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Duke and USA Basketball: 1980's
From Tokyo to Rio and everywhere in between, Duke and USA Basketball have shared many of the moments that have shaped the nation’s basketball identity.
Throughout the week on GoDuke.com, we'll take a closer look at the relationship between the two programs. Today we take a closer look at the 1980's.
Monday: 1960's and 1970's
Today: 1980's
Wednesday: 1990's
Thursday: 2000's
Friday: 2010-present
1983
Following Armstrong’s gold medal in the 1976 Olympics, Johnny Dawkins snapped a seven-year gap in Duke’s relationship with USA Basketball when he helped lead a talented U.S. team to the bronze medal at the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton.
Dawkins averaged 9.7 points on .585 shooting from the floor and ranked second on the team with an average of 3.4 assists during the seven-game run. The U.S. shot .604 as a team and averaged 112.7 points per game during the tournament.
1986
The 1986 FIBA World Championship in Madrid was particularly special because it also determined the winner of the inaugural men’s Goodwill Games basketball title. For Duke standout Tommy Amaker and his 1986 Team USA teammates, that meant 10 games for two gold medals.
Amaker averaged 4.7 points and 2.5 steals as the U.S. regrouped after dropping its first semifinal-round game to defeat the Soviet Union in a thrilling 87-85 championship game.
1987
Amaker’s double golds in 1986 served as precursor to a 1987 cycle that saw members of the Duke program represent USA Basketball on multiple fronts.
Following a solid freshman season at Duke, Robert Brickey was named a member of the U.S. FIBA U19 World Championship team. He played in all seven games for the U.S. in Bormio, Italy, averaging 7.3 points and 4.6 rebounds to help the U.S. capture a silver medal.
While Brickey was winning silver in Italy, a trio of Blue Devils was busy doing the same at the World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
Krzyzewski earned his first USA Basketball head coaching appointment at the 1987 WUGs, spearheading a talented squad that included Duke stars Danny Ferry and Billy King.
Ferry averaged 10.5 points to finish as the team’s second-leading scorer, while also chipping in 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. His double-double of 20 points and 11 boards helped the U.S. edge Spain, 83-82, in the Americans’ third game of the tournament.
King also played in all eight of the team’s games in Zagreb, posting averages of 4.3 points and 2.0 rebounds.
In the first of many head coaching appointments with USA Basketball, Krzyzewski led an undefeated U.S. team into the final against an unbeaten Yugoslavia side that had the advantage of playing in front of its home crowd. The U.S. gave the host nation all it could handle in the title game, but came up just short and earned the silver medal.
1989
Not long after helping lead Duke to a Final Four appearance at the end of a strong freshman season, Christian Laettner was on the floor for the U.S. at the 1989 FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City. His selection to the team marked the first of four consecutive years in which Laettner would represent his country in international competition.
The U.S. suffered a title-game loss to Puerto Rico and brought home the silver medal, but more importantly qualified for the 1990 FIBA World Championship. Laettner averaged 9.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in the eight games, including a 20-point, eight-rebound effort against host Mexico in the team’s pool-play finale.
Coming Tomorrow: The 1990's
