SPRINGFIELD (USA) - Seventeen years since its dramatic Gold Medal Game triumph over Spain at the Beijing Olympics, the Redeem Team is being enshrined at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
One of the finest ever teams assembled in international basketball, the Redeem Team version of the USA national side reached the top of the podium despite an extraordinary amount of pressure brought on by past setbacks, and the new powerhouses overseas.
The American side got the name Redeem Team because of the struggles of USA teams in the preceding years. At the 2002 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Indianapolis, the United States lost in the Quarter-Finals to Yugoslavia while at the Olympics two years later in Athens, Argentina defeated the USA in the Semi-Finals.
That American team rebounded with a Bronze Medal Game victory over Lithuania, yet Greece 2004 was a disappointment for the USA since it marked the first time since the 1972 Olympics that the team had not claimed Olympic gold.
After that setback, USA Basketball put Jerry Colangelo in charge of the men's national team program and under his leadership, the country set out to redeem itself in international hoops.
First Colangelo appointed former USA assistant and long-time Duke University boss Mike Krzyzewski as head coach, and then set about putting a squad together that had some of the most talented players in the sport, but also men that were fully committed to representing the country for the new Olympic cycle.
The first task was to win the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2006 in Japan, but the Americans slipped up to Greece, 101-95, in the Semi-Finals. The USA lost in that game despite having a star-studded team that included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard.
With a renewed focus and commitment to redeem USA Basketball, Coach K and the players hosted the FIBA AmeriCup 2007 in Las Vegas (it was called the FIBA Americas Championship at the time) and reached the Final to qualify for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Kobe Bryant was the missing link we needed in order to regain the dominance
The Americans, who had added Kobe Bryant to the team, then beat the Luis Scola-led Argentina in the Final to win that title. "(Bryant) was the missing link that we needed in order to regain the dominance with Team USA," James said during the ceremony.
The following year, USA arrived in China for the Games and marched into the Gold Medal Game with convincing victories against all of its opponents.
They had beaten in the Preliminary Round China (101-70), Angola (97-76), Greece (92-69), Spain (119-82) and Germany (106-57). Next in the Quarter-Finals, USA thumped Australia (116-85) and in then in the Semi-Finals, routed Argentina (101-81).
With Spain, a team the Americans had manhandled already in the competition, the opponents in the Final, the USA seemed to have one foot already on the top of the podium.
The USA team was awesome, still led by James, Wade and Anthony but with plenty of quality up and down the roster. Bryant had electrified the crowds in Beijing and was arguably the most popular athlete at the Games, hearing cheers every time he entered arenas to watch other sports.
But the Redeem Team had its toughest test still to pass. A different Spain that was locked in and ready to battle showed up at the Final and forced the Americans to compete until the very end to secure victory.
For a while, it seemed that Spain might deny the USA their great moment.
They showed up for the Gold Medal Game breathing fire and especially Rudy Fernandez, who erupted for 22 points and famously dunked on Howard. With the game hanging in the balance, Bryant came to the rescue. With 3:10 remaining and the USA up 104-99, Kobe was fouled by Fernandez while making a 3-pointer and sank the free-throw for a four-point play. The Americans won, 118-107.
The challenge by Spain had given the USA the sort of test that most other successful USA teams had not faced. It was the mother of all battles in Gold Medal Games. Many called it the greatest Olympic game ever played.
Spain's golden generation was amazing, with Pau Gasol and brother Marc, Juan Carlos Navarro, Rudy and everyone else.
The fact that USA had seen off this great team from Europe before realizing their aim of redemption added even more value to the accomplishment.
Fans have already been able to soak up the history of the Redeem Team by watching a Netflix documentary on it.
Now there is a permanent place in the pantheon of legends, Springfield, for the USA Redeem Team.
FIBA