2004 Olympics: Basketball

11:35 AM CDT on Monday, August 9, 2004

By BRAD TOWNSEND / The Dallas Morning News

It was Feb. 7. The world-champion-to-be Detroit Pistons were in Dallas for their only visit of the season.

Before the game, Pistons coach Larry Brown sat down with SportsDay to discuss his other job – coaching the U.S. men's basketball team.

This was the interview during which Brown blasted Mark Cuban and other owners for their opposition to NBA players participating in international competitions. Of course, he had no inkling that seven of the nine core players selected by USA Basketball would withdraw because of injuries, security concerns and personal issues.

But judging by the passion in his voice that night, Brown's objectives for Athens would be no different if he were taking a high school junior varsity team. It's all about, in his words, "playing the right way."

How do you feel about being the only U.S. male to play (1964) and be a head coach in the Olympics?

It's surreal. When they told me I was going to be the next coach, it was an amazing feeling. You don't get into this profession thinking things like this are going to happen.

Because of America's sixth-place finish in the 2002 World Championships, some are dubbing this The Redeem Team. What do you think of that?

All I've talked about is playing the right way. I thought in Puerto Rico [last summer's Olympic qualifying tournament] we really did.

But if we don't realize how good these other teams are, it's foolish. And with the Olympic rules, it's almost like a different sport.

What do you mean by "playing the right way?"

We've got to share the ball and play as a team. That's my whole thing: That we play in a way that people all over appreciate. And the young kids who grow up almost thinking it's an individual sport understand that if the best players can play as a team, maybe I have that responsibility when I play.

You mentioned the Olympic rules. Why do you think they favor international teams?

We've got to realize these teams play together, spend a lot of time together, play those rules. One, it's a 40-minute game, which is much shorter.

I think their rules are much better than ours, to be honest. They've adopted our best rules, and we won't adopt their best rules.

I like the wider lane. I don't like the shorter game, but I like the fact that you can play zone. Our zone defense rules, no one understands them. The 3-point shot is further than college, but not as far as ours. So if you're going to zone, you're going to pay a penalty, just like college.

The U.S. men's basketball roster additions, subtractions and defections since the original team was announced before the August 2003 FIBA Americas Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico:

Original nine “core” members (Selected for the 2003 Qualifying Tournament team and olympic team): Ray Allen, Mike Bibby, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Karl Malone, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal.

Three “role” players (Selected for 2003 Qualifying Tournament only, with no guarantee of being on the Olympic roster): Elton Brand, Richard Jefferson and Nick Collison.

Note: Before the Qualifying Tournament, Bryant pulled out because of knee and shoulder surgeries; Malone withdrew because of the death of his mother. Bryant and Malone were replaced by Vince Carter and Kenyon Martin, but retained their Olympic roster spots.

With Ray Allen (family matter and security concerns) and Kobe Bryant (sexual assault trial) announcing they won't play in the Olympics and several other core members wavering on their commitment, USA Basketball announced five roster additions: LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire.

During the course of the NBA playoffs, many of the original core members cite various reasons for begging out of the Olympics. Likewise, several other NBA stars are unofficially approached by USA Basketball, but decline invitations. Those who declined:

• Mike Bibby (fatigue), Elton Brand (finger and knee injuries), Vince Carter (wedding plans), Kevin Garnett (wedding plans and security concerns), Richard Hamilton (safety concerns and fatigue), • Jason Kidd (knee surgery), • Karl Malone (knee injury), Kenyon Martin (free agent status), • Tracy McGrady (security concerns), *Jermaine O'Neal (knee injury), Shaquille O'Neal (fatigue), Ben Wallace (safety concerns and (fatigue).

• Original core member

While confirming the withdrawals of Bibby, Kidd, Malone, McGrady and Jermaine O'Neal, USA Basketball announces what it hopes will be the final 12-man roster, rounded out by five 11th-hour replacements: Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Lamar Odom, Emeka Okafor and Dwyane Wade.

... who join

• Tim Duncan, • Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Stephon Marbury, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire,

• Duncan and Iverson are the only core players remaining from the original nine who were selected in July 2003.

In light of last Tuesday's 95-78 exhibition loss to Italy and Wednesday's 3-point win over Germany, the USA men's basketball team may not be a lock for any medal in Athens, much less gold. Still, anything less than gold would rank among the lows in USA basketball history:

1956: Behind Bill Russell, the Americans go 8-0, squash the Soviet Union, 89-55, in the title game and outscore opponents by an average of 53.5 points per game.

