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Message: [QUOTE="UcMiami, post: 4022579, member: 199"] I think the USA basketball problems are based on issues to do with quality collegiate players, player longevity (benefit as well), and a bit of uneven career paths. USA basketball takes 12 players and the typical careers post college are about 12 years. 2002 Sue began as a NT member in a WC, 2004 DT and Sue were in their first Olympics and have both been unquestioned leaders since 2006 WC (Bronze medal when a number of the older veterans were unavailable.) From there forward a couple of the vets returned for 2008 swan songs, and USA made a point of adding one or two young players to each team. Sue and DT were fixtures and they were followed by Fowles, Augustus, Parker, Charles, Moore, McCoughtry, EDD, Griner, Stewart all being groomed and then becoming fixtures with some other great players who showed for a cycle or two filling in the roster and a number of others getting trials and being added to various trial pools. Moore, Augustus, and Catching ended their USA careers in 2016 leaving a hole at SF/Wing - Catchings was ending her playing career, Augustus was winding hers down (coaching now after her last season as a bench player for LA in 2020 bubble), and Moore stopped her basketball career to pursue other interests in 2018. Add in a medically challenged EDD and is not available and the SF/WG veterans are pretty much gone. Off that 2016 team McCoughtry who also played wing and is injured and Whalen who was an experienced PG and ended her career in 2018. The 2018/2020/1 NT was always going to be involved in a transition. With a new coach and then Moore, EDD, and McCoughtry unavailable when they are still in their playing window, and with the obvious 'can't miss' developmental players occupying the post positions with the exception being Moore there is an clear hole at the guard and wing spots which will get worse as I doubt DT or Bird will be on the 2022 WC team. The college ranks have just not produced the quality PG, G, or Wing that screams 'must' be in the NT and the pro careers also just haven't overly impressed. The players that have been drafted in to the NT at those spots haven't stuck. As others have said taking Nneka or _____ wasn't the issue with this team. Finding the next generation of guards and wings is the issue. And I don't think anyone has really come up with an obvious PG/SG/W that belongs on this team for this competition. The cupboard is kind of bare. Sabrina would be nice but she has no experience and was injured last year. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach

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