Even a year later, a look of bewilderment danced in the eyes of Elton Brand when he was asked exactly what happened.

The Los Angeles Clippers forward has replayed the 2002 FIBA World Championships over and over, and he still can't come up with an acceptable answer for how a U.S. team stocked with NBA players finished an embarrassing sixth.

"It doesn't make sense," said Brand, who along with Indiana Pacers All-Star Jermaine O'Neal are the only players from the disaster in Indianapolis to be invited to play on the 2003 U.S. national team. "It was a tough experience. I still think about it now.

"What I do know is a lot of guys gave up, a lot of guys didn't play hard. Once we were out of the gold, it was just like, 'Whatever.' If you look, Paul Pierce and certain guys didn't play the last two games. It was just an all-around disaster and we lost.

"This is a real privilege and I'm happy [USA Basketball] has given me an opportunity to get some sort of vindication."

What occurred in Indianapolis was a slap to reality for USA hoops and the NBA. What happened was the culmination of a decade of sloth and arrogance by the United States.