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Message: [QUOTE="Alydar, post: 2325900, member: 730"] There was a time when, as an Olympics was 6 months away, USABB would pick a dozen all-stars, bring them together a couple of times for a couple of days and send them to the Games to win gold. Their game plan would be to give 2 or 3 of them 10-15 shots a game. Bring the ball up, clear out for one of them and let them beat their man. The team would rely on superior athleticism and physicality as their defensive plan. That changed sometime just before or just after Geno was selected as coach. I don't remember where exactly I read it but there was an interview with some of the USABB leadership where they said that they were trying to develop a program that took players at a young age and slowly expose them to a style of play that emphasised a team concept rather than a star concept. I think that there are/were players who didn't accept that style of play which is more like Golden State. "Stars" who were not interested in setting screens and working hard at team defense and made excuses to miss team sessions got left behind (and we all know to whom I am referring). The best team isn't necessarily the 10 statistically best players. My thoughts about players like Tuck and Stokes being invited has more to do at this point of their careers with their value as practice players than their prospects of making the team. They have a good idea of how to play in a team concept, practice at a very high energy level and are willing to do the things that don't show up in box scores. I see USABB becoming a true developmental program where players are brought in young and over the course of 10 years are taught to play a style that is reminiscent of UConn-style BB. I think that is the point of the U23 team that played that exhibition tournament in Japan. Those that show up every summer, show ability and buy into the concept will have a heads up when a national team is chosen. The national team will not be the dozen top players but rather the dozen top players who fit the program. Prima donna's need to leave their tiaras at home. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach