2009 USA Men's National Team Mini-Camp Quotes

[The Goods]

JERRY COLANGELO, USA Basketball Chairman

What did you explain to these players in last night’s team meeting?

I think the whole idea last night was to indoctrinate the players, some of whom were with us last summer with the Select Team but many weren’t, to give them a taste of what it’s like to be part of our family. During the course of the evening to hear from myself and Coack K and to look at some of the video tape we had of what we accomplished and the gold medal – what it all means. Let’s put it this way, when that meeting was over, we knew they were all ready. If they weren’t ready at that point, they never would be ready because it was a great opportunity for them.

 

With the core players from 2008 already committed for the future, are you looking for role players?

Although we’ve heard from seven or eight that definitely want come back, you never know what is going to happen in a short period of time. Injuries play a part, contracts play a part. We want to be ready for any eventuality. There could be two, or three or four. Who knows how many spots will be open eventually, but one way or another we know this will be the source of our picks because there is a lot of great talent here.

 

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI, USA Head Coach

On Jay Triano:

I can’t tell you how much I think of Jay Triano. For the last few years doing the (USA) Select Team, coming in to do this, that’s a heck of a thing. He has helped us tremendously in learning about the international game. He’s a really good man, not just a good coach for making this commitment.

 

What are you looking for here?

What we wanted to do was see how they would pick up a system real quick, share the ball, play defense, enthusiasm added to it, and I wasn’t here for the drills but everyone was really pleased. I thought Jay made a good call to just scrimmage for a little bit and probably change it a little bit tomorrow where we do more five-on-zero shooting so we can have a better scrimmage. You don’t want them to get hurt either for a 3-day period.

 

We’re looking for potential teammates for the guys that we have. When we figure out who we will eventually have we will have now gotten to know them, not just as pro players but as U.S. players and you get to meet them you get relationships. For me and Deron Williams, he and I are friends…so to start relationships with these guys and dependent on whether they’re in the 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 in Chicago – so it’s that type of thing and this is a good thing. It’s a great idea by Jerry (Colangelo).

 

Do you look more for what they do like what you just said or for specific positions toward the team?

A little bit of both. Especially at the point position. A big thing is versatility. In the international game what we’ve learned is the more versatile team you have, especially at the three and four, when they can do both, that adds a lot because so many fours in international ball play away from the basket and are really perimeter players so it’s a little different context that you deal in. You try to envision if we got all the guys we would like to have back who would complement the guys that we have.

 

What do you need now more than you had last time?

First of all, you have adjust to the fact that the guys who were our younger players are now our middle aged players, and the guys who were older are the older guys, so a little bit of youth along with that experienced veteran and you never know who is going to be with you because of family and injury – not so much commitment, that’s why it’s a pool. Where we had a pool of players before I think going forward we’ll have a pool of players and we’ll know what they can do. I think going forward that’s what we’re trying to do. That’s a big change, getting to know these guys more. I think that’s the biggest change, adding more depth to how we do this and that’s what you should do with continuity with Mike and Nate, myself and Jim along with Jerry , we’ve been together, this will be for the fourth year and that’s a good thing.

 

Jay Triano, 2009 USA NATIONAL TEAM COACH

About preparing for the mini-camp:

I asked him (Coach Krzyzewski) if you want me to run your stuff that you’re going to run next summer offensively and defensively, and terminology and stuff and he said “don’t spend time teaching them that, we can teach them that, we can teach them that in the future.” He goes, “I want to see who wants to play for their country. So keep it simple and let’s find out who’s got the intensity to show they want to represent their country.” That’s why it was a very simple practice, very easy, and I was pleased with the intensity

 

Kevin Durant looked very comfortable out there especially in the scrimmage. Can you sense he has a different confidence from the other 19 guys because of maybe his time with the selects (meaning when he played with the 2007 and 2008 USA Select Teams that trained against the USA National Team)?

Quite possibly. He’s been through through this routine, this is his third year now. Some guys are here for the first time, some for the second, he and Andre Iguodala are here for the third time. Obviously you feel more comfortable and I think that’s part of what this program that Mr. Colangelo has put together is about – building a program and making it a familiar thing to come here represent your country for part of the time in the summer and hopefully crack one of the teams.

 

Were you surprised by how many guys committed to come out even thought there may be only a handful of spots available?

It should be their dream regardless of how many spots are available. You never know. You don’t know if six guys are coming back, if three guys are coming back, or if nine of 12 guys are coming back. There’s going to be spots open. You know this isn’t about 2010 and 2012, these kids are young enough that 2014 and 2016 are possibilities for them. So get in the pipeline now, show that you’re interested, be here, play hard, play against your peers and play against the best competition you can anywhere, get better. There are a lot of reasons to be here.

 

Kevin Love, O.J. Mayo, Greg Oden Quotes: http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=09_mnt_mini_camp_quotes_01

Edited July 24, 2009 by The Goods

[Flash]

Beasley should be there.