USA Basketball announced today that eight U.S. Olympic basketball head coaches and 12 renowned Olympic basketball players dating back to the 1956 U.S. Olympic team have agreed to be part of a working group to provide input with respect to the future of the USA Basketball senior men's national team program.
Agreeing to serve are U.S. Olympic head coaches Pete Newell (1960), Dean Smith (1976), Bobby Knight (1984), John Thompson (1988), Chuck Daly (1992), Lenny Wilkens (1996), Rudy Tomjanovich (2000) and Larry Brown (2004).
U.S. basketball Olympians accepting invitations to be involved include: three-time Olympian David Robinson (1988, 1992 and 1996); two-time Olympians Charles Barkley (1992 and 1996), Michael Jordan (1984 and 1992) and Chris Mullin (1984 and 1992); and Olympians Larry Bird (1992), Bill Bradley (1964), Doug Collins (1972), Clyde Drexler (1992), Earvin "Magic" Johnson (1992), Danny Manning (1988), Oscar Robertson (1960) and Bill Russell (1956).
"I'm so grateful that these Olympians, both players and coaches, have chosen to assist, serve and engage in this process. Their input will be invaluable when we meet to discuss the future plans for the U.S. Men's Senior National Team," said Jerry Colangelo, Phoenix Suns chairman and CEO who was named on April 27 to the newly-created position of managing director of the USA Basketball Senior Men's National Team program for the 2005-2008 quadrennium.
Members of the Men's Senior National Team advisory panel, available members of the working group of Olympic head coaches and Olympians, USA Basketball executive committee members, USA senior team managing director Jerry Colangelo and USA Basketball staff are expected to participate in a meeting scheduled for the evening of June 6 and the morning of June 7 in Chicago, Ill.
The nine-member advisory panel was announced on May 26 and included: Tom Jernstedt, past USA Basketball president (2001-2004) and current executive vice president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); Russ Granik, former USA Basketball president (1997-2000) and current deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the National Basketball Association (NBA); Dave Gavitt, 1980 U.S. Olympic head coach and former USA Basketball president (1989-92); Wayne Embry, former NBA player and heralded NBA general manager and president; Bryan Colangelo, president and general manager of the NBA Phoenix Suns; Ernie Grunfeld, 1976 Olympic gold medalist and current president of basketball operations of the Washington Wizards; Billy King, president and general manager of the NBA Philadelphia 76ers and former member of USA Basketball's 1997-2000 and 2001-2004 executive committees; Rod Thorn, president of the NBA New Jersey Nets and former USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Committee chair; and Jerry West, 1960 Olympic gold medalist and president of basketball operations for the NBA Memphis Grizzlies.
Jerry Colangelo, as the managing director of the USA men's senior program, is responsible for the selection of the USA senior men's team coaching staffs and players through 2008, and will oversee the teams' competitive preparations, including training and exhibition games. During the 2005-2008 quadrennium, USA Basketball men's senior national teams are expected to compete in the 2006 FIBA World Championship (Aug. 19-Sept. 3 in Saitama, Japan), if necessary the 2007 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament (dates and site TBD), and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China (Aug. 8-24).
Since first fielding a USA Basketball team of legendary NBA stars in 1992, USA Basketball Senior National Teams comprised of NBA players claimed gold medals in eight of the 10 major international basketball competitions in which they have competed, while compiling an impressive 74-6 overall record (.925 winning percentage) in those competitions and posting a record of 23-1 (.958 winning percentage) in exhibition games.
