New GM of the American selection, Grant Hill has an interesting outlook on international basketball as his career has accompanied Team USA’s slow decline on the international stage.
Arrived in the NBA two years after the Barcelona Olympic Games where the Dream Team reigned supreme, the former winger took part in the Atlanta Games before observing from further away the first “hooked” final against France in 2000 in Sydney, then the 2004 episode, without forgetting the notable failures at the 2002, 2006 Worlds.
“There is no longer this mystical side to playing against NBA players. At the time, opponents were always impressed to face a Charles Barkley or a Karl Malone. did he recognize. “It’s interesting to see how quickly the rest of the world has caught up. The Sydney Olympics in 2000 were marked by incredible fear. Then in 2002 and 2004 we lost”.
Team USA isn’t so scary anymore
Grant Hill notably cited Arvydas Sabonis or Dirk Nowitzki among the Europeans who have shown the way and contributed to completely changing the landscape of the NBA with many more players from all over the world.
“The game is changed. Our basketball in the NBA is starting to look like theirs. Skill and shooting have progressed. Today, 30% of NBA players are international players. There is still respect, but there is no longer the fear or dread that there was 27 years ago,” he added of his 1996 experience.
“You almost see a difference between some players who play in the NBA and who then go on to play for their respective countries. They become supermen
Now a manager, Grant Hill has perfectly grasped the specificities of FIBA basketball by composing a roster that may have surprised but which ultimately took off, with talent, but also players with character like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart or Bobby Portis.
“I like the physical side. I like this. It’s a bit more physical. Reminds me of the 90s in the NBA, the good old days,” he continued about Fiba basketball, which he would like to see democratized on 48-minute matches, like in the NBA. “I love passion. Playing for your country is even more important. We almost see a difference between some players who play in the NBA and who will then play for their respective countries. They become supermen. They play on another level and feel a certain pride that is hard to express. But what I appreciate the most is seeing these young people come together in a short time and accelerate the process of building a team, with the challenges that entails. And more importantly, they’ll come out of it with bonds, connections, and relationships that will last. This experience will forever unite this group for years to come.”
