aroundtherings.com
The CEO of the Phoenix Suns NBA team has been put in charge of the men’s basketball team for the 2008 Olympics and vows major changes are coming.
It's going to be drastically different," says Jerry Colangelo, named Wednesday to the Olympics job.
Once dominant in international play, the U.S. team finished sixth in the last world championships and took the bronze in Athens.
Colangelo has the official title of Managing Director of the USA Basketball Senior Men's National Team. He was announced for the job at a press conference in Phoenix held by USA Basketball president Val Ackerman.
Doing away with the former 10-member selection committee, Colangelo will hand-pick the team, composed of both NBA players and top college athletes. He says he wants players who will commit to a two-year program that includes the 2006 world chapionships as well as the Beijing Olympics.
“It's a different game,” Colangelo says about the need for extended international playing experience.
“As you prepare a team, you need players who can shoot the ball, pass the ball, understand the game, as much as you need players who are just athletic."
Colangelo, 65, has been with the Pheonix Suns since the team’s birth in the 1960’s and is a member of the basketball Hall of Fame.
Sensitive to how the U.S. is regarded abroad, Colangelo says he wants to find players with good character.
"The kind of people I want wearing a USA uniform are those we can take some pride in. I want good people and high character. I think that's very, very important."
The CEO of the Phoenix Suns NBA team has been put in charge of the men’s basketball team for the 2008 Olympics and vows major changes are coming.
It's going to be drastically different," says Jerry Colangelo, named Wednesday to the Olympics job.
Once dominant in international play, the U.S. team finished sixth in the last world championships and took the bronze in Athens.
Colangelo has the official title of Managing Director of the USA Basketball Senior Men's National Team. He was announced for the job at a press conference in Phoenix held by USA Basketball president Val Ackerman.
Doing away with the former 10-member selection committee, Colangelo will hand-pick the team, composed of both NBA players and top college athletes. He says he wants players who will commit to a two-year program that includes the 2006 world chapionships as well as the Beijing Olympics.
“It's a different game,” Colangelo says about the need for extended international playing experience.
“As you prepare a team, you need players who can shoot the ball, pass the ball, understand the game, as much as you need players who are just athletic."
Colangelo, 65, has been with the Pheonix Suns since the team’s birth in the 1960’s and is a member of the basketball Hall of Fame.
Sensitive to how the U.S. is regarded abroad, Colangelo says he wants to find players with good character.
"The kind of people I want wearing a USA uniform are those we can take some pride in. I want good people and high character. I think that's very, very important."
