

It was the year that Manu Ginobili showed hints of the phenomenon he would become and Yao Ming demonstrated he could go toe-to-toe with the best centers in the NBA.ĭirk Nowitzki walked away with the tournament MVP. That tournament was the beginning of a massive change in USA men’s basketball. LOS ANGELES – OCTOBER 26: Yao Ming #11 of the Houston Rockets looks on during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on Octoin Los Angeles, California. thought of World Championship competition. The 2002 USA team, anchored by guys like an aging Reggie Miller and Antonio Davis, reflected how little the U.S. In the realm of basketball, the World Championships are about as important as Olympic gold among international teams. Rather than learn from Sydney, the USA men’s basketball program ignored the warning signs that the world was catching up.The players that continued to be sent to international competition remained talented, but without a single superstar player who could truly elevate the team. The game came so close to a USA loss that Lithuania’s final shot grazed the rim, just inches from an international upset. Lithuania was an amazing 3-point shooting team and nearly got off a last second three that would have given them the victory. It’s small wonder that the team escaped with only a two-point victory. That year’s edition of Team USA, manned by players such as Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Antonio McDyess, was talented, but lacked the singular scoring force of a Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. That year, a young Lithuanian squad nearly upset the USA men’s team in the medal round. The problem with the approach the USA was taking to international competition should have been apparent as early as the 2000 Olympics. FIBA World Cup: Team USA bounced by France in quarterfinals.FIBA World Cup: Team USA wins final (game in China, finishes 7th).Why Lloyd Pierce was right about Trae Young’s USA Basketball snub.Commitment from Zach LaVine completes Team USA squad for 2021 Olympics.Team USA’s 2023 World Cup Roster: strengths, weaknesses, depth, more.Still, despite the advantages Team USA now enjoys, it was just 12 years ago that USA Basketball’s men’s program was only a shadow of its current self.įollowing a stretch of dominance that started with the original 1992 Dream Team, USA Basketball started to believe that, as long as it sent NBA players, the United States would always come back with the gold in Olympics basketball. This past year, even Tim Duncan decided it was time to hang up the laces. It’s just a fact that Father Time remains undefeated. Meanwhile, many other teams are still getting by on the past glory of players whose prime basketball years are behind them. While this edition of the USA Olympics squad isn’t the star studded affair it has been in the past, it still has a killer lineup filled with players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Time has a funny way of changing things up on us. By Jason Luthor 6 years ago USA Basketball has a men’s team that enjoys great success today, but it was forced to learn its lessons during the 2002 World Championships and the 2004 Olympics.
