Jerry Colangelo Re-Elected Chair Of USA Basketball Board Of Directors For Second Term

-- 2013-16 USA Basketball Board Of Directors Announced --

Colorado Springs, Colo. • Nov. 13, 2012

Jerry Colangelo, 2009-12 USA Basketball chairman and managing director of USA Basketball’s 2006-08 and 2009-12 men’s national teams, has been re-elected chairman of USA Basketball’s Board of Directors for the 2013-16 term. The announcement was made following completion of Tuesday’s USA Basketball annual Board of Directors meeting in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

Also announced as members of the 11-member 2013-16 USA Basketball Board of Directors were: NBA appointees Kim Bohuny, NBA Senior Vice President, Basketball Operations-International; and Mark Tatum, NBA Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships; NCAA appointees Dan Gavitt, NCAA Vice President of Men’s Basketball Championships; Mark Lewis, NCAA Executive Vice President of Championships and Alliances; and Chris Plonsky, University of Texas Women's Athletics Director and Senior Associate Athletic Director of Men's/Women's Athletics External Services; Scholastic Director Bob Gardner, National Federation of State High School Associations Executive Director; At-large/ Independent Director Billy Hunter, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association; National Organizations Representative Jim Carr, NAIA President and Chief Executive Officer; and athlete representatives Chauncey Billups, co-captain of USA Basketball’s 2010 World Championship gold medalist team, and Katie Smith, three-time Olympic gold medalist (2000, 2004 and 2008) and three-time FIBA World Championship medalist (1998 gold, 2002 gold, 2006 bronze).

“I’m excited to again serve USA Basketball as chairman for the next four years,” said Colangelo. “I’m proud of the many successes USA Basketball’s coaches and players achieved over the past four years and I’m looking forward to helping keep that momentum going.  We were not only successful in competitions, but in the manner in which everyone associated with USA Basketball represented our country on and away from the court. We focused on showing the utmost respect for the competitions and for our international opponents.

“Four years ago I remarked that there is a great legacy at USA Basketball and my goal was to continue growing the legacy and to continue growing the game on every level and that will remain the case the next four years.”

The USA Basketball Board of Directors is comprised of three Professional Directors (appointed by the NBA); three Collegiate Directors (appointed by the NCAA); two Athlete Representatives (elected by active athletes); one Scholastic Director (appointed by the National Federation of High School Associations); one At-Large/ Independent Director (nominated by the Nominating & Governance Committee and elected by the Board of Directors); and one Organizational Member Director (elected by other members of USA Basketball that meet the Amateur Sports Act’s definition of National Competition Organizations).

USA Basketball’s Nominating & Governance Committee currently consists of former USA Basketball president and former NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik; University of Delaware Director of Athletics and 2009-13 USA Basketball Board of Directors member Bernard Muir; and 2009-13 USA Basketball Board of Directors athlete representative and 2000 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Steve Smith.

JERRY COLANGELO
Named on Nov. 12, 2008, chairman of USA Basketball’s Board of Directors for the 2009-12 quadrennium, Colangelo’s first involvement with USA Basketball began on April 27, 2005, when he was announced as the managing director of the then newly organized USA Basketball Men’s National Team program.

Taking control of the USA National Team program that had not won a major international competition since 2000, Colangelo confidently rebuilt the program from the bottom up. Obtaining the involvement of the NBA’s top players, and securing the involvement of some of basketball’s most respected coaches, Colangelo’s first step in his rebuilding process was naming Duke University’s Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski as the USA National Team head coach. 

Since Colangelo took charge of the national team, the USA men have compiled a remarkable 62-1 win-loss record and have claimed gold medal finishes at the 2012 London Olympics, 2010 FIBA World Championship, 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2007 FIBA Americas Championship.

Returning in 2009 for a second four-year term as the national team’s managing director, Colangelo convinced Coach K to return for a second run as well and the pair led the program to a sterling 26-0 record. The national team got the quad off to a golden start when the USA finished 9-0 to win the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. It was the USA’s first World Championship gold medal finish since 1994. Two years later, the U.S. rolled to a perfect 8-0 record to capture Olympic gold and conclude his second quadrennium.

During his first term as managing director, the 2006-08 USA National Team program compiled a striking 36-1 overall win-loss record, and just as importantly reestablished the USA team as positive ambassadors for the United States and the sport.

