Inside 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.

USA Basketball is an organization made up of organizations. There are five member categories:

Professional:

• National Basketball Association
• National Basketball Association Development League
• Women's National Basketball Association

Collegiate:

• National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
• National Collegiate Athletic Association
• National Junior College Athletic Association

Scholastic:

• National Federation of State High School Associations

Youth:

• Amateur Athletic Union.

Associate:

• Athletes In Action
• Basketball Travelers
• College Commissioners Association
• Harlem Globetrotters
• Latin-American Basketball 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
• Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

USA Basketball was organized in 1974 and known as the Amateur Basketball Association of the United States of America (ABAUSA). The name change to USA Basketball occurred Oct. 12, 1989, shortly after FIBA modified its rules to allow professional basketball players to participate in international competitions. USA Basketball then admitted the NBA as an active member and made the change.

USA Basketball is governed by an 11-member Board of Directors. Jerry Colangelo, 2005-2012 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Managing Director and current Chairman of the NBA Phoenix Suns, served as Chair of the USA Basketball Board of Directors for the 2009-2012 term and was re-elected for a second term and will serve in the same role through 2016. Additional members of the 11-member 2013-16 USA Basketball Board of Directors are: 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).

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

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.

The competitions in which USA teams regularly compete include the Olympics, FIBA World Championships, FIBA Americas Championships, Pan American Games, World University Games, U19 and U17 World Championships, and the Nike Hoop Summit.

USA Basketball also sanctions U.S. basketball team tours of foreign countries and foreign basketball team tours of the U.S., as well as oversees the certification of FIBA and USA Basketball officials and the assignment of those officials to international competitions, and the licensing of players to play professionally overseas.

A brief synopsis of the various competitions USA Basketball teams participate in includes:

Olympic Games
Men's and women's Olympic basketball competition is held every four years (2016, 2020, etc.). The USA captured double gold at the 2012 London Olympics with both the men's and women's teams compiling 8-0 records. The USA men have captured the gold in 14 of the 17 Olympics in which they have competed and compiled an incredible 130-5 record. The USA women have earned the gold in seven of the past eight Olympics, including five consecutive, and boast of a sterling 58-3 record. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the site of the 2016 OlympicSummer Games.

FIBA World Cups/World Championships
FIBA holds World Championships at the senior level every four years (2014, 2018, etc.). Unlike the Olympics when 12 teams participate, 24 countries compete in the World Cup for Men and 16 teams participate in the World Championship for Women. The World Championship title is considered as prestigious as the Olympic title. The USA men compiled a perfect 9-0 record to capture the gold medal at the 2010 World Championship in Turkey, and the USA women also claimed gold in 2010 with an unblemished 9-0 record in the Czech Republic. The next FIBA World Cup/World Championship are scheduled for 2014 in Spain for the men and Turkey for the women.

Pan American Games
Started in 1951 for men and 1955 for women, the Pan American Games are held every four years (2015, 2019, etc.) in the year preceding the Olympics. Only countries from FIBA Americas are eligible to compete. The USA men have compiled an impressive 87-15 overall record, winning eight of a possible 15 gold medals, while the USA women have won seven of 13 gold medals, including 2007, and rolled up a 74-14 record. The next Pan American Games is slated to take place in 2014 in Toronto, Canada.

World University Games
The World University Games are held for men and women every two years (2013, 2015, etc.), only current university student-athletes or recent graduates are eligible. The USA men in 20 appearances have collected 13 gold, three silver and three bronze medals, and the women in 16 appearances have won eight gold, six silver and one bronze medal. The 2013 World University Games are scheduled for Karzan, Russia.

U19 / U18 Championships
USA Basketball also fields men's and women's national teams for players 19-years-old or younger. FIBA now holds U19 World Championships every two years (2013 for men and women). In 2011 the USA women finished 8-1 and captured gold, the USA men placed fifth with a 7-2 mark. USA Basketball also fields teams featuring players 18-years-old or younger for FIBA Americas Zone U18 qualifying tournaments, which take place in the summer preceding the U19 Worlds. In 2012 the USA men and women captured gold with perfect 5-0 marks at their respective FIBA Americas U18 Championships to qualify fo the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championships.

U17 / U16 Championships
USA Basketball fields men's and women's national teams for players 17-years-old or younger. FIBA now conducts a U17 World Championship for men and women every two years (2014, 2016, erc.). USA Basketball also selects national teams featuring players 16-years-old or younger for FIBA Americas Zone U16 qualifying tournaments that are held every other year (2013, 2015, etc.).In 2012 both the USA men and women U17 teams brought home gold medals with perfect 8-0 marks from the FIBA U17 Worlds.

Hoop Summit
The Nike Hoop Summit is the country's premiere annual basketball game featuring America's top boy high school aged players taking on a World Select Team comprised of top players 19-years-old or younger from around the world. Played each April, the USA enjoys an 11-4 series lead. First contested in 1995, the 2013 Nike Hoop Summit will be played on April 13 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon.

3x3 World Championships
FIBA in 2012 conducted the inaugural 3x3 World Championship for men and women in Athens, Greece, and is planning on holding the 3x3 Worlds every other year (2014, 2016, etc.). In 2012 the USA women went undefeated to win the gold medal with a 9-0 mark, while the USA men finished with a 5-2 record and in seventh place. Further, FIBA includes skills competitions in the three-day event with a skills challenge, dunk contest and shootout. The USA's Skylar Diggins won the silver medal in the skills contest and Adesanya Adetayo won the silver medal in the dunk contest in 2012. The FIBA 3x3 World Championship is open to athletes of all ages.

3x3 U18 World Championships
Dubbed the FIBA 3x3 Youth World Championship in 2011, FIBA changed the name to the U18 3x3 World Championship and made it an annual event. Held in Alcobendas, Spain, in 2012, the USA women compiled a 7-1 record en route to the gold medal, while the USA men earned the silver medal with an 8-2 mark. Skills contests, including a dunk contest, 3-point shootout and a 2-ball contest, are a component of the weekend's events and the USA's Rondaé Hollis-Jefferson earned a bronze medal in the dunk contest.

USA Basketball
5465 Mark Dabling Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80918-3842
(719) 590-4800
fanmail @ usabasketball.com