USA Basketball announced on Saturday that Grant Hill will be the Managing Director for the USA Basketball Men’s National Team.
Consequently former Basketball Player and NBA hall of fame will replace current Managing Director, Jerry Colangelo.
“Grant is a proven leader of consequence and character who will continue to help us achieve our twin goals of winning international competitions
And representing our country with honor,” USA Basketball Board of Director chairman and retired Gen.
Martin Dempsey said, “In making this announcement, I also want to emphasize how much everyone associated with USA Basketball appreciates Jerry Colangelo.
For everything, he did for USA Basketball over the past 15 years.”
Meanwhile, Jerry took over the managing director role in 2005.
After the Americans lost three games in the 2004 Athens Olympic and consequently returned with only a bronze medal.
Being part of the USA Men’s Basketball team for 15 years, Colangelo has selected players and coaches for the team.
He brought in Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski to coach and Mike led the U.S. to Olympic golds in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
He selected current coach, San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich to serve as head coach.
With Colangelo as managing director, the U.S. men have gone 97-4 in major competitions.
Grant Hill’s basketball background.
On the other hand, Grant Hill who will succeed Jerry played professional basketball formerly.
Hill has plenty of experience when it comes to basketball as well as Olympics.
As he played in the NBA for 19 seasons.
He played for four teams: Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers.
Also, he was a seven-time All-Star and made the All-NBA team five times during his career.
He also won two national championships at Duke University.
And he was also part of the Team USA at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and won a gold medal.
He almost made on the team again in 2000 but was opted out due to an injury.
“It is a tremendous honor to serve as managing director of USA Basketball’s Men’s National Team.
I am looking forward to working with the USA Basketball staff and Board of Directors to lead this organization.
So uniquely positioned for continued growth and for developing and promoting our top talent in events around the world” Hill said in a statement.
“As a member of the 1996 Dream Team, I know the thrill and responsibility it is to represent our country.
I am confident USA Basketball will continue to showcase the top talent and highest character players in our country,” he added.
He retired his professional career as one of 17 players in NBA history to record over 17,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists.
Subsequently, Hill became the Hall of Famer in 2018.
Colangelo retirement
Colangelo was planning for retirement for a while now but got pushed back one year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The 80-year-old businessman and sports executive planned to retire after the Tokyo Games.
“I’ve been involved in basketball since I was 26 years old,” Colangelo said on The Zach Gelb Show, reflecting on his career.
“Well, actually before that as a player for many years in college and semi-pro and then the start-up of the Chicago Bulls back in ’66 and going to Phoenix to start a Phoenix franchise.”
“I managed and owned and [brought] baseball to Arizona,” Colangelo said. “The Arizona Diamondbacks, we won a World Series in our fourth year. I’ve had a long, long, run.”
“I feel great from a health standpoint,” he said.“I do think it’s appropriate when people recognize it’s time for someone else to take over to pass the torch.
Physically, I could go on and I was told I could go on as long as I wanted to.
But I think it’s time to pass the torch to someone else. That’s my plan. After the Olympics next summer, I’ll step down in my role as managing director of USA Basketball.”
“I want to finish strong,” Colangelo said. “I know Gregg Popovich feels exactly the same way.
To take over a program that was on its heels in ’04 after our showing in the Olympics in Greece and to see us win gold medals in ’08, ’12, ’16, and hopefully ’21.
I wanted to make sure that when I left, the program could carry on by itself regardless of who’s in control or leading the pack.
With strong infrastructure, that can happen, and I think we have that in place.”
Grant Hill as Managing Director
So the decision to replace Colangelo with Hill has been in the works for several months, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Hill plans to learn from Colangelo before replacing him and taking over the duty.
Colangelo’s knowledge and experience will be very helpful for Hill when he takes over the job.
“I intend to spend an incredible amount of time with Jerry, shadow him some this summer, and I think that experience will certainly help as we move forward,” Hill said.
“He’s just an invaluable resource and has done a remarkable job so you can’t help but learn from someone like Jerry.”
As managing director, Hill will be taking the job of recruiting talent into the program.
He’ll also select Team USA’s next coach. Meanwhile, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will manage the team in 2021.
He has worked as an NBA and college basketball analyst for Turner Sports for nearly a decade before taking the new role.
He is also part of the broadcast team for the men’s Final Four this weekend in Indianapolis, the sixth straight year he’s been on that crew.
Hill will remain as a broadcaster even after taking the post of managing director.
Hill is one of the most respected and well-decorated players and is considered one of the greatest in the NBA.
So, having him as Colangelo’s successor and MD for Team USA Men’s Basketball team is a great decision made by team USA