The USA culminated the 2005-2008 quadrennium by finishing 8-0 to reclaim the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It was the USA’s first gold in a major international competition since 2000.  The USA National Team also won the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship with a 10-0 record to qualify the U.S. for the 2008 Olympic Games. In the program’s first year, the U.S. captured the bronze medal with an 8-1 record at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.

Colangelo was the face of the NBA Phoenix Suns franchise since their inaugural season in 1968 through 2012. While with the Suns, his roles have included general manager, head coach, president, managing general partner, chief executive officer and chairman. His 43-year tenure with Phoenix that came to an end in 2012 was at the time the longest in the NBA.

His impact on the game of basketball has been so significant he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in April 2004.  On Nov. 4, 2007, Colangelo became the 12th member of the Phoenix Suns' Ring of Fame, the club’s most elite group.

The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com in February 2012 selected Colangelo as one of Phoenix's 15 all-time most influential citizens. The Arizona Republic also named him the Most Influential Sports Figure in Arizona for the 20th century, and the Phoenix Business Journal regularly voted him among its “Most Influential” business persons. Nationally, Colangelo was frequently found among The Sporting News’ list of the most powerful people in sports.

Colangelo was recognized by Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon who proclaimed March 26, 2004, Jerry Colangelo Day in the city of Phoenix. The Valley of the Sun United Way also bestowed its highest honor, the Spirit of Caring award, to Colangelo on June 30, 2005, for his passion for improving lives in the community.

He brought Major League Baseball to the Phoenix in 1998 and served as Chairman and CEO of the 2001 World Series champion Arizona Diamondbacks. Going from expansion team to World Series champion in just four years was a record for Major League Baseball. Arizona won the National League West in just its second season to become the fastest expansion team in baseball history to qualify for the postseason, just as the Suns did in their second season in 1969-70.

Colangelo also was the key element in facilitating the move of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets to Arizona in 1996, where they became the Phoenix Coyotes. 

Chairman of the NBA’s Board of Governors from 2001 through 2005, Colangelo added to his NBA involvement with a position on the founding committee for the WNBA, helping advance professional women's basketball in the U.S.  The Phoenix Mercury were one of the WNBA's inaugural teams in 1997.

USA BASKETBALL
Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection; training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions.

Serving since January 2001 as USA Basketball's CEO/Executive Director is Jim Tooley, who has been with USA Basketball since 1993.

USA Basketball is an organization made up of organizations.  There are five member categories – Professional; Collegiate; Scholastic; Youth; and Associate.  All told, 21 organizations are members of USA Basketball.  Member organizations of the professional category include: Continental Basketball Association; National Basketball Association; National Basketball Association Development League; and the Women's National Basketball Association.  Member organizations of the collegiate category include: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics; National Collegiate Athletic Association; and the National Junior College Athletic Association.  Member of the scholastic category is the National Federation of High Schools. Member of the Youth committee is the Amateur Athletic Union. Member organizations of the associate category include: Athletes In Action; Basketball Travelers; College Commissioners Association; Harlem Globetrotters; Latin America League of Los Angeles; National Association of Basketball Coaches; National Basketball Players Association; National Junior College Basketball Coach Association; National Junior College Women’s Coach Association; National Wheelchair Basketball Association; USA Deaf Sports Federation; United States Armed Forces; and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

During the 2009-12 quadrennium, 1273 men and women players and 235 coaches participated in USA Basketball, including the USA Basketball 3x3 FIBA championships, USA Basketball trials and USA teams. 

Between 2009-12, USA Basketball men's and women's teams compiled an impressive 264-35 win-loss record in FIBA and FIBA Americas competitions, the Pan American Games, the World University Games, the Nike Hoop Summit and in exhibition games. USA teams are the current men's and women's champions in the Olympics, men's and women's FIBA World Championships; women’s FIBA U19 World Champions; men's and women's FIBA U17 World Champions; and the men's and women's U18 and U16 FIBA Americas Championships.

USA Basketball also currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA's world ranking categories, including combined, men's, women's, boys and girls.

Officially formed in 1974 and known as the Amateur Basketball Association of the United States of America (ABAUSA), prior chairman/presidents of either USA Basketball or ABAUSA include: Colangelo (2009-2012); Val Ackerman (2005-2008); Tom Jernstedt (2001-2004); Russ Granik (1997-2000); C.M. Newton (1993-1996); David R. Gavitt (1989-1992); Brice B. Durbin (1983-1988); Edward S. Steitz (1981-1984); George Killian (1977-1980) and Clifford B. Fagan (1971-1976).