New York – Sue Bird is providing another assistance to the US basketball, becoming the managing director of the National Women’s Team.
The five -time Olympic champion was appointed for the newly created position on Thursday and marks an important change in the way the organization creates its list and coaching staff.
“I played for USA’s basketball for so long and I always really enjoyed my time with them,” Bird said in a telephone interview with Associated Press. “I love to represent my country. I love being competitive at that stage. Having the opportunity to do it in a different role is exciting.”
Before the change, a committee made those decisions, but now in a movement similar to what the US male team does. UU., Bird will be responsible for assembling things. Grant Hill has the same role on the side of men.
“We are very, very excited about SUE for many reasons,” said the basketball CEO of the USA, Jim Tooley, in a telephone interview. “His pedigree and standing in sport is very strong. Not only in female basketball, but in all sport. He is a tremendous leader and we are very excited that he has taken this.”
The male team has had a managing director for two decades with Jerry Colangelo serving in that place between 2005 and 21 before Hill took over.
“She has had five Olympic gold medals and understands what is involved,” said Tooley. “Having the position of managing director makes it easier to work with the staff for the long -term vision of the program. It is difficult to do it with a committee that comes and comes and joins a handful of times.”
TOOLEY said the Bird term will be for four years, as well as the Olympic cycle, and the change in this structure has been in process for a few years, long before the decision not to select Caitlin Clark for the 2024 Paris Games team that left some annoying people.
“The discussions occurred after the Olympic Games and Sue of 21 served in the last quad,” said Tooley. “We obtained discussions about the role of managing director and we sat down with her and she considered it a lot of consideration and thought. It is a huge responsibility.”
Bird said he is used to US basketball pressure, where he is basically winning a gold medal or a bust. The Americans have won eight in a row, including one at the Paris Olympic Games last year.
“This is a different type of pressure,” he said. “I hope to bring everything I learned as a player, all my experience, all my understanding. The whole goal is to win a gold medal and it sometimes feels that this is the only option … I know what it is to be a player, know how a player is to build teams and make the teams join and see what clicks.”
Before the Los Angeles Olympic Games of 2028, Americans will play in the FIBA World Cup in Germany next year. The first qualification event will take place in November. In addition to finding out what players will be in that team, Bird will have to decide who will train the team. There is no clear choice at this time.
“Of course I started thinking about it, scoring some names here and there,” Bird said. “It is the first priority without a doubt. There are so many qualified coaches in the University and the WNBA.”
Bird said he does not have a specific period of time to have a coach in his place.
___
AP Sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports
