#ProSportsChop: USA Basketball Roundtable – Gregg Popovich – October 24, 2015

Earlier this week, current USA Basketball Senior National Team coach Mike Krzyzewski announced that he would step down after the 2016 Olympics. USA responded by striking gold as they landed five-time NBA Championship coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs as Coach K’s replacement.

Here’s what USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo had to say about the decision, per the team’s official press release:

“I’m absolutely delighted to announce Gregg Popovich as head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team for 2017-20. There is no doubt in my mind that we have the great fortune of bringing on board one of the NBA’s best and most successful coaches ever to lead the USA National Team for the 2017-20 quadrennium. By making this decision now, it will allow us to have a clean, efficient and immediate transition following the 2016 Olympic Games.”

Per the same release, here’s Popovich’s reaction:

“I’m extremely humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent our country as the coach of the USA National Team…What the program has accomplished over the last decade under the leadership of Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski is truly impressive. I will do my utmost to maintain the high standards of success, class and character established by Jerry, Coach K and the many players who have sacrificed their time on behalf of USA Basketball.”

Here is reaction from our PSBPopCulture.com experts:

CLAY: This move is right in line with the type of decisions that Colangelo has executed since taking over as USAB director in 2005. He has been impressive with his forward thinking and has once again made USA Basketball a destination for both elite coaches and players. The youth levels have shown both consistency and production as well. My educated guess is that Popovich will guide the USA to the 2020 Gold Medal and probably step aside after that. It will be interesting to chart who the next coach will be. Will they go in the direction of a younger guy Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics coach) who will be 41 after the 2020 Olympics or choose another veteran leader like Coach K or Pop?

HEMINGWAY: The hiring of Spurs coach Popovich is a home run. There is no other coach that has worldwide respect like ‘Pop.’ His longevity and success in the NBA give him instant credibility among America’s top players. Plus his ability to get superstars to buy into roles makes this a union that will work. Add in the fact that Spurs have traditionally played an international style of basketball and Pop appears to be the perfect coach for the job.

MOORE: Looking at the changes USA Basketball has made over the last decade, it’s evident they are organization working hard to stay ahead of the curve as opposed to reacting and responding late in an ever changing industry. As represented by this summer’s USA mini-camp in Las Vegas, we now have a true national team pool. Unlike the late-90’s/early 2000’s when we were begging players to “give up” their summer and play with the national team, we now have players that are jumping at the opportunity to put on a USA jersey. This is a testament to the work done by Colangelo and Krzysewski. Right now, the U.S. National program is arguably in the best place it has been in it’s history. Popovich is the perfect choice as the standard bearer for continued future success into the next decade.

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

Keil Moore Keil Moore is a Philadelphia sports fan who loves the Eagles, 76ers and Phillies. He’s the go-to NBA League Pass subscriber in the PSBPopCulture.com. Moore will contribute his expertise to multiple categories on the site. He is the owner of Keil Moore Basketball, Inc. You can follow him on Twitter @KeilMoorePSB.


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Posted October 24, 2015 by admin in category "#BCSSportsChop

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