It might not get reported for a while, but to me it's pretty clear Rondo bumped heads with Coach K and lost.
USA basketball likes to think they've solved the reasons why they keep failing in international competition, but when push comes to shove they keep putting out All-Star teams who can't play together as a team. Installing Rose and Westbrook at point is the latest indication that they don't know what they're doing in terms of team-building and now we're going to be treated to isolation-laden "USA" basketball that won't get the job done (again).
On a team bursting with talent, scoring, and ego, you need a few role players with high IQ and low EGO to make things run smoothly. Rondo was THAT guy--he's the best role player in the game. Players listened to him and he was very adept at losing himself in the team concept and playing winning basketball. Now we have the modern-day equivalents of Stephon Marbury and Stevie Francis running the show and we're going to have about ZERO leadership or BBIQ out there when the game gets close. Isolating Rose at the top of the key may work once against Spain in a meaningless exhibition game, but we're going to be in for a surprise if we try to ride that game plan all the way to gold. And by cutting Rondo, we've pretty much limited ourselves to that kind of team....
