1. First thing Coach K did was create a 30-man roster create competition.
2. All the players were required to make three-year commitment to the team.
3. Players had to give up three summers to be a member of team.
4. The first year Coach K said it was about “establishing culture and values.”
5. International Tournaments were scheduled to bring team together.
6. In Vegas, Coach K asked the players to create a list of goals and the values to live by.
7. Coach K said “This exercise was designed to create an identity, and sense of purpose for the club”
8. In a team meeting the players established what is now called “The Gold Standards.”
- Never make excuses
- Always play great defense
- Make the effort to play great defense is the key to winning the gold medal
- Do what hard to win
- Always look each other eye when communicating
- Always be truthful with each other
- We have to trust each other
- We are committed to each other and winning
- Care and serve one another
- Respect each other and our opponents
- Always do what right, be on time
- Make the time to prepare to win
- Play smart, take good shot
- Stay out of foul problems
- Study the scouting reports for our opponents
- Be flexible
- No one complains
- Share the ball
- Make the extra pass
- Care about one another
- Poise
- Our value is not measure in playing time
- Team is what is important
- We will always play aggressive
- Everyone practices good
- We are the best team in the world and we represent our country at all times
9. Coach K plan was to create environment to bring players together.
10. Coach K said, “It takes time, it does not just happen to build the right culture.”
11. Coach K said, “Players have to be shown and feel, that how brotherhood is developed.”
12. In 2006 the team visited members of US Armed Forces
-
Soldiers in Las Vegas
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Troops stationed at Korea’s Yongsan
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Army Base
Camp Casey
13. The team listen to motivational speeches from:
- Magic Johnson
- Doug Collins
- Col. Bob Brown injured U.S. war veterans
14. Off the court, Coach K wanted the players to take in the entire Olympic experience.
- Players attend many other sporting events
- Cheering for fellow American athletes
- Made themselves available to Chinese fans
- Were out and about in the Olympic village
15. Coach K. stressed over a three year period leading up to the Olympic, “It was not so much about X’s and O’s but about core values. Coach K team showed these values to world winning the Gold Medal in 2008.
“He wanted me to be who I am — be a scorer, shoot it, shoot it, and shoot it. We want you to be who you are.” – Kobe Bryant speaking about Mike Krzyzewski.