In 1988, the U.S. lost to the Soviet Union in the Olympic semifinal game in Seoul, South Korea, and had to settle for the bronze medal. About eight months later, the rules were changed and NBA players became eligible to play in international competition. So the assumption by a large segment of the media was that American basketball officials were angered by the loss, and thus decided to declare NBA players eligible so the U.S. could reclaim its rightful spot as the best basketball country in the world.

That would seem to make sense - except that it is not true. When the U.S. team with college players lost in 1988, the only players who could not participate in international competition were NBA players. Brazil's brilliant scoring machine Oscar Schmidt was playing in Italy and earning a salary in the $500,000 per year range at the time. So were many others.

To FIBA Secretary-General Boris Stankovic, the head of the organization that governs international basketball, that did not seem fair. So he decided a change was needed and he led the movement to change the rules.