Читать книгу Indiana University Olympians. From Leroy Samse to Lilly King онлайн

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After his sophomore year, nineteen-year-old Buckner was on the youngest and least internationally experienced team the United States had ever assembled. The Americans played in the world championship held in July 1974 at San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Soviets had five veterans from their 1972 Olympic gold medalists.

After the round-robin medal round, the United States, Soviet Union, and Yugoslavia were all tied at 6–1. The Americans defeated Yugoslavia 91–88 but lost to the Soviets 105–94. On a tiebreaker, the Soviets were awarded gold, Yugoslavia silver, and the USA bronze. Buckner averaged 6.6 points a game, eighth on the team, and learned what international basketball was about.

“First of all, they’re men,” Buckner said of the foreign opponents. “We found that out along the way. I even say this now to some people. The want to take kids from the Baltic . . . guys, they live in some war-torn place. They’re tougher than you think they are.”

No one ever questioned the toughness of Buckner and May, who were all-state players in football and basketball. Buckner played two years of football for the Hoosiers. Both players belong to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Also, Buckner is one of three men to have won a high school state title plus NCAA, Olympic, and NBA championships. The two others: Jerry Lucas and Magic Johnson.