The 1980 US Olympic National team is best known for its non-participation in the Moscow Games due to the government boycott because of the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan.
However, the team that “went nowhere” had a history similar to other US Olympic selections, except the quest for gold. Like previous US National teams, the 1980 squad was named after a thorough selection process (Olympic trials in May) and played a number of exhibition games (against NBA All-Star selections in June).
In the next lines I’ll try to review its Olympic tryouts and exhibition games, based on research made on US newspapers of the time.
Team history on USA Basketball official page: https://www.usab.com/history/nationa...piad-1980.aspx
Olympic Trials
Trials venue and dates were announced by ABAUSA (the US basketball governing body at that time) towards the end of April. University of Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp Arena in Lexington came as trials site and May 18-22 were the dates scheduled for the tryouts. The selection committee, headed by Dean Smith of North Carolina had the task of selecting the team from a players pool of 48 to 56 invitees. Head coach in charge was Dave Gavitt of Providence College with Larry Brown of UCLA as assistant (Connecticut’s Dee Rowe came later as second assistant). Five exhibition games were also announced with competition provided by the NBA Players Association. The program was set up when the US Olympic Committee had already decided to boycott the Moscow Games.
Pacific Stars and Stripes, April 28, 1980, Page 18
Several 1980 college seniors chose to bypass the trials mainly due to the “nonsense” of competing for a spot with nothing to gain and risking injuries that would jeopardize their future careers. The first three picks of the next June Draft, Joe Barry Carroll, Darrell Griffith and Kevin McHale declined the invitation. Other seniors, including Kyle Macy, Mike O’Koren, Andrew Toney, Kiki Vandeweghe, Hawkeye Whitney and Mike Woodson (recovering from a back surgery) followed. Among underclassmen bypassing the trials were Albert King and Terry Cummings, while after some hesitation top rated freshman 7-foot 4 Ralph Sampson decided to keep away as well. It was speculated that the highly prized Sampson feared the pressure of being the best player at the tryouts and maybe not live up to expectations and getting cut.
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) • Tue, May 20, 1980 • Page 6
Two HS players participated in the tryouts, centers Earl Jones and junior Pat Ewing. Acclaimed as perhaps the top 1980 HS recruit, Jones of Washington, DC, went instead to play for Div. II University of DC and remained forever a “mystery man”. The youngest player at the tryouts at just 17, Ewing was already showing glimpses of his fabulous potential. Back in May 1979, the Cambridge, Mass, wonder boy had led a Boston area All-Star aggregation to 85-79 victory over the touring USSR Junior National team preparing for the 1st Fiba WC. Soviet team’s translator and journalist Vladimir Gomelsky (the son of HoF coach Aleksander and himself former player and coach) said: “Ewing really impressed us. He’s the best center I’ve seen in the three years that I’ve come on this tour”.
Dayton Daily News • Tue, May 15, 1979 • Other Editions • Page 16
From the original list of 58 players, 20 skipped the trials and 10 were later additions from the committee. After several workout sessions, the remaining 48 players, split in 6 teams, competed the final day in intra squad games for the 12 berths on the Olympic team. Teams #1-2-3 were named “Blues” and 4-5-6 “Whites”.
