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Ex-basketball Cats in the Olympics
Players listed with year played, site and result
Cliff Barker, 1948, London, gold
Ralph Beard, 1948, London, gold
Sam Bowie, 1980, Moscow*
Billy Evans, 1956, Melbourne, gold
Alex Groza, 1948, London, gold
Wallace Jones, 1948, London, gold
Kenny Rollins, 1948, London, gold
Adrian Smith, 1960, Rome, gold
* The United States did not participate in the 1980 Olympics.
U.S. roster, Page B5
China will soon meet Kentucky's Prince.
Tayshaun Prince and 11 others were named Monday to the United States men's basketball team that will compete in the Beijing Olympics.
The 6-foot-9 Wildcat with the 7-foot wingspan is set to become the first UK men's basketball player to play in an Olympics since Adrian Smith in 1960. Sam Bowie was named to the 1980 squad that stayed away from the Moscow Olympics because of an international boycott, led by President Jimmy Carter.
”I'm honored to be selected to the national team that will represent the United States at the 2008 Olympics,“ Prince, who has played his entire pro career with the Detroit Pistons, said in a statement. ”I take pride in being given the opportunity to represent my country and I strongly believe that with the team that has been assembled, the United States will be represented well.“
Duke's Mike Krzyzewski is head coach of a roster that includes Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Jason Kidd, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Michael Redd and Deron Williams.
”He's a champion,“ Krzyzewski said of Prince during Monday's teleconference. ”He's played on an NBA championship team. I think (the Pistons) have been in the conference finals six straight years or something like that. He's played in as many big games as any of the guys that we selected.
”He's a star playing with stars. ... Last summer he was — no pun intended, but he was a prince to coach. He's just the ultimate team player, but a star.“
The team will practice Saturday at Las Vegas, and again July 21-25. The last day will include an exhibition game against Canada.
July 28 will mark the start of three practice days at Macau, China, followed by exhibitions against Turkey on July 31 and Lithuania on Aug. 1. The team will move to Shanghai, Aug. 2-5, with exhibitions against Russia on Aug. 3 and Australia on Aug. 5. Then, it's on to Beijing. The Games open Aug. 8, while Team USA begins play Aug. 10 against China.
Prince, the eighth-leading scorer in UK history, is part of a new-look Team USA. Jerry Colangelo, USA basketball managing director, has made no secret that he didn't like what he saw from the 2004 bronze-medal team. He vowed to change the ”culture“ of the team, revamp the infrastructure and to get players who were committed to representing their country.
A willingness to fill roles helped Redd — known for his shooting — to make the team, Colangelo said.
”There are other players on the roster that fall into the category of being role players,“ Colangelo said. ”Tayshaun Prince is a classic example of that. He can guard three or four positions. His length makes him a real factor. ... (He) had great support from our whole staff all through this process because of all the intangibles that he brings to the floor, everyone recognized. So he was right in the mix from the get-go.“
One of the teleconference questioners suggested that Prince is perceived as the No. 10 or 11 player on the roster.
Krzyzewski said the selection process was built on system of play, not picking one player over another. He also said that ”we don't want to reduce guys' egos and tell them "you're the 11th man or 12th man.' “
”We want them to be a star. When they come in, often they are from that role. And I'm not saying that Tayshaun will be 11 or 12. Wherever we put him in the ball game, he's going to come in with a high level of ego that's worthy of being on a championship team. I think he's one of the "glue guys' on this squad.“
He did say that he likely will keep the starting lineup that went undefeated in last year's Olympic qualifying contests: Bryant, James, Anthony, Kidd and Howard.
Colangelo confirmed that the team will practice against a younger select team — NBA rookies, first-year and second-year players — that may well form the core of the 2012 Olympics team. That roster will be filled pending availability. Colangelo did say that candidates include another UK product, Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.
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