Basketball fundamentals!

To me the problem with TEAM USA is simple. We sent a bunch of 'ME' players, who encountered 'TEAM' players in Argentina, Yugoslavia and Spain and we got our butts kicked. The rest of the world can compete with us and beat us in basketball, because they play 'TEAM' basketball and they take the fundamentals seriously. The foriegn players are clearly more fundamentally sound, they beat us with basic fundamental basketball skills while we tried to overcome them with athletic talent. Basketball is a 'TEAM' game not a 'ME' game and the world just proved it to us. The answer to overcoming these foriegn basketball teams is not to send our Shaqs and Kobes, but to send sound basketball players who are fundamentally sound and committed to playing 'TEAM' basketball. Basketball is a 'TEAM' sport, that unfortunately we seem to have lost sight of that in the USA. That is why more and more foriegn basketball players are being drafted over American players. Foriegn players are team oriented and they realize that basketball is more than flashy ballhandling, breathtaking dunks and launching 3 pointers. No one can be like 'Mike,' but what most of his imitators forget is that 'Mike' was not just a great offensive player. He was a great defensive player, but most importantly he was a great 'TEAM' player.

Out of curiousity.....what players would you choose???

chris

Lets not over-react okay. When we sent teams with superior talent they ran a 58-0 record on the world. This team was not strong enough to compete in this venue. They got beaten because they weren't as good. End of story. If the NBA cared enough they easily could have put together a team that would have continued to win rather easily. Apathy is the word I think that best applies.

I would choose more veterans and team oriented players. Guys who have been on winnings teams in the NBA or especially those who have won NBA titles or NCAA titles would be heavily favored. For example: John Stockton- unselfish playmaker more concerned with his teammates scoring than his personal stats. Karl Malone- The pick and roll with Stockton would be perfect for International competition. Rick Fox- A team player who does nothing great, but everything well. Robert Horry- 5 NBA Championship rings, a proven winner and perfect role player. Scottie Pippen- Not what he used to be, but another guy that knows how to win and does everything well. Jason Kidd- Awesome leader and playmaker. I know this Team USA tried to get him but he was hurt. Mike Bibby- Not a big ego, willing to play whatever role neccessary, but the guy has 'ice in his viens' when it is clutch time. Shane Battier- Does everything well, solid fundamentally and a proven winner. David Robinson- yes he is on the down side of his career, but he would have given us an inside presence in the post that we did not have and he would have been better than any center in the tournament.

This is not a complete roster, but it is where I would start then if you get a Shaq, Duncan, KG, Kobe, T-Mac or Vince to the mix you have a team that would easily win the Gold. In addition, one key component would be for David Stern to make it mandatory for the coach of the NBA championship team, to coach Team USA. In this case we would have Phil Jackson who has coached 9 NBA champions, instead of George Karl who has coached 0 NBA champions. I say get proven winners and you win!

You're right on the first two counts and wrong on the third. A legitimate center would have made quite a bit of difference as would selecting better players. Fact is though this team lost because they were not as good as the teams that beat them, its that simple. Lets not over analyze and reach for analogies that don't exist.

How can that be? You'd think people would know this by now, but here's a reminder:

A good *team* will beat a collection of good *indivduals* much more often than not.

I thought Fox was from Canada.