HoopsHype.com Rumors

“He’s the best player, and he’s the best leader, and he’s as smart as anybody playing the game right now,” Krzyzewski said of James. “We’ve developed a really close bond because I rely on him to do that for me.” Washington Post

LeBron James, Team USA, Olympics 

"It's sweet to have this gold medal around your neck," said Paul. "But it's tough, because you don't get this opportunity anymore. I hate that in a couple months these guys will be my enemies. This is the funnest time of my life." SI.com

Chris Paul, Team USA, Olympics 

Spain had overcome the absence of Marc Gasol (17 points) for all but 17 minutes, the result of picking up a fourth foul prematurely in the first half. "Probably it was a mistake," said coach Sergio Scariolo, who referred to it as the kind of risk one takes in hope of upsetting a power like the U.S. The benefit of the benching was the defensive presence of Serge Ibaka, who came off the bench to serve as a kind of deterrent to James. In the fourth, said Pau Gasol, "We tried a new defense that we really didn't practice, and they made us pay for our mistakes." The defense was a box-and-one, and when James faked a handoff, two defenders went for the fake opening a clear path which James used to drive for a dunk. On the next possession, James canned a three over Marc Gasol for a 102-93 advantage. SI.com

Spain, Team USA, Olympics 

Coach Mike Krzyzewski helped Team USA beat Spain in the gold medal game on Sunday then reiterated that he would not be back as the head man on the bench for the 2016 games in Rio. Naturally, minutes later began the speculation as to Coach K's replacement. Doc Rivers, who has analyzed the Olympic basketball games for NBC this summer, said that anyone who was asked to take over would say yes -- including him. He wouldn't say that he's the best man for the job, though. Instead, Rivers thought another member of NBC's broadcast team would be more suited for the position: Doug Collins. "And there's a reason," Rivers said. " '72." CSNNE.com

Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Doc Rivers, Coaching, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Doug Collins 

Collins, who served as color analyst for NBC in London, was on Team USA in 1972 when a controversial ending robbed the Americans of the gold medal in Munich. Rivers said that he thought Collins deserved the job over himself and Spurs coach Greg Popovich -- two of the likely frontrunners for the job. Rivers said that if he was selected for the job that he would work to make sure Collins served as an assistant on the team's staff. CSNNE.com

Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Doc Rivers, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Doug Collins 

David Aldridge: Coach K reiterates that while he'll try & get a nice dinner out of Jerry Colangelo 1st, he's done: "it's time for me to do something else." Twitter

Coaching, Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski, Olympics 

If he really can't be talked into staying on as Team USA head coach, as it appears, Mike Krzyzewski will be leaving international coaching with a record of 62-1 ... and a tidy 50-game winning streak. ESPN.com

Coaching, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski 

Jeff Zillgitt: Chris Paul: "My first year of playing, I tried to figure out how in the world I was going to play for a coach from Duke but I love that guy" Twitter

Chris Paul, Coaching, USA Basketball, Team USA, Mike Krzyzewski 

Sean Deveney: LeBron James, to those of us in the digital-recorder set: "Goodbye, media! I love you all, but I am not talking to you until media day!” Twitter

LeBron James, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Anthony has even been a mentor to his younger teammates, particularly for one guy who's going through a bit of a transition in his NBA career. As the buzz of the Dwight Howard trade made its way overseas, Thursday, it not only affected those in a positive manner (see: Bryant, Kobe) but also affected a Team USA member who now had to look for a new place to live, former Sixers swingman Andre Iguodala, who was traded to Denver. What could've been a bit of a distraction for Iguodala, though, was diffused by his teammates, particularly Anthony. “We can’t let stuff like that distract us,” said Anthony. “Although I did give ‘Dre my congratulations and told him, ‘If you need some help, I got you.’” Newark Star-Ledger

Denver Nuggets, Andre Iguodala, Trade, Carmelo Anthony, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Frank Isola: Carmelo Anthony: "The one thing missing is an NBA Championship. I won in high school, college and now two gold medals." Twitter

Carmelo Anthony, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

#Knicks center Tyson Chandler on gold-medal victory over Spain, which trailed by 1 point after three quarters and were right there midway through fourth quarter. "Every single time we threw a punch at them, they threw one back. My hat goes out to them. They’re an incredible opponent. That’s what makes it that much better. It came down to the wire.'' Sulia

Tyson Chandler, USA Basketball, Spain, Team USA, Olympics 

Jorge Sierra: I think Tyson Chandler is the only active player that's an NBA, world and Olympic champion. Twitter

Tyson Chandler, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Marc Berman: We showed Stoudemire video working out with Olajuwon. Tyson Chandler said after gold medal win those Hakeem "post" plans are scrapped. Twitter

New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics, Hakeem Olajuwon 

Jeff Zillgitt: LeBron James: "It’s been a great run honestly. I don’t know if I’m going to be part of the 2016 team." Twitter

LeBron James, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Eric Patten: Lebron on 2016 Games: "I’m going to have fun with my teammates right now and then, I don’t know, I’m not even thinking about that right now" Twitter

LeBron James, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Tim Reynolds: LeBron: "It's the heart that comes through _ and I'm happy we've got a bunch of big hearts on our team." Twitter

LeBron James, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

LeBron James, on following through with his Olympic commitment, "It was great. I’m happy I was a part of it. I never thought a second about after I was in Miami and won a championship about me playing. I made a commitment, I wanted to be a part of this, and this is the reason why I came to be a part of this team: To have this bouquet of flowers and a gold medal." Sulia

Miami Heat, LeBron James, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

LeBron James, on his relationship with Coach K and USA Basketball, "I think between me, Coach K, CP and Melo we’ve been through it all. We were part of the whole rebuilding of the USA team trying to back to where it was before. I was a part of it in ‘04 with me and Melo, and that was the lowest point for the USA team. Then Coach K and Jerry took over and then we lost the World Championship in ‘06. But we made that three-year commitment in ‘05 and we just tried to keep getting better each and every summer. We were able to win the Worlds in Las Vegas. We were able to win gold in ‘08 and that was a big step for us and four years later, being put in this position once again, we kind of all share the same traits. It’s been a long road for USA Basketball and like I said, I am happy to be in a position where I can say I had something to do with us being back on top." Sulia

LeBron James, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics 

Kevin Durant: Mission complete!! Seat pleasant, Maryland, ya boy bringing this Gold medal back!!! Twitter

Kevin Durant, USA Basketball, Team USA, Olympics