Rosters:
TEAM 1 Blue
Bill Mayfield, F 6-7, Iowa 1979, NBA undrafted, 1979-80 AAU (Airliners Baskektball Club, Iowa City, AAU champ)
James Wilkes, SF 6-7, UCLA 1980, NBA 3rd Round – later addition to trials roster
Charles Bradley, SG 6-5, Wyoming 1981, NBA 1st Round 23rd pick – later addition
Ray Blume, G 6-4, Oregon State 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Isiah Thomas, PG 6-1, Indiana 1983, 1981 NBA 1st Round 2nd pick
Michael Brooks, PF 6-7, LaSalle 1980, NBA 1st Round, 9th pick
Rodney McCray, SF 6-6, Louisville 1983, NBA 1st Round 3rd pick
Bill Laimbeer, C 6-11, Notre Dame 1979, NBA 3rd Round, 1979-80 Italy (Basket Brescia)
TEAM 2 Blue
Jeff Lamp, SF/G 6-6, Virginia 1981, NBA 1st Round 15th pick
Lewis Lloyd, SF/G 6-6, Drake 1981, NBA 4th Round
Earl Jones, F/C 6-11, Spingarn High 1980, University of the District of Columbia (DII) 1984, NBA 1st Round 23rd pick – later addition
Clyde Bradshaw, PG 6-0, DePaul 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Randy Wittman, SG 6-6, Indiana 1983, NBA 1st Round 22nd pick – later addition
Mark Aguirre, SF 6-6, DePaul 1981, NBA 1st Round 1st pick. 1980 NCAA PoY
Jawann Oldham, C 7-0, Seattle 1980, NBA 2nd Round
Corny Thompson, PF 6-8, UConn 1982, NBA 3rd Round
TEAM 3 Blue
Rod Foster, PG 6-1, UCLA 1983, NBA 2nd Round
Rolando Blackman, SG/SF 6-7, Kansas State 1981, NBA 1st Round 9th pick
Derek Smith, SG/SF 6-6, Louisville 1982, NBA 2nd Round
Darnell Valentine, PG 6-1, Kansas 1981, NBA 1st Round, 16th pick
Buck Williams, PF/C 6-8, Maryland 1981, NBA 1st Round 3rd pick
Dick Miller, SF 6-6, Toledo 1980, NBA 2nd Round – later addition
Dale Salomon, PF/C 6-8, Virginia Tech 1982, NBA 3rd Round – later addition
Steve Johnson, PF/C 6-10, Oregon 1981, NBA 1st Round 7th pick
Blackman, Panama-born but raised in Brooklyn, NY, was offered to play for Panama NT but chose instead to tryout for the US team.
TEAM 4 White
Dirk Minniefield, PG 6-3, Kentucky 1983, NBA 2nd Round
Al Wood, SF/SG 6-6, North Carolina 1981, NBA 1st Round 4th pick
Eric Floyd, G 6-3, Georgetown 1982, NBA 1st Round 12th pick
Michael Sanders, SG 6-6, UCLA 1982, NBA 4th Round
David Russell, SF 6-7, St. John’s 1983, NBA 2nd Round
Larry Nance, PF 6-10, Clemson 1981, NBA 1st Round 20th pick
Alton Lister, C 7-0, Arizona State 1981, NBA 1st Round, 21st pick
Jay Vincent, SF 6-7, Michigan State 1981, NBA 2nd Round
TEAM 5 White
Frank Johnson, PG 6-1, Wake Forest 1981, NBA 1st Round, 11th pick – later addition
Bruce Flowers, PF 6-8, Notre Dame 1979, NBA 2nd Round, 1979-80 Italy (Gabetti Cantù)
Fred Cowan, PF/C 6-8, Kentucky 1981, NBA 6th Round – later addition
Vince Taylor, SF 6-5, Duke 1982, NBA 2nd Round
Gene Banks, SF/SG 6-7, Duke 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Eddie Phillips, PF 6-7, Alabama 1982, NBA 1st Round 21st pick
Tom Chambers, PF 6-10, Utah 1981, NBA 1st Round 8th pick – later addition
Kelly Tripucka, SF/SG 6-6, Notre Dame 1981, NBA 1st Round 12th pick
TEAM 6 White
Durand Macklin, SF/SG 6-7, LSU 1981, NBA 3rd Round
Fred Roberts, PF 6-10, BYU 1982, NBA 2nd Round
Danny Vranes, PF 6-7, Utah 1981, NBA 1st Round 5th pick
Bill Hanzlik, SF/SG 6-7, Notre Dame 1980, NBA 1st Round 20th pick
Tracy Jackson, SG/SF 6-6, Notre Dame 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Brian Walker, PG 6-2, Purdue 1981, NBA 6th Round – later addition
Sam Bowie, C 7-1, Kentucky 1984 (RS Sr), NBA 1st Round 2nd pick
Pat Ewing, C 7-0, Cambridge Rindge HS 1981, Georgetown 1985, NBA 1st Round 1st pick
Despite the absence of several superstars, the tryouts level and the talent on display were excellent and the competition tough. Half-joking, head coach Gavitt said the Soviets were fortunate to avoid the Americans at the Olympics.
The tripleheader scrimmage was public (for a crowd of 1,500) and was televised by ESPN cable network.
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) • Fri, May 23, 1980
Results:
In Game 1, Blue Team 2 beat White Team 5, 92-80 (50-40). Bradshaw and Lamp led the Blues with 15 points, followed by Aguirre and Wittman with 12, Earl Jones 11, Oldham and Thompson with 10. Among the Whites, Banks was outstanding with 14 points and 9 rebounds, while high scoring honors went to Cowan with 17.
