The U.S. Olympic men's basketball team that assembled in Athens seemed to be perfect.  That is, it seemed so for five days of practice.  Larry Brown, a teacher of the game, was happy with his team of promising young players and veteran leadership.  

But by Saturday morning, things looked a lot different.  Allen Iverson, LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire missed a team meeting and were benched for the first exhibition game.  

Brown continued to tutor diligently and refine his players' instincts and skills.

"O.K., you've got to help, Amare," he said to Stoudemire. "You gotta be aggressive, Amare, all right?"

He emphasized teamwork and fundamentals.  Because international rules make the one-on-one play that dictates in the NBA more difficult, Brown's work was cut out for him.

"It's like we're learning the college game all over again instead of the pro game," Stephon Marbury said.

"For the most part, to talk about Larry is to talk about a guy who really wants to coach," said Dean Smith.  "Michael Jordan throws a senior flight school out in Las Vegas every year. It's for guys between the ages of 35 and 65. Larry's been going every year. On the second day of camp, he can't hardly talk he's so enthusiastic about getting the team to play together and win."

James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade personify this team.  They recently completed their rookie seasons in the NBA and constitute a big part of the league's future and potential.  

Everything seemed calm until Saturday.  Now the team has been thrust into some turmoil and it remains to be seen how it will respond.