Golden Compass: What direction does USA Basketball go from here?

USA Basketball Proves the 'B-Team' does just fine (Getty Images) Over two weeks and several games, this version of the USA basketball set out with a lot of questions and plenty to prove on a quest for their first world championship in 16 years. With top players from the "Redeem Team" that recaptured gold in the Beijing Olympics sitting out for various reasons, the questions were simple:

USA Basketball Proves the 'B-Team' does just fine (Getty Images) Over two weeks and several games, this version of the USA basketball set out with a lot of questions and plenty to prove on a quest for their first world championship in 16 years. With top players from the "Redeem Team" that recaptured gold in the Beijing Olympics sitting out for various reasons, the questions were simple: Could this young team of little to no international experience stand up to a world that had already shown its capability of defeating the U.S. at its own game. Thanks to Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and a veteran presence on the rosters, those questions are now over. After its 81-64 blowout win over host Turkey in the 2010 FIBA World Championships gold medal game yesterday, the outlook and high hopes for 2012 Summer Olympics in London begin right now. Full aware of their stigma of being the United States' B-Team', this team that featured many of the NBA's young stars played with discipline, guile and confidence in reestablishing its base of power. We got our first glimpse of this team's moxie in a pre-tournament exhibition against Spain in Madrid, the defending world champions and considered to be the United States biggest challenge. After a 2nd half charge that knotted the game late, Bulls PG Derrick Rose drove into the basket in the last minute and finished with the left hand to put the US by a bucket. In the final minute, Rose sunk four clutch free-throws to help the U.S. to a close win over their rivals. Throughout the tournament, the story was the showcase by MVP Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant, who is slated to be the NBA's next big superstar. With a U.S. team that was short on size in the frontcourt. Durant flexed his versatility while averaging 22.8 points per game, knocking down jumpers and consistently finishing at the rim against a field that had no match for him defensively. Durant went to heights no other player who laced it up for USA Basketball never traveled, scoring a program-record 38 points in the semifinal win 89-74 over Lithuania. Also, Durant's underrated defense helped spur an impressive effort throughout the tournament by this young team. Aside from Durant, this team had plenty of young and talented players who stepped up to the plate. Derrick Rose proved to be too fast and skilled for most international point guards and Durant's Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook always provided a spark off of the bench including a spectacular effort against Russia in the quarterfinals where his defense helped spur Team USA to a victory. Players like Sixers F Andre Iguodala and Clippers PG Eric Gordon performed admirably in spot duties on the international stage. Not to be understated are the contributions of Lakers F Lamar Odom and Pistons PG Chauncey Billups, who provided the veteran leadership. Billups was the steadying force at the point, as Jason Kidd in '08 and Odom provided a much-needed boost in the frontcourt for a U.S. squad that lacked a true center. A huge part of the credit has to go not only to Coach K, who won his first world championship as U.S. head coach after two bronzes in his previous tries but USA Basketball head Jerry Colangelo. Since the embarrassments in 2002 at FIBA worlds and the '04 Olympics, the format of a three-year commitment implemented by Colangelo and Co. has made all the difference. The decline of performances of the United States began to decline as the rest of the world caught up on how to play the game on its highest level. USA Basketball finally stopped treating the international game like an exhibition and actually started building a program that will apex at the Olympic Games yet again in London. By having players commit to playing for their country and with each other, it built cohesion for the team to act as a unit and not a pseudo-All Star team. Pairing the talents of the U.S.'s best with the perfect conductor in Krzyzewski was the light bulb coming on in the closet. It's arguable that Coach K did a better job coaching this team than his 2008 gold medalists. Now, two years away from the youth of the world assembling in London, USA Basketball will have a new crop of players who stake their claims towards a first-time repeat since Sydney in 2000. Colangelo has already said that he will welcome Redeem Team members back to London, but with more practice and coaching, why can't this current squad be the one to represent the United States? Granted, the calls and reward for glory will entice names such as Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Williams and Paul back to the limelight. However, if you paid any attention during this tournament, you would have to think that you stick a true center such as Dwight Howard into this squad and they would be just as favored in the Olympics. Players like Durant, Westbrook and Rose have shown that they are the best in the world and would not accept second-best, even if most thought of them of second best for USA Basketball.