When you talk of improvement about the teams that joined the 2008 Beijing Olympics Men’s basketball, team USA definitely has something to say. The difference between the previous team of the United States of America to the so-called Redeem Team is teamwork and maturity.

During the previous summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, the Americans showed everyone their inexperience and arrogance when it comes to international competition. The team was simply disintegrated from the inside and going home without the gold was the consequence. The Dream Team of America just didn’t deserve the gold.

When the Beijing Olympics began, the NBA-powered roster of America came not to be called by their critics as loud-mouthed players but as a team with the desire for the gold. And that desire was apparent particularly on the standing where the team remained undefeated throughout the tourney. Teamwork was biggest difference of the current Olympic gold medalist to the previous American squad. LeBron James even said that in Beijing they were working as a team for their country and not as individuals. They simply had a goal and that was to go home carrying the gold and redeeming the confidence of their loyal supporters.

James along with Kobe Bryant and the other were indeed more cohesive and balanced. That gave them the edge. And they used that to their advantage by defeating one of the best leagues like Spain, Argentina, and Greece.

Maturity also made a crucial difference on the Olympic champions. They were respectful of their opponents and showed their gratitude for their coach, which does not normally happen. The deed in which all the players of the American team put all their gold medals on their coach during the awarding ceremony was a sign of their growth as professional athletes playing for the honor of their country.