Colangelo likes Doc Rivers, not David Blatt, as next Team USA coach

JC: Until we have that meeting officially, I think what I know is what you know. That is he’s stated where he is, but I think the door is probably open a bit. It’s not a matter of me convincing him. It’s really what does he want. I don’t want to put him in a position where he feels obligated, or pushed, or anything like that. He’s his own man and I want to make the decision whether or not he wants to continue with this ride or not. Even if he doesn’t coach, you know I want him involved with USA Basketball. He’s been a big part of this on all levels. What a tremendous resource where coaches, and players, and so on and so forth because of the man he is, and so he’s going to be involved one way or another.

CS: If he doesn’t come back, how many names are on your shortlist for your next coach?

JC: Interestingly, you ask that. Sean Ford, my right hand man at USA Basketball up in Colorado Springs, is going to be in Phoenix for the HOF golf classic that’s in my name and in my honor in Phoenix in September, we’re going to have our first meeting in early October. We’re talking about a road map in terms of how this going to take place over what period of time. What I had indicated after London is that by the time that December comes this is all going to be finished as it relates to selections and plans. It could be a lot sooner than that, but not certainly until we have those initial meetings, which will be done by mid-October.

CS: Let me throw a couple names at you and you can answer any way you want. Let’s say Coach K says, “I’m not going to coach in 2014.” He may still want to coach in 2016, but let’s just talk 2014. Gregg Popovich have a shot?

JC: Sure he does because he has to be one of the leading candidates without question.

CS: What about Jerry Sloan?

JC: I hadn’t given Jerry much consideration. Doc Rivers has been another name that’s been highly mentioned.

CS: I’ll throw one more name at you: David Blatt. The head coach of Russia for those listeners that aren’t familiar with David. He’s an American that spent his career coaching overseas. He coaches Maccabi Tel Aviv. He coached Russia to a bronze medal this year. Quite an accomplished guy, but quite an outspoken guy. And he’s butted heads with the US Federation and you from time to time over the years, and that’s why I wanted to ask you that Jerry.

JC: Let me respond this way. I have great respect for him as a coach. He’s an outstanding coach, but we have a lot of coaches here in the United States who would fall ahead of him because they’re here putting in their time and done their work here. I think David Blatt is looking for a job in the NBA as an assistant coach. That’s really what he would like to find. He would certainly like his name mentioned, but I can’t consider him as a candidate to coach for the USA team.