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Sixers' Doug Collins A Candidate For Next Team USA Coach

Doug Collins, head coach Philadelphia 76ers, Doug Collins has represented the United States as an Olympian before and now there is talk that he could be the team's next head coach. Collins is being considered as a potential successor to Mike Krzyzewski at the helm of USA Basketball.

Krzyzewski, the famous Duke head coach, is moving on after two successful cycles with Team USA that saw the Americans pick up gold medals in both 2008 at Beijing and 2012 at London. Krzyzewski was hired after the U.S. finished with a disappointing bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics.

Other NBA coaching names reportedly being mentioned for the job are Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

Collins competed in the 1972 Munich Olympics as a playing member of Team USA. In those games the Americans advanced to the gold-medal game before falling to the Soviet Union in a controversial finish. At the time it was the first ever Olympic loss for the United States in basketball.

During his 10 season of coaching Collins has a .532 winning percentage and has led his team to the playoffs seven times. After being hired by Philadelphia in 2010, Collins has led them to the playoffs in both seasons. In 2011-12 the 76ers won their first playoff series since 2003, defeating the top-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round before bowing out in seven games to the Boston Celtics in the next round.

The 2016 Olympics are being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The next FIBA Basketball World Cup (which the USA also won in 2010) will be played in Madrid, Spain in 2014.