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How the international basketball community stole USA’s dominance

One of the great features of basketball is that it was invented in the United States. One of the great downfalls of basketball in America is that basketball was invented here.

Since 1891, American basketball has claimed superiority over the world. Recently, however, the world has not only caught up with but has surpassed the United States in many ways, including the recent failures of the United States in global competition.

So what happened?

The coaching profession has been taken very seriously by European countries ever since. Our commitment to training quality has matched or exceeded your efforts. Over time, as they continued to train athletes in specific skills, we began to deteriorate the quality of our game.

How did this happen?

Several factors have contributed to the decline of the United States as a basketball powerhouse. None of these factors alone can be blamed for the fall, but they are all to blame.

A. Changes in society result in changes in our approach to discipline, training, and quality instruction.

B. The evolution of a skill development model mixed with team play gave way to team play as an endgame. The analogy of the cart before the horse fits here.

The C. AAU as an entity has been an ally of basketball in our country for many years and will continue to be so. His contribution to our nation’s relegation lies in the quality of training that has infiltrated the world of AAU basketball. AAU is not in charge of training basketball players, but providing a competitive national venue for team competition. Many are quick to blame AAU for our game’s current woes, but they are wrong to point the finger. However, without an element of quality control, AAU has allowed coaches to become involved who are very poorly prepared and motivated in the spirit of the game and maintaining its quality. Until we mandate quality through a certification process, this downward spiral towards mediocrity will continue.

D. Lack of consistent teaching of the game by all involved. I point out the goal of basketball camps in the 1970s and 1980s compared to the quality of camps today. The commitment to teach the game is day and night. How did this happen? It is a question. The bigger question is “What are we going to do as a basketball nation about it?”

E. The NBA has done its share of the damage, most of it by omission. In an article I wrote, How Michael Jordan killed the game I point out how his game, as brilliant and impressive as it was, played a significant role in changing the way young people viewed the game of basketball. Did the fundamentals go out the window because of Michael Jordan? No. But he provided the first opportunity for all of us to allow our commitment to fundamentals-based basketball to be sacrificed. The game is not to blame, although an analysis of the following makes you very suspicious; George Mikan to Pistol Pete to the NBA Slam Dunk contest to the “Drop your head off and drive” mentality to today’s era of obscene money and individual rights. Michael Jordan’s impact on the game is as positive as 10 to 1. The injury that resulted was the responsibility of all of us who love the game to stop and fail.

F. General lack of responsibility as a society. This is more of a social issue, but when players were no longer required to raise their hands after fouling, the game reflected a lack of full responsibility for their actions.

These six factors contributed to the current state of the game. I think by allowing anyone to coach any basketball team we are shooting ourselves in the foot.

Accountants, doctors, sports trainers, teachers, police officers, businessmen, nurses, and sports officials are subject to continuous quality in their respective fields through the certification process. In light of the six factors above and our loss of world basketball dominance, how could anyone question a move toward certifying basketball coaches at all levels?

The ball is in our court!