As Deng Doubts Future With Team GB, Finch Steps Down

Written by Wendell Maxey on Tuesday, 07 August 2012 14:30.

Team Great Britain won its first Olympic game since 1948 with a 90-58 win over China on Monday, but a day later another loss has piled up.

Change is in the air.

As all-everything for GB captain Luol Deng has doubts he will return to play on a national level for GB, the team is now without a head coach. On Tuesday, Chris Finch stepped down as head coach of the GB national team after serving seven years in the position.

The combination of heartbreaking defeats for the hometeam on the Olympic stage and juggling coaching responsibilities as an assistant with the Houston Rockets led to Finch's final decision.

"We achieved a lot of things and kept proving ourselves and that's the most satisfying thing. We took every challenge thrown at us, fell a little short here," Finch said.

"I thought we were in for a break-out summer, but it wasn’t to be. But I’ll look back at with pride, both personally and professionally.”

Finch also applauded the grassroots basketball movement taking place in the UK and the efforts going in to education and building the game as a whole around the country. Yet it is Finch who should be applauded for the work he put in to build the program.

With or without Finch running the show, Team GB needs to continue with that mission.

“I think we have a bright future and that the game here overall is coming together with the grassroots and professional game working hand in hand. Hopefully, looking back that is what this will have done. We’ve done a lot in seven years, if you look at the other countries they didn’t build their programmes in seven years, so we’ve done well."

Part of that seven year journey for Finch was being able to count on Deng to be there to anchor the team. But in the end, the Chicago Bulls small forward -- who is also contemplating wrist surgery -- may follow Finch out the door for Team GB.

Much like putting off wrist surgery, Deng can't commit right now.

"I can't sit here and say I'm going to play for GB," said Deng, who averaged 15.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

"It depends on the situation, what's going on. I love playing for GB and hopefully I'll play for them again in the future," Deng explained.

Deng said if the Olympics were being played next month, he would play.

But what about in 12 months or even four years?

It appears revamping Team GB is officially underway.