A good quick read.
Even as Yahoo! Sports endorsed Doc Rivers last week to replace Mike Krzyzewski as the coach of USA Basketball, the website acknowledged Popovich should be the first choice.
So why not Popovich? His only sin is guilt by association. Popovich was an assistant for two dysfunctional U.S. teams, in 2002 and 2004.
Former Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, the one who revamped USA Basketball, likely understood an assistant can only do so much. But he never considered Popovich, and there are two explanations:
One, Colangelo wanted to start fresh. Or, two, Colangelo couldn't bring himself to reward a coach who kept beating his old Phoenix franchise in the playoffs.
When asked why he opted for Krzyzewski over Popovich, Colangelo came up with another explanation. He told a reporter this:
“I think (Popovich) had a bad taste in his mouth regarding his most recent experiences with USA Basketball, some bitterness, and that came out in my conversation with him. He seemed burned out by it. ... He just wasn't as enthusiastic as Mike.”
Popovich let it go until the theme began to be repeated. That's when he famously sent a letter to Colangelo, copying it to NBA officials and others, telling him to cease spreading the perception that he was ever ambivalent about coaching his country's national team.
He honestly deserves it more than Doc.I guarantee he would not allow the players to be jumping up and down like a bunch of senior high school kids scoring on a freshman team.And would not allow someone on his team like Anthony "Undeserving" Davis.