Game 2 saw Blue Team 3 routing White Team 4, 111-90 (51-46). Valentine scored 22 points for the winners, Solomon had 20, Derek Smith finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, Buck Williams with 16 and 10, and guard Foster added 14 points. Vincent and Floyd were high for the Whites with 19 and 16 points.
Thomas scored 23 points to lead Blue Team 1 to a 90-75 victory over White Team 6 in Game 3. Brooks and McCray added 14 points for the winners. Bowie excelled for the Whites with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots and Hanzlik finished with 12.
The selection process was not easy, as many players displayed outstanding talent.
Ex Purdue head coach Lee Rose, who guided a US team at the 1979 Spartakiade Games and served as a coach of one of the competing squads at the trials named Banks, Bradshaw, Foster, Minniefeld, Derek Smith, Solomon and Vincent as his choices besides eventual selections Aguirre, Bowie, Brooks, Thomas and Valentine.
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) • Fri, May 23, 1980 • Page 8
Clarence “Big House” Gaines, legendary coach at Winston-Salem who guided the Blue Team 3 to victory in game 2 admired his team’s unity as well as individual excellent play of guards Valentine and Foster but said it didn’t help him make up his mind (to make a choice).
Doylestown Intelligencer, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1980, Page 64
Final team included:
Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Sam Bowie, Michael Brooks, Bill Hanzlik, Alton Lister, Rodney McCray, Isiah Thomas, Darnell Valentine, Danny Vranes, Buck Williams and Al Wood.
Aguirre, Brooks, Hanzlik, Thomas, Valentine, Vranes and Williams had earned some international experience with previous US selections (1979).
Starting five would include Aguirre and Brooks at forwards, Bowie at center, Thomas and Blackman at guards.
All in all the US team resulted the youngest ever selected, with only two seniors (Brooks and Hanzlik) and three freshmen (Bowie, McCray and Thomas). While young age and lack of experience of some players were with no doubt a weakness, talent, enthusiasm and quickness would prove to be a major asset of this team.
However, the team that “went nowhere” had a history similar to other US Olympic selections, except the quest for gold. Like previous US National teams, the 1980 squad was named after a thorough selection process (Olympic trials in May) and played a number of exhibition games (against NBA All-Star selections in June).
In the next lines I’ll try to review its Olympic tryouts and exhibition games, based on research made on US newspapers of the time.
Team history on USA Basketball official page: https://www.usab.com/history/nationa...piad-1980.aspx
Olympic Trials
Trials venue and dates were announced by ABAUSA (the US basketball governing body at that time) towards the end of April. University of Kentucky’s Adolph Rupp Arena in Lexington came as trials site and May 18-22 were the dates scheduled for the tryouts. The selection committee, headed by Dean Smith of North Carolina had the task of selecting the team from a players pool of 48 to 56 invitees. Head coach in charge was Dave Gavitt of Providence College with Larry Brown of UCLA as assistant (Connecticut’s Dee Rowe came later as second assistant). Five exhibition games were also announced with competition provided by the NBA Players Association. The program was set up when the US Olympic Committee had already decided to boycott the Moscow Games.
Pacific Stars and Stripes, April 28, 1980, Page 18
Several 1980 college seniors chose to bypass the trials mainly due to the “nonsense” of competing for a spot with nothing to gain and risking injuries that would jeopardize their future careers. The first three picks of the next June Draft, Joe Barry Carroll, Darrell Griffith and Kevin McHale declined the invitation. Other seniors, including Kyle Macy, Mike O’Koren, Andrew Toney, Kiki Vandeweghe, Hawkeye Whitney and Mike Woodson (recovering from a back surgery) followed. Among underclassmen bypassing the trials were Albert King and Terry Cummings, while after some hesitation top rated freshman 7-foot 4 Ralph Sampson decided to keep away as well. It was speculated that the highly prized Sampson feared the pressure of being the best player at the tryouts and maybe not live up to expectations and getting cut.
