Men's basketball: Back in fashion

After dominating the Olympic basketball world in 1992, 1996 and 2000, a disappointing third-place finish at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games left the U.S. men's basketball team in Beijing last summer with a chip on its shoulder.

They called themselves The Redeem Team.

And from the moment they became a team they carried the weight of heavy expectations. The grueling practices exhausted the players, but they redeemed themselves all right and didn't have to break much of a sweat during the Games.

Led by coach Mike Krzyzewski-also known as Coach K, the respected coach of 29 years at Duke University-Team USA entered the Olympic competition with the energy, competitiveness and drive that would eventually push them to the gold medal. The Redeem Team left China with a perfect 8-0 record in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

This U.S. basketball team often was compared to the Dream Team of the 1992 Olympic Games --- the first time the Games included NBA players and the U.S. team featured superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The Redeem Team had its share of stars, too, with Cleveland's LeBron James and Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant, but proved that dreams can be very different.

In the years following the initial NBA Olympic experiment in 1992, the world's teams had been catching up, and unlike the Dream Team, which coasted through to the gold medal --- pounding on weakling opponents such as Angola --- the Redeem Team did not have much margin for error. Four members of the Redeem Team --- James, Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer and Dwayne Wade --- knew that firsthand having played for Team USA in 2004.

What set the Redeem Team apart from previous Olympic teams with NBA stars was its preparation for the Games. With Coach K at the helm, there were no Xs or Os that weren't going to found and followed.

"Man, I felt so tired after some of the practices," said Tayshaun Prince, a forward for Team USA who also plays for the Detroit Pistons. "My body ached and my bones were tired. It was worth it because when the games started, we were ready. Instead of banging on each other, we got to take out our aggression on another team. I just felt like we were so ready to play every game."

They sure were.

The Redeem Team opened with victories in pool play, including one against world champion Spain. In the semifinals, Team USA had to face Argentina, which was led by NBA star Manu Ginobili and which had captured the 2004 Olympic title.

Team USA won all eight games it played and won by an average of 27.9 points. Only when the Americans faced Spain in the gold-medal game did Team USA receive a scare. In that matchup, Team USA held on for a hard-fought 118-107 victory. In fact, Spain's 107 points marked the most ever scored against a U.S. senior national team.

Still, it was a victory. And after dominating the opposition, the U.S. wasn't going to quibble about beating a team by 11 points.

"We got the gold medal, and that's what counted," Prince said. "Even though it was close, I never felt like we were in serious trouble. Call it confidence, but I had so much belief in my teammates. We had come so far through the Olympics. There was no way we were going to let anything slip away. Not with a gold medal ready for us."

And unlike the Dream Team, which was criticized for being such megastars that they didn't fit in the rest of the Olympians, the Redeem Team players often were seen hanging out with other Olympic athletes and attending various events. Fans and athletes alike were in awe of their presence. Even track star Tyson Gay asked for Bryant's autograph when he spotted the Los Angeles Lakers star in the gym.

Bryant received some of the loudest ovations when a close up of him was displayed on the JumboTron in Beijing's Bird's Nest --- the cheers rivaled those of China's basketball hero, Yao Ming. Bryant and James also caught some of the swimming competition and witnessed Michael Phelps capturing his record eighth gold medal in the 4 x 100 medley relay.

It was clear that the players enjoyed their experience in Beijing.

"It was an experience I'll never forget," Prince said. "I've always been on winning teams in high school, college and the NBA. To win a gold medal in the Olympics was something which was almost too incredible to explain."

It might also be an experience that will relive.

Krzyzewski announced last month that he will return for the 2012 London Olympic Games, as will his coaching staff with New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, Portland Trail Blazers coach Nate McMillan and Syracuse University coach Jim Boeheim. The coaching staff will be patrolling the sidelines in next summer's world championships and all the way through the Olympic Games.

"I think having such a strong staff is crucial," Krzyzewski said. "Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan are brilliant coaches with experience well beyond the NBA game. Jim Boeheim, in addition to being one of my very best friends, is a mastermind. Having that support on the bench is something which can't be measured."

Krzyzewski didn't need a gold medal to further secure his legacy. That was already locked up with three NCAA championships and a Hall of Fame status. He didn't need to be redeemed.

But the challenge was in front of him, and those who know Krzyzewski know that he's always looking for the newest challenge.

"He didn't look like a 60-year-old coach, I can tell you that," Prince said of Krzyzewski, who is now 62. "He had so much energy that he was practically bouncing around the court some days in practice. We, as players, fed off that energy. We wanted to give the same effort that he was giving. We were all in it together and that was for a gold medal. But I thought the energy was contagious."

By winning the gold medal, Krzyzewski was able to join Hall of Famer Bobby Knight as the only two coaches in history to have three NCAA championships and an Olympic gold medal.

"Jerry Colangelo entrusted me with a job and I was honored to accept it," Krzyzewski said. "I don't look at the numbers or anything like that. To be given such an incredible opportunity was something I'll always be thankful for. The assistant coaches, support staff and players did such a great job. They earned a gold medal. I look at it like it was a team effort. I was just honored to be a part of it."

He'll continue to be a part of it as the 2010 world championships approach in Turkey. If the Americans win the tournament, they'll receive an automatic berth in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

"I think we're really focused on this challenge," Krzyzewski said. "I know I am and I know how committed the players are.''

For Krzyzewski, life is all basketball all the time.

"For me personally, I'm not a golfer,'' he said. "I'm a coach. That's what I do. I do it the way I've always done it and that's with incredible passion. I feel great. I feel incredibly energized and ready for the challenge."

Krzyzewski is the first U.S. coach to guide more than one Olympic team since Henry Iba.  Iba captured gold medals in 1964 and 1968 and then coached the 1972 team, which lost a gold medal in controversial fashion to the Soviet Union.

Krzyzewski got Team USA back on track in Beijing. He hopes the momentum that started in China only will continue.

"I think the players understand the job they have to do," Krzyzewski said. "It's an awesome challenge, but it's so fulfilling. They want to show the world what USA Basketball is all about."

They made quite a strong statement about that in Beijing.

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Andy Jasner is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of the United States Olympic Committee or any National Governing Bodies.