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Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Step No. 1: Laugh at Gregg Popovich's jokes. Somebody asked Gregg Popovich how the team found players who fit its system and culture so well. Answering questions from the media often looks painful for Popovich. He app...

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images "I hate that in a couple months these guys are going to be my enemies," says Chris Paul. "The bond and the camaraderie," says coach Mike Krzyzewski of the 2012 Team USA, "I would take ours over anybody." "We...

Geoff Calkins of The Commercial-Appeal: Go ahead, roll your eyes if you like. But if you saw this game - if you heard the players talking about it afterward - you'd understand. For American players, a gold medal doesn't compare to an NBA title. But i...

Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News: Tony Parker shook hands with the Spaniards, then made one, final Olympic gesture. He smashed his goggles onto the floor. A few hours later, near the same spot where pieces of plastic had skidded, Manu Gino...

Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star: Lee Eddins had hoped he would be able to watch his idol, center Roy Hibbert, play in person when the Indiana Pacers visit Sacramento, Calif., for a game against the Kings in late November. But Lee, 12, is not expe...

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Michael Lee of The Washington Post: Nene sat out the final game of pool play for Brazil on Monday with soreness in his left foot, but the Wizards have been monitoring the injury and remain optimistic that it will not be a problem when training camp b...

Stu Forster/Getty Images Sport Ana Dulce Felix at the finish line of the 2012 Olympic marathon in London. People just get better and better at things. That's the trend. That underlies a lot, frankly, including the Olympics -- and the idea that t...

Bob Sansevere of the Pioneer Press: The Minnesota Timberwolves have been busy lately signing players they hope can lift them into the playoffs. Nobody in the organization is hoping for that more than president of basketball operations David Kahn. BS:...

Christian Petersen/Getty Images The NBA has reason to think beyond the Olympics -- but questionable right to keep players away. READ PART ONE: "Is the NBA divorcing the Olympics?" The first time the NBA spoke in any detail about pulling back fro...

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Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune: Brandon Roy on Tuesday left the Timberwolves cap that he wore so briefly so long ago back home in his mother's Seattle living room, but he officially, finally returned six years later to the NBA franchise that drafted...

Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel: One interesting point on the current Olympic Games in London: this time the Bucks have zero players competing. That's a marked contrast from the 2008 Beijing Games when Michael Redd was playing for the U.S....

Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic: The men's basketball team is considered royalty, swooned over by star-struck global media. The women's team has a 34-game winning streak, an unprecedented amount of star power, and is treated like they're playing ...

Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press: Team USA starts its gold-medal defense Sunday, July 29, against France. Kevin Love is only 23 but acknowledges this might be his only shot at an Olympic medal if USA Basketball opts to limit NBA player participation...

Small thought while watching Kobe Bryant play for Team USA: If I ever have knee trouble, my first call would be to Germany. Essential to the leaping-Bryant story, though, is that he says he has lost a ton of weight. I genuinely believe many players w...