2012 OLYMPICS: U.S. MEN?S BASKETBALL TEAM FINAL ROSTER
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 10 Jul 2012
The final line-up for the United States men?s basketball is now released by USA Basketball. USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and is the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization forms the United States men's and women's national basketball teams in international tournaments, including the FIBA World Championships and the Olympic Games.
The final roster includes: Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks), Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers), James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder), Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers), LeBron James (Miami Heat), Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberworlves), Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder), and Deron Williams (Brooklyn Nets).
The head coach is Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University. He said, ?First of all, in the NBA this year, there weren't many practices because of the condensed season. I think they were playing a game every 1.6 days, and so getting them accustomed to practice but not doing too much physical contact because they are coming from a condensed season, we don't want to go to London hurt and tired. But to do enough, there is like a balance that you have to keep. But these guys get excited. They are usually the best guy on their team, or one of the top two guys on the team, or with the Thunder one of the top three, and now they are with other guys who are the top guys. That excites them. They like to share their abilities.?
In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to join the Olympics for the first time. The team assembled by USA Basketball for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics was one of the most celebrated gatherings of talent in the history of international sport. Ten of the twelve players of the team were named among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. Arch-rivals Magic Johnson and Larry Bird served as co-captains.
The USA team was so dominating that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the entire Olympic tournament. Chicago Bulls stars Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen became the first players to win both NBA championship and Olympic gold medal in the same year.
The Americans won another gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta after defeating Yugoslavia 95?69. With Atlanta the home of the Hawks, these games were the first Olympic Games to be played in a city with an NBA team since the players were allowed to compete in the Olympics.
In 2000 in Sydney, USA won the gold medal against France in a very close game, 85?75. The US was undefeated in all its games leading to the gold medal, but the US team lost its invincibility.
In the 2004 Athens Olympics, Argentina beat USA, 89-91. The US team captured the bronze medal by defeating Lithuania. It marked only the third time that an American team failed to win gold medal (excluding 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott), and the first time the US team composed of NBA players. Before 2004, American teams lost only two games in all previous Olympic tournaments, whereas in Athens, the US team lost three.
In 2008 Beijing Olympics, the US Redeem Team defeated Spain 118?107 to win back the Olympic gold medal. The victory ended an eight year championship drought at major international competitions (Olympics & World Championships).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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