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) • Tue, May 20, 1980 • Page 6
Two HS players participated in the tryouts, centers Earl Jones and junior Pat Ewing. Acclaimed as perhaps the top 1980 HS recruit, Jones of Washington, DC, went instead to play for Div. II University of DC and remained forever a “mystery man”. The youngest player at the tryouts at just 17, Ewing was already showing glimpses of his fabulous potential. Back in May 1979, the Cambridge, Mass, wonder boy had led a Boston area All-Star aggregation to 85-79 victory over the touring USSR Junior National team preparing for the 1st Fiba WC. Soviet team’s translator and journalist Vladimir Gomelsky (the son of HoF coach Aleksander and himself former player and coach) said: “Ewing really impressed us. He’s the best center I’ve seen in the three years that I’ve come on this tour”.
Dayton Daily News • Tue, May 15, 1979 • Other Editions • Page 16
From the original list of 58 players, 20 skipped the trials and 10 were later additions from the committee. After several workout sessions, the remaining 48 players, split in 6 teams, competed the final day in intra squad games for the 12 berths on the Olympic team. Teams #1-2-3 were named “Blues” and 4-5-6 “Whites”.
Rosters:
TEAM 1 Blue
Bill Mayfield, F 6-7, Iowa 1979, NBA undrafted, 1979-80 AAU (Airliners Baskektball Club, Iowa City, AAU champ)
James Wilkes, SF 6-7, UCLA 1980, NBA 3rd Round – later addition to trials roster
Charles Bradley, SG 6-5, Wyoming 1981, NBA 1st Round 23rd pick – later addition
Ray Blume, G 6-4, Oregon State 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Isiah Thomas, PG 6-1, Indiana 1983, 1981 NBA 1st Round 2nd pick
Michael Brooks, PF 6-7, LaSalle 1980, NBA 1st Round, 9th pick
Rodney McCray, SF 6-6, Louisville 1983, NBA 1st Round 3rd pick
Bill Laimbeer, C 6-11, Notre Dame 1979, NBA 3rd Round, 1979-80 Italy (Basket Brescia)
TEAM 2 Blue
Jeff Lamp, SF/G 6-6, Virginia 1981, NBA 1st Round 15th pick
Lewis Lloyd, SF/G 6-6, Drake 1981, NBA 4th Round
Earl Jones, F/C 6-11, Spingarn High 1980, University of the District of Columbia (DII) 1984, NBA 1st Round 23rd pick – later addition
Clyde Bradshaw, PG 6-0, DePaul 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Randy Wittman, SG 6-6, Indiana 1983, NBA 1st Round 22nd pick – later addition
Mark Aguirre, SF 6-6, DePaul 1981, NBA 1st Round 1st pick. 1980 NCAA PoY
Jawann Oldham, C 7-0, Seattle 1980, NBA 2nd Round
Corny Thompson, PF 6-8, UConn 1982, NBA 3rd Round
TEAM 3 Blue
Rod Foster, PG 6-1, UCLA 1983, NBA 2nd Round
Rolando Blackman, SG/SF 6-7, Kansas State 1981, NBA 1st Round 9th pick
Derek Smith, SG/SF 6-6, Louisville 1982, NBA 2nd Round
Darnell Valentine, PG 6-1, Kansas 1981, NBA 1st Round, 16th pick
Buck Williams, PF/C 6-8, Maryland 1981, NBA 1st Round 3rd pick
Dick Miller, SF 6-6, Toledo 1980, NBA 2nd Round – later addition
Dale Salomon, PF/C 6-8, Virginia Tech 1982, NBA 3rd Round – later addition
Steve Johnson, PF/C 6-10, Oregon 1981, NBA 1st Round 7th pick
Blackman, Panama-born but raised in Brooklyn, NY, was offered to play for Panama NT but chose instead to tryout for the US team.
