this is our guy. |
This is the first standing USA Men's Senior National Team and the 23 players selected will give us everything we need to form a great USA team. We feel we have versatility, shooters, size, quickness, role players and defensive stoppers. In making the player selections we took into consideration the style of play anticipated to be used by the coaching staff. |
This whole concept of a Dream Team, that's over and done with, ... The theme going forward is more about respecting the world basketball community, and it's also about redemption. We have a lot to come back from. |
We attend and scout all of the international competitions. And so this team will be totally ready. There will not be any concern about not knowing what to expect. |
We have a chance to change a public perception - and we're going to do it with class and dignity. |
We need to change the perception of how the world looks at us as a country and a basketball power and we have to reclaim what we lost. It's a lot about how they look, how they act on and off the court. The only way to change the perception is to have people doing the right thing and that's the goal. |
We needed a fresh, new start. That's not demeaning anyone else, I just felt Mike was the right man at this time. |
We thought enough of him to give him a pass. By attending training camp, he'll still be a part of that team, and we're going to count on him big-time as we look forward to the Olympics. |
We want him to play. |
We want to make a directional change. I didn't say an attitudinal change, |
We want to quicken the game. We think these changes are the best way of doing it. |
We wanted a team not of individual stars, but athleticism, shooters, role players and distributors. |
We would very much like to have Greg participate in our camp. There is a meeting that will take place at the Final Four with Greg, his family and the coaching staff at Ohio State. We'd love to have him involved. He has a chance to be a big-time player. |
When it came right down to it, I had to make a choice. This was the individual, it was the guy, right time, right place. It was the guy I wanted alongside of me to go forward. |
When it came time to make the decision ... it was obvious. |