Kobe Bryant and Team USA find motivation playing for U.S.A.

The last time the United States won a major basketball competition, LeBron James was entering high school, Jason Kidd played for the Phoenix Suns and the Knicks were coming off two straight trips to the conference finals. Where have you gone, Michael Jordan?

For the country that is the birthplace of the sport and one that thoroughly dominated the game's international landscape dating back to the 1992 Olympics when NBA players first donned the red, white and blue, eight years without a first-place finish can seem like an eternity. And you don't have to be a NBA superstar to know that bronze is not considered bling-bling.