USA - Men selected as USA basketball’s team of the year

COLORADO SPRINGS (National Team) – The 2006 USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team, which compiled a 13-1 overall record and won the bronze medal at the FIBA World Championship in Japan, has been selected by the USA Basketball Executive Committee as the 2006 USA Basketball Team of the Year.

The 2006 Men’s Senior National Team collected a 5-0 record in its pre-World Championship series of exhibition contests, and the USA Men’s World Championship Team, comprised of Senior National Team members, finished 8-1 at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, capturing the bronze medal.

"We had an excellent group of players and support, starting at the top with Jerry Colangelo," said 2006-08 Men’s Senior National Team and Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "While we didn’t accomplish our ultimate goal of winning a gold medal at the World Championship, we started the creation of a culture in USA Basketball that our country will be proud of. That started from the first day of training camp. There was great camaraderie on the team, and that will only grow as they continue to play together over the next two years. I think the thing I appreciated the most was that we had no individual egos. They bought into being a part of something bigger than themselves quickly and realized the responsibility of representing the United States in a first-class manner, both on and off the court."

With its selection as USA Basketball’s Team of the Year, the squad becomes eligible for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team of the Year award which will be announced by the USOC in January 2007.

"This USA Team had a number of objectives and literally accomplished all but one," said 2006-08 Men’s Senior National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo. "I’m very proud of those accomplishments and how well the team represented our country. We will continue to work as a team, and I expect the senior nation team to continue to build on this summer’s successes."

"Everyone associated with USA Basketball is proud of our Men’s Senior National Team. The foundation the team built in 2006 will be critical to success in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship as we look to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing," said USA Basketball Executive Director Jim Tooley . "Under the leadership of USA Basketball Senior National Team managing director Jerry Colangelo, head coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistant coaches Jim Boeheim, Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan, the USA Senior Team was impressive, both on and off the court.

USA Basketball