Congratulations Team USA!

Since the World Championship gold medal game was played during the second half of opening weekend NFL games I doubt anyone actually watched it. The game was competitive for about a half then Team USA pulled away as was their pattern throughout the tournament when challenged by a tough opponent.

Kevin Durant was sublime from start to finish averaging 22.8 points (3rd overall), 6.1 rebounds, 55.6% shooting from the field, 45.6% from three and 91.2% from the line. There aren’t really enough superlatives to describe how well he played. He scored within the flow of the offense and made a bunch of huge momentum busting shots when the other team was about to go on a run.

Kudos also need to go out to Lamar Odom, who was easily was the USA’s most underrated player. He averaged 7.7 rebounds (5th overall) and was outmatched size and strength wise almost every game, but still managed to be effective in his role as starting center.

As good as KD was I’m not sure we win the gold medal without Russell Westbrook’s energy and athleticism. Every time he checked into a game he made things happen immediately and swung the momentum in our direction. He was flat out the most athletic player in the entire tourney, and no foreign team had anyone to even remotely match up with him.

The main reason I’m writing this blog though is that what this team accomplished is flying largely under the radar…and I’m not sure why? In the final game we beat a team with two legit NBA scorers in Hedo Turkoglu (Suns) & Ersan Ilyasova (Bucks) AND two NBA 7-footers in Omer Asik (Bulls) & Semih Erden (Celtics) AND we did it on their home court in front of a raucous pro-Turkey crowd. I know it’s not the Olympics, but our big men were Odom, Kevin Love and Tyson Chandler…that’s it…and we still won. We somehow managed to overcome no consistent scoring threat other than Durant as well.

All I’m saying is this group of players and Coach Mike Krzyzewski deserve a lot more credit than they are receiving for bringing home our first World Championship gold since 1994. However no one deserves more recognition for America’s current success than Executive Director Jerry Colangelo. He has systematically changed the entire culture of USA basketball; just look at the list of accomplishments since he took over in 2005.

> The USA men’s national teams have compiled a 49-1 record in international play and have now won 36 consecutive games.

> The USA men’s national teams, current defending Olympic and World champions, are 35-1 in FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions and 14-0 in exhibition play since 2006.

> The American men for the first time in international basketball history are currently the reigning champs in every age level competition, including the FIBA U19 & FIBA U17 world championships, and the FIBA Americas U18 & FIBA Americas U16 championships.

USA Basketball Men's National Team Finish / Record
2010 FIBA World Championship Team 1st / 9-0
2008 Olympic Team 1st / 8-0
2007 FIBA Americas Championship Team 1st / 10-0

USA Basketball Men's Junior National Teams Finish / Record
2010 FIBA U17 World Championship Team 1st / 8-0
2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship Team 1st / 5-0
2009 FIBA U19 World Championship Team 1st / 9-0
2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship Team 1st / 5-0

I know most people think “That’s how it’s supposed to be,” but those people also forget that not too long ago it was nowhere near that good. Since basketball is now clearly the second most popular sport behind soccer world wide it’s time to start appreciating our complete and utter dominance at all levels. Because the reality is it won’t last forever.