1960: In Rome, perhaps the greatest pre-Dream Team U.S. squad ever assembled outscores opponents by an average of 101.9 to 59.5. Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas lead a 90-63 romp over Brazil in the title game.

1984: After a U.S. boycott of the 1980 Games, the Americans dominate in Los Angeles, as the Soviet bloc countries boycott. The United States defeats Spain for the gold medal, 96-65.

1992: In Barcelona, the Dream Team cruises to an 8-0 record, outscoring opponents by an average of 117.3 to 73.5, including the 117-85 win over Croatia in the gold medal game.

1972: The Americans' 63-game Olympic winning streak ends in controversial fashion, as the Soviets win the gold medal game, 51-50. The game's final three seconds are replayed three times, and on the last occasion the Soviets throw a length-of-the-court pass and score the winning points.

1988: In the last Olympics without NBA players, the United States loses a semifinal game to the Soviet Union, 82-76. It is the second U.S. loss in 86 Olympic contests. The United States defeats Australia for bronze.

2002: In a major embarrassment, a U.S. team comprised mostly of NBA players loses three games in the FIBA World Championships in Indianapolis to finish sixth. The losses are to Argentina, Yugoslavia and Spain.

While the U.S. men's basketball team was in constant flux, the women’s roster has been a model of stability. Having veterans from Olympics and World Championships has helped the U.S. women retain the No. 1 world ranking since 1996. Eight of the 12 players have earned Olympic or World Championship gold:

1996, 2000 Olympic gold medalists
• C Lisa Leslie: Also earned gold in '98 and '02 World Championships
• G Dawn Staley: Temple head coach has played on 14 U.S. squads
• G/F Sheryl Swoopes: Texas Tech-ex also played on ’02 World title team

2000 Olympic gold medalists
• G Katie Smith: Also played on '98 and '02 World title teams
• F/C Yolanda Griffith: Averaged 11.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in Sydney

2002 World Championship gold medalists
• G Sue Bird: 136-9 at Uconn; 2002 Naismith Player of Year
• F Tamika Catchings: Duncanville grad earned gold in '97 FIBA Junior Worlds
• G Shannon Johnson: Also earned gold in '97 World University Games

Rest of squad
• F Swin Cash: UConn star named ’02 Final Four Most Outstanding Player
• C Ruth Riley: Got spot when DeLisha Milton-Jones reinjured knee
• G/F Diana Taurasi: Two-time Naismith winner, three NCAA titles at UConn
• F Tina Thompson: 2000 Olympic alternate missed '98 Worlds with injury

Ten reasons the U.S. women have surged since earning bronze in the 1992 Olympics, while the post-Dream Team men have all but lost their aura of invincibility:

1: WNBA players have much shorter seasons (four months) and earn a fraction of what NBA players make, so they have more to gain by representing their country.

2: Eight of the nine core women's players named to the Olympic team last November remain on the team, compared with two of the nine men.

3: Swin Cash, Diana Taurasi, Yolanda Griffith and Ruth Riley, who were added to the team, were the USA Basketball selection committee's first choices. At least seven NBA players turned down invitations. Seven core men's players pulled out.

4: Because the WNBA season is shorter and the Olympic roster has remained virtually intact, the women had three training sessions and played 13 games in six international arenas and four domestic cities before the men's team was finalized.

5: Because most of the U.S. women have experience at the Olympic, World Championship or Junior World Championship levels, they are much more familiar with international rules than their male counterparts.

6: While several men's core members and invitees cited injury as a reason for not going to Athens, the women have remained relatively healthy. DeLisha Milton-Jones is the one woman lost to a serious injury (knee, July 9).

7: U.S. and Houston Comets coach Van Chancellor, along with his entire staff, oversaw all three training camps and 13 exhibition games. The women's coaches have had far more time to evaluate and prepare.

8: The U.S. women are familiar with the best foreign players. They compete against them in the WNBA, the Olympics and World Championships. Some of the best male foreign players compete in the NBA, but many do not.

9: The WNBA style of play resembles the women's and men's international scheme of continuity on offense and zone defenses. The U.S. men have to make more adjustments to the international style and have less time to do so.

10: More top male foreign athletes are gravitating toward basketball. Most of the top international women's athletes are still more inclined to play soccer or individual sports such as tennis, golf and swimming.

E-mail btownsend@dallasnews.com