TEAM 4 White
Dirk Minniefield, PG 6-3, Kentucky 1983, NBA 2nd Round
Al Wood, SF/SG 6-6, North Carolina 1981, NBA 1st Round 4th pick
Eric Floyd, G 6-3, Georgetown 1982, NBA 1st Round 12th pick
Michael Sanders, SG 6-6, UCLA 1982, NBA 4th Round
David Russell, SF 6-7, St. John’s 1983, NBA 2nd Round
Larry Nance, PF 6-10, Clemson 1981, NBA 1st Round 20th pick
Alton Lister, C 7-0, Arizona State 1981, NBA 1st Round, 21st pick
Jay Vincent, SF 6-7, Michigan State 1981, NBA 2nd Round
TEAM 5 White
Frank Johnson, PG 6-1, Wake Forest 1981, NBA 1st Round, 11th pick – later addition
Bruce Flowers, PF 6-8, Notre Dame 1979, NBA 2nd Round, 1979-80 Italy (Gabetti Cantù)
Fred Cowan, PF/C 6-8, Kentucky 1981, NBA 6th Round – later addition
Vince Taylor, SF 6-5, Duke 1982, NBA 2nd Round
Gene Banks, SF/SG 6-7, Duke 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Eddie Phillips, PF 6-7, Alabama 1982, NBA 1st Round 21st pick
Tom Chambers, PF 6-10, Utah 1981, NBA 1st Round 8th pick – later addition
Kelly Tripucka, SF/SG 6-6, Notre Dame 1981, NBA 1st Round 12th pick
TEAM 6 White
Durand Macklin, SF/SG 6-7, LSU 1981, NBA 3rd Round
Fred Roberts, PF 6-10, BYU 1982, NBA 2nd Round
Danny Vranes, PF 6-7, Utah 1981, NBA 1st Round 5th pick
Bill Hanzlik, SF/SG 6-7, Notre Dame 1980, NBA 1st Round 20th pick
Tracy Jackson, SG/SF 6-6, Notre Dame 1981, NBA 2nd Round
Brian Walker, PG 6-2, Purdue 1981, NBA 6th Round – later addition
Sam Bowie, C 7-1, Kentucky 1984 (RS Sr), NBA 1st Round 2nd pick
Pat Ewing, C 7-0, Cambridge Rindge HS 1981, Georgetown 1985, NBA 1st Round 1st pick
Despite the absence of several superstars, the tryouts level and the talent on display were excellent and the competition tough. Half-joking, head coach Gavitt said the Soviets were fortunate to avoid the Americans at the Olympics.
The tripleheader scrimmage was public (for a crowd of 1,500) and was televised by ESPN cable network.
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) • Fri, May 23, 1980
Results:
In Game 1, Blue Team 2 beat White Team 5, 92-80 (50-40). Bradshaw and Lamp led the Blues with 15 points, followed by Aguirre and Wittman with 12, Earl Jones 11, Oldham and Thompson with 10. Among the Whites, Banks was outstanding with 14 points and 9 rebounds, while high scoring honors went to Cowan with 17.
Game 2 saw Blue Team 3 routing White Team 4, 111-90 (51-46). Valentine scored 22 points for the winners, Solomon had 20, Derek Smith finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, Buck Williams with 16 and 10, and guard Foster added 14 points. Vincent and Floyd were high for the Whites with 19 and 16 points.
Thomas scored 23 points to lead Blue Team 1 to a 90-75 victory over White Team 6 in Game 3. Brooks and McCray added 14 points for the winners. Bowie excelled for the Whites with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots and Hanzlik finished with 12.
The selection process was not easy, as many players displayed outstanding talent.
Ex Purdue head coach Lee Rose, who guided a US team at the 1979 Spartakiade Games and served as a coach of one of the competing squads at the trials named Banks, Bradshaw, Foster, Minniefeld, Derek Smith, Solomon and Vincent as his choices besides eventual selections Aguirre, Bowie, Brooks, Thomas and Valentine.
The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) • Fri, May 23, 1980 • Page 8
Clarence “Big House” Gaines, legendary coach at Winston-Salem who guided the Blue Team 3 to victory in game 2 admired his team’s unity as well as individual excellent play of guards Valentine and Foster but said it didn’t help him make up his mind (to make a choice).
Doylestown Intelligencer, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1980, Page 64
Final team included:
Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Sam Bowie, Michael Brooks, Bill Hanzlik, Alton Lister, Rodney McCray, Isiah Thomas, Darnell Valentine, Danny Vranes, Buck Williams and Al Wood.
Aguirre, Brooks, Hanzlik, Thomas, Valentine, Vranes and Williams had earned some international experience with previous US selections (1979).
Starting five would include Aguirre and Brooks at forwards, Bowie at center, Thomas and Blackman at guards.
All in all the US team resulted the youngest ever selected, with only two seniors (Brooks and Hanzlik) and three freshmen (Bowie, McCray and Thomas). While young age and lack of experience of some players were with no doubt a weakness, talent, enthusiasm and quickness would prove to be a major asset of this team.
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