by Randy Hill

Will U.S. players, fans and coaches be satisfied with convening the NBA's highest-ranking American millionaires for a flexing of hoop muscle every 16 years?

Would that even be possible to accomplish in another 16 years? For the record, I don't need a revving up of the superstar engine to demonstrate the NBA's superiority in entertaining, adult-level basketball. But as long as someone's keeping score during these international skirmishes, the U.S. might as well take a full swing every time it hits the hardwood.

But where does the 2008 redemption tour leave America's interest in gold-medal maintenance? When Ricky Rubio (who'll be 21-years-old) and his buddies from Spain arrive in London, who will USA Basketball have lined up to meet them?

With the luxury of full conjecture at our disposal, let's examine the different levels of participation.

The big cheese

With no pro franchises left to monitor, Jerry Colangelo was a wise choice as the guy brought in to marshal some of the greatest playing and coaching talent the United States had to offer.

Colangelo made quite a production of recruiting superstars with high character and a relatively enormous commitment in having them come together as a team.

Although many expect him to remain as the ring master of this show, Colangelo was making no promises during a meeting with reporters last weekend.

"There will be plenty of time to address 2012, suffice to say I think the infrastructure is in place and USA Basketball has a bright future," Colangelo said.

That brightness could dim in a hurry if his successor has any less influence with the NBA's elite employees.

I'm not sure if he'd have any interest in participating, but one customer with credibility up to here (and knowledge of what would be required from a coaching-and-personnel perspective) is former Los Angeles Lakers general manager Jerry West.

It should be noted that Team USA has no salary-cap issues to deal with and is easier to sell than a free-agent deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The whistleblower

Redeem Team coach Mike Krzyzewski is expected to return his full attentions to Duke, where he and a coaching staff that provided great assistance for the national team has landed just one commitment from the high school class of 2009.

Although Team USA was practicing in Las Vegas during the mega-club-team carnivals in July, time spent preparing for China certainly didn't accelerate Blue Devil recruiting. Perhaps his gold-medal connection with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James will.

One anticipated candidate to step up from the Team USA assistant ranks is New York Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, whose much-maligned aptitude for defense would seem a lot more palatable if attached to the spectacular and committed ball-hawking athletes Coach K had.

Or the baton could be passed to defensive coordinator of sorts Nate McMillan, whose popularity could skyrocket while winning a bunch of games with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The requirements for Team USA's head coach should include the ability to walk onto the practice floor and command the attention of players currently working in a me-first form of basketball.

With three national titles at Duke, Krzyzewski had that. Although they were part of the staff and close to the players, who can be certain D'Antoni or McMillan would?

Lakers coach Phil Jackson has that credibility hammer, but it would be shocking if he committed to anything that interfered with his summer battery re-charging. Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs would qualify, with North Carolina's Roy Williams as a possibility on what should be a very short list.

Having that built-in respect is crucial, because the advantage U.S. basketball offers in collisions with other world powers is an abundance of phenomenal run-jump athletes capable of covering the court defensively and breaking down opposing defenses through dribble penetration.

Coach K is expected to return to Duke for his normal coaching duties this fall, but will he be back on the sidelines in 2012 with Team USA? (Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)

Coach K used the American depth and quickness to generate easy offense through pressure defense, and the players bought in because he's ... well ... Coach K (it didn't hurt that Krzyzewski allowed the respect to flow both ways).

Colangelo's importance was underscored by his ability to pitch the program to the right players.

While saluting Krzyzewski as one of the great coaches and basketball minds on the planet, I certainly hope the next Team USA coach decides to attack on-ball screens. Time out while I pound my desk for a moment. OK, I'm back.

During the gold-medal survival mission against Spain, the Americans became unable to defend former Grizzlies guard Juan Carlos Navarro off the dribble. Navarro was greatly abetted by the international belief that a screener should be allowed to throw a rolling block into the on-ball defender and continue moving through him.

Team USA, which did trap or hard show on ball screens a few times earlier in the Olympic run, did little to assist the on-ball defender vs. Spain. A hard show would have rerouted the ballhandler, and an aggressive trap should have prevented a defense-piercing pass to a slip-screener or spot-up shooter on the ball side.

Ah, well. By the way, let's hope Team USA's perimeter defenders are no longer seduced by early-round dribble-stripping success and resume playing on-ball defense by moving their feet.

The talent

With the good vibe enveloping Team USA, embedded reporters in Beijing wrote that young guns Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Deron Williams are ready to roll into London.

Bryant, who'll be turning 34, says he'd be game, James would not rule it out and Tayshaun Prince would love another gold-medal shot.

While the giddy feeling from last week may retain traction through the next Olympics, we can only wait to see who shows up. In the meantime, the talent pool may produce some interesting possibilities.

If USA Basketball decides that allowing Marc Gasol to bully American post defenders is not the way to go, Team USA might line up with Laker center Andrew Bynum or shot-swatting Blazer Greg Oden. Another agile, finesse-oriented defender is Tyson Chandler of the New Orleans Hornets.

Power forwards in the pool may include defensively uncommitted Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns or Minnesota Timberwolves Al Jefferson and Kevin "I Can Pass and Shoot the Three" Love. While Love may lack the elite-level mobility to play trap-and-rotate defense, he certainly learned how while suiting up for UCLA's Ben Howland.

Inside-out hotshots capable of creating bounce and foot-speed nightmares for power forwards in international play are Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City and Miami rookie Michael Beasley.

The growing perimeter pool may include Chicago rookie Derrick Rose, whose speed and strength seem perfect for the U.S. pressure model, with Memphis rookie O.J. Mayo offering strong defense and deep shooting range.

The versatility pool's next addition should be Brandon Roy of Portland.

Chris Paul is one of the U.S. players from this year's gold-medal team who's expected to return for the 2012 Olympics in London. (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)

James, Paul, Williams, Dwyane Wade, Bosh and Howard (who, through free-throw despair, is becoming the next Shaq) would put Team USA on the doorstep of a repeat if they commit to returning.

We'll see where three years of development put the others.

The system

Let's hope the 2008 gold medal fails to validate the current U.S. system at the grassroots level.

National-team failure in 2006 provoked more player-development overtures from the mighty sneaker companies, but young American players continue to play an inordinate amount of AAU games.

A more reasonable basketball calendar would offer a period of physical training and skill development that can incorporated during the high school season and a scaled-down club season.

That probably won't happen because a crazy July calendar is of greater practical application for college recruiters, and it does enable more prospects to be seen by those who would offer a free education.

Maybe that's preferable to a gold medal every four years or perhaps the current model can serve both masters more than once every 16 years. As long as a smart national-team coach can line up great talent that buys into his tactics, the U.S. (in theory) can prevail.

It also should be pointed out that USA Basketball's Under-18 squad lost to Argentina in the gold-medal game of the 2008 FIBA Americas tournament. A look at the box score indicates that Team USA didn't exactly suit up all of the best dozen 18-year-olds at its disposal.

But I'm not sure if Argentina did, either.