USA Basketball Today
As the name suggests, USA Basketball is the national governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the United States. As the national governing body, USA Basketball is responsible for the selection and training of USA national teams that represent the USA in various international and national basketball competitions including: the Olympics World Championship, Under 22 World Championship, Pan American Games, World University Games, Junior World Championship and U.S. Olympic Festival.
While USA Basketball’s Dream Team I and Dream Team II caught the world’s fancy at the 1992 Olympics and 1994 World Championship, USA Basketball also fields numerous teams that compete in other various international competitions. All told, over 180 athletes proudly wore the red, white and blue USA Basketball uniforms in competitions held all over the world in 1994.
USA Basketball is actually an association made up of associations. USA Basketball active members include the Amateur Athletic Union, Continental Basketball Association, National Association of Basketball Coaches, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Federation of State High School Associations, National Junior College Athletic Association, National Pro-Am City Leagues, National Wheelchair Basketball Association, United States Armed Forces, and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
USA Basketball was organized in 1974 and known as the Amateur Basketball Association of the United States of America (ABAUSA). The name change from ABAUSA to USA Basketball occurred October 12,1989, shortly after the international Basketball Federation (FIBA) modified As rules to allow professional basketball players to participate in international competitions. USA Basketball then admitted the NBA as an active member and made the name change.
USA Basketball is governed by its six-member Executive Committee and its Board of Directors which are appointed and elected by active members. C. M. Newton, Director of Athletics at the University of Kentucky and a former very successful college basketball head coach, serves as President of USA Basketball for the 1992-96 term. Serving as USA Basketball’s Executive Director is Warren S. Brown, a former administrator for both the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
In addition to the selection and training of men’s and women’s basketball teams that represent the USA in international and national competitions, USA Basketball is also involved in the sanctioning of U.S. team tours of foreign countries, and foreign teams tours of the U.S.
A brief synopsis of the various competitions USA Basketball teams participate in includes:
Olympic Games:
Men’s and women’s Olympic basketball competition is held every four years. The USA men have captured the gold in 10 of the 12 Olympics they have participated in while the USA women have earned the gold in two of the past three Olympics. Atlanta, Georgia in 1996 is the next site of Olympic basketball competition.
FIBA World Championship:
Men’s and women’s basketball competition is held every four years at the World Championship. In basketball circles, the World Championship title is considered as prestigious as the Olympic title. The women’s World Championship was held this last summer in Sydney, Australia, and the men’s was held in August in Toronto, Canada. The women claimed the bronze medal in 1994 with a 7-1 record, while the U.S. men, represented by Dream Team II, collected the gold and boasted of an 8-0 record.
Pan American Games:
Started in 1951 for men and 1955 for women the Pan American Games are held every four years in tie year preceding the Olympics. Only countries from North, South and Central America are eligible to compete. The USA men have compiled an impressive 75-7 overall record in Pan American action, winning eight of a possible 12 gold medals. The USA women have won six of ten gold medals and rolled up a 58-7 record. The next Pan American Games are scheduled for 1999 in Winnipeg, Canada
World University Games:
The World University Games are held every two years and only current university student-athletes or recent graduates are eligible. The next World University Games competition will be held in August 1995 in Fukuota, Japan
Junior National Teams:
USA Basketball also fields men’s and women’s junior national teams. Men and women 19-years-old or younger are eligible for these junior teams which compete in Junior World Championships every four years and other tournaments which emphasize player development.
USA Basketball Select Teams:
In an attempt to continually develop younger talent USA Basketball sponsors men’s and women’s select teams that tour foreign countries in the hope of gaining valuable foreign experience and cultural exposure.
U. S. Olympic Festival:
In conjunction with the U.S. Olympic Committee, USA Basketball selects four regional basketball teams for both men and women that compete in the U.S. Olympic Festival. Now held biannually in odd number years (1995, 1997, 1999), the Olympic Festival offers the USA’s most promising newcomers a chance to gain Olympic-type competition experience. The 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival will be held July 21-30 in Denver Colorado. Eligibility for the men is limited to graduated high school athletes who have not yet entered their sophomore year of collegiate eligibility, while eligibility for the women is limited to athletes who have completed their junior year of high school and who are 20-years-old or younger.
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