USA Basketball: 10 Ways They Can Adapt to International Play

The USA Basketball team wrapped up their five-game exhibition warm-up run on Tuesday with the start of the Olympics less than a week away. As predicted they won yet again, finishing their exhibition stretch a perfect 5-0.

The US team will now look to do the same in the group stage and go undefeated through the tournament to yet again assert their dominance. In fact, the last time the US team lost in FIBA-sanctioned international events was in the 2006 FIBA World Championship, falling to Greece in the semifinals.

Many reasons swirled around the US struggling from time-to-time, especially against Argentina and Spain, but in the end it was pretty much agreed upon that the biggest problem was the fact that they were expected to play under a different set of rules that favored a different style of basketball.

So, if the US were to try to adapt to this different, more "European" style of basketball, just what would they do exactly? Let's take a look.

Slow Down

One of the most noticeable problems the US had in the beginnings of the past five games came out when someone on their team was either trying to push the tempo or make their way to the rim with a burst of speed.

In the NBA, referees will allow players to start their full-blown sprint with a step before starting their dribble, opting for the excitement of the game over the ticky-tacky travel call. The FIBA referees, however, don't have the same leniency. 

During the exhibition against Spain, Kevin Durant alone had three travel calls whistled against him in the first quarter for getting his body moving before the ball, and he wasn't the only one.

This gave Spain a chance to get out to the big(ish) lead after the first quarter and forced the US to play catch-up for the next quarter.

Less Iso, More Movement

One of the big differences between the NBA and international basketball is how much less frequently isolation basketball is used as an offensive tactic.

Instead of making it a game of one-on-one basketball where everyone else clears out of the way for 20 possessions a game, the European and South American games are more dependent on team basketball with each player playing an integral role in moving the ball around in the offense.

Most international teams will use ball movement as a way to both wear down their opponent and mask any potential deficiencies they may have when it comes to the athleticism, speed or age of the players on the court, relying on teamwork and skill to get the ball to an open shooter or a cutting man.

Play the Zone

The international game doesn't frown on zone defense nearly as much as the NBA game, as the superstar element doesn't exist as much internationally.

One of the biggest reasons for the "three in the key" rule is that it loosens up defenses and allows for more scoring from star players who can zoom their way to the rim. 

FIBA rules, however, allows for true zone defenses and players can plant themselves in the lane as long as they please, regardless of whether they're guarding someone or not.

With the length that the US has on defense, paired with the stellar closeout speed and help defense that Tyson Chandler exhibits, the zone could break other teams if their shots don't fall, allowing for even bigger blowouts.

Unleash Kevin Love, James Harden

Kevin Love is nearly a prototypical European big man, all he needs is a bit more prowess and finesse in the post and he's there. James Harden, meanwhile, is the perfect European guard with his combination of size, speed, shooting ability, shiftiness, selflessness and court vision.

Love's long-range shot is perfect for the FIBA three-point line, still about 19 inches closer than the NBA three-point line, and with more playing time and more open shots he could end up dropping the rain on the rest of the world.

Harden, meanwhile, has the skill-set that most European guards have and is deceptively athletic like they are, matching up favorably with any point or shooting guard they could meet in terms of size and speed. Beyond that, he's got the best Euro-step in the game aside from Manu Ginobili, Dwyane Wade and possibly Chris Paul.

Speaking of the Euro-step...

Euro-Step All over the Place

If the US team really wants to fit in, they must embrace the Euro-step, which is kind of like the herky-jerky cousin of the crossover.

Instead of fooling the defender with the direction of the ball combined with the direction in which his body is moving, the ball handler unleashes the Euro-step on his way to the basket after picking up his dribble. With a defender firmly planted in position, a hard step in one direction and then a big lateral step in the other direction leads to an easier look at the rim while becoming harder to block.

Blend in, gain some notoriety from the international fans and straight up steal the most identifiable move ever to come from Europe, and then make it better. What better way is there to take down the international competition?

Flop

The NBA has been going this way for some time now, but whistles tend to get blown on embellishments more often than most people would like when it comes to guys taking charges.

However, there is one big difference between flopping in international play and flopping in the NBA.

With only five fouls to go around under FIBA rules, drawing a foul gains a huge advantage for the team drawing it, as it gets a player off the floor much quicker than it would under the NBA rules with six fouls per player.

If everybody gets their acting classes in, the US could get the best players on other teams in foul trouble quickly and then take the game over even easier than they already do.

Give Coach K the Reins for Everything

More so than in the NBA, coaches in the international game are the center of attention on both ends of the floor, barking out commands, throwing up hand signals and taking control of the team like a puppeteer.

On the one hand this allows for everyone on the floor to work under a single entity, getting everyone working in unison on defense and putting nobody above anyone else in terms of importance. On the other hand, it's puts a lot of weight on one guy's shoulders, and that one guy is wearing slacks and a belt instead of shorts and sneakers.

However, if the US wants to blend into the international game, then give the reins over to Mike Krzyzewski on every single play.

Grow out Some Hair, Throw on a Sasha Vujacic Headband

If this basketball team really wants to fit in on the international scene then the personal hairstylists are going to need to turn off the clippers.

We're going to need shaggy hair whipping behind half the guys on the team as they run down the court, of course held back by the wire-thin headband made popular in the NBA by guys like Sasha Vujacic and Luis Scola.

The best way to know your enemy is to be your enemy, so grow out the hair and become the guys of Argentina.

Continue the Unselfish Play

One of the most impressive elements of the USA game that has reared its head over the course of the five exhibition games is the selflessness with which everyone is playing so far.

This team realizes that individual accolades are pretty much meaningless in the Olympics, so the best thing to do is look for the best possible shot on every possession, rather than going into "hero mode" and hoping for the headlines.

A gold medal does much more for each player individually than would scoring 25 points per game and being the best player in the tournament and these guys know it, leading to a much more unselfish, European style of basketball.

Don't Adapt

After taking a look at what it would take to transform this team into an international team, it seems to make more sense to scrap the entire idea and dominate with speed, athleticism, ball movement and superior outside shooting like we've done for years now.

Some of the international game can be integrated, for sure, but there's no reason to completely adapt with the superior level of talent that resides on the USA team.

In fact, it seems to be time to dominate the competition so thoroughly that every other country starts to adapt to the US style of play. Either that or continue to be left in the dust.

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