The 2008 Redeem Team had one mission, restore American dominance on the world stage.
For Michael Redd, a veteran guard and key role player on that roster, the way they did it was simple: leave the egos at the door.
“There were moments where we all worked with each other, there were age gaps on the team, but we all merged,” Redd recently recalled on YouTube. “I want to credit younger guys who wanted to listen and learn from the older guys. I credit older guys that wanted to learn from the younger generation of guys.”
Even though Redd entered the Olympics after four straight seasons averaging over 20 points per game, he accepted a smaller role. His motivation was the same as the rest of the group.
“There was no doubt of us winning, but our focus was alright, how much, and we knew who the threats were,” Redd said. “So, we were pretty much dominant through the tournament. If we can compete against each other and were the best in the world, then no one else in the world has a chance. And quite frankly, we were all pissed off we lost in 2004. We were driven.”
The memory of falling short at the 2004 Olympics and again at the 2006 FIBA World Cup fueled everything they did.
Pride was on the line, and that sense of urgency united the stars.
Dwyane Wade confirmed it not long ago.
“When you’re part of the Olympic team, you’re not on that team for any reason other than to win a gold medal,” Wade said. “This is about gold — gold or nothing — when it comes to the U.S. Olympic team.
“Our Redeem Team had one mission: to redeem ourselves after losing the gold in 2004 and settling for bronze again in 2006. We were on a mission of redemption, and we did just that. We brought USA Basketball back to global prominence.”
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