. Krzyzewski announced that the 2012 London Olympics would be his last game coaching USA Basketball. He’ll only remain as adviser … [Read more…]
The most impressive part about the United States’ 156-73 destruction of Nigeria in the preliminary round of the men’s basketball tournament at the 2012 London Olympics was Carmelo Anthony’s 37 points in 14 minutes. Think about it. Melo made13 of 16 shots from the field and was 10-for-12 from behind the 3-pointer arc (a couple … [Read more…]
The United States men’s basketball team took the night off against Tunisia yet the Americans still won by a whopping 47 points. The 110-63 final score masked Team USA’s slow start, leading by just 13 points at halftime despite having a distinct advantage in size, speed, quickness, skill, and anything you can think of. The … [Read more…]
The world may have gained ground on the United States in terms of basketball skill and talent, but the U.S. still has the perfect weapon against international competition: Kobe Bryant. When the 2012 Summer Games kick off in London, the Americans will be favored to win the men’s basketball competition but they’ll get tested by … [Read more…]
The U.S. men’s basketball team looked a little bit out of sync in its Olympic tuneup Monday night against Brazil in Washington, D.C., and with good reason. The Brazilians certainly had a hand in forcing Team USA out of its comfort zone, but the more likely excuse was the added pressure of having to perform … [Read more…]