Marquette University Athletics
Coach Crean Reflects on USA Basketball Experience
6/11/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 11, 2001
Marquette Basketball Coach Tom Crean recently returned from Colorado Springs, Col., where he served as a court coach for USA Basketball Team Trials for the World University Games and World Championships For Young Men. In the following interview, he expresses his thoughts regarding his time spent with USA Basketball
Q: Talk about your experiences as a court coach working with USA Basketball at the National Team Trials.
A: It was something that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was excited to have the opportunity to do something like that and honored when I was chosen. To go through the whole experience for three days was really worthwhile. I thought that it was a first-class operation and run top-shelf all the way from start to finish. The people at USA Basketball are tremendous and the coaches I had a chance to work with were outstanding. And, last but not least, working with some of the top players in America was great for me. I learned a lot about what makes some of them special and what our team could use to improve.
Q: What were some of your duties?
A: I had a chance to work with the big players during all the drill work and Jerry Dunn (will serve as the head coach of the USA World University Games Team) oversaw that aspect of it while Jim Boeheim (will serve as the head coach of the USA Young Men's World Championship Team) oversaw what was going on with the guards. I enjoyed that because I was able to work some of the premier big men in college who the pros haven't gobbled up. Outside of drill work and having 10-12 minute games with our players, that was the bulk of it. As far as the evaluation process, there were other people there -- the selection committee to select the players, but we certainly had a feel for who was performing well and who deserved to be selected. I thought that the whole process was very well organized.
Q: You talked about some of the great players you were able to work with. Was there anybody who stood out in your mind as these teams prepare for international competition?
A: I thought our league was well represented with Earl Barron from Memphis and Altron Jackson from South Florida. Although Alton didn't make it, he showed flashes of being a real good player. Earl did make it as one of the finalists and I think that he is going to be outstanding. There were so many players involved and even the ones who didn't make it did an excellent job and are people we will be hearing quite a bit about next year.
If I had to single out one player, I'll stick with one who is from the state of Wisconsin. I thought Caron Butler was excellent. I thought that he competed and really played to win day in and day out. I was very impressed with the way he went about things. But, then again, there were so many good players that participated who are going to be very good for their teams and very good at the next level as time goes on.
Q: For a coach as yourself who really enjoys the x's and o's of the game, did the opportunity present itself for you to get with the other coaches and talk about the game, whether it centered your programs, strategy, recruiting, or other aspects of the sport?
A: Selfishly, that was one of the things that I was looking forward to most and something that I really enjoyed. When you are surrounded by coaches like Jim Boeheim, Jerry Dunn, Jim O'Brien from Ohio State, Tubby Smith from Kentucky and Dan Sparks from Vincennes Junior College, and all the people I had the opportunity to work with as a court coach, I think that you are going to be surrounded by some top-notch people. I was able to make new friendships with people like Rod Barnes from Ole Miss, Rob Evans from Arizona State, Oliver Purnell from Dayton and certainly Terry Holland, who is the director of the committee, as well as the USA Basketball people. It was a chance to learn and pick brains and to get ideas from people.
Q: What would you take back to your players at Marquette from your experience at Colorado Springs?
A: I think the biggest thing is that strength is so crucial. I thought the bodies of the players out there showed that they had done a lot of work in the weight room. We have said all along that the offseason is when you build your team and when players become better. I look at Carlos Boozer from Duke for example -- I hardly recognized him. Dahntay Jones, who is also at Duke after transferring from Rutgers, was someone that those familiar with him couldn't believe how his body had changed. I think that the elite programs are at it 12 months a year, 52 weeks per year. That is what Marquette has to get to. Our players have to understand how hard you have to work. We have to get better talent wise and I think that we are. As far as being on the right road for bringing in the right type of players to Marquette and bringing in the versatility, I think that we're there. Our players just need to be the hardest workers they can be and continue to get better just like all the kids did at USA Basketball.
Q: Will there be more USA Basketball responsibilities in your future?
A: That's something that is up to the committee in due time. I'm just honored to have the opportunity to do it once and look back at it as a great experience
