Collins talks recruiting and Team USA

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- On Sunday, the U.S. National men's basketball team, led by Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski, practiced at George Washington University's Charles E. Smith Center in preparation for Monday night's exhibition game against Brazil.

Prior to the start of practice yesterday, The Chronicle had a chance to briefly speak with Duke basketball and Team USA assistant coach Chris Collins.

The Chronicle: With it being a pivotal recruiting period, how have you and the rest of the Duke coaching staff balanced your duties to Team USA and your recruiting efforts at Duke?

Chris Collins: Fortunately, because this is so high-profile with what we are doing, the guys that we are recruiting know what we are up to with the USA team. I think it can be a positive even though we are not able to be at some of the AAU events and some of the camps. We have communicated with all of the guys that we are recruiting-- 'hey we’re not going to be there, but we’re going to be coaching LeBron. We’re going to be coaching Kobe.' And we are able to share some of those experiences with those [recruits] and I think it’s nothing but a positive and makes Coach [Krzyzewski] even more appealing to play for, for some of these young guys.

TC: Can you touch on assistant coaches Jeff Capel and Nate James as they take the reins of Duke basketball's recruiting program over the course of these next several weeks by going to AAU events, recruiting and scouting prospects?

CC: The thing that’s great is both those guys have experience. Jeff has been a head coach at the high-major level. Nate is very experienced and knows the [recruiting] landscape very well, so it puts us at ease to be able to do this job and be at USA basketball knowing that our Duke program is in great hands while we are gone.

TC: And for you personally, what has this experience with Team USA basketball been like? And what have you gained from it so far?

CC: It’s been amazing. I feel I have grown in every way as a coach, to be able to work with these guys, to take little things from the way they train, the way the practice, to learn from the coaching staff—Nate McMillan, Mike D’Antoni, coach Boeheim. It’s like a coaches’ clinic for us. And for me personally to be involved with USA basketball is very special because my father was robbed of his gold medal back in 1972. So for our family, even though it’s not as a player, to be now involved with a couple Olympic teams and hopefully win our second gold medal has been very special for our family.