It was such a celebration, such a triumph, such a, what’s the word, redemption! Yes, they came they saw they indeed conquered. Or should it be re-conquered? Whatever else it may be called it is simply what it is: the restoration of world order in basketball as the United States of America won the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics Games and rightfully reclaimed the crown that should sit easily on their heads for all time.

Uneasy sits the crown though. As these Olympics have shown the rest of the world is no longer fearful or even tentative against Team USA. They have formed such a low opinion of the American basketball team and program that even lowly teams like Australia’s Boomers jawed, trash-talked, bumped and totally dissed the NBA multimillionaires in their game. Erstwhile defending gold medal winner Argentina played a game so physical the American players must have been wondering if Tim Donaghy was working that game.

In the end of course the Americans did indeed triumph. Through it all they finally got back what has always rightfully belonged to them: the top spot in the basketball universe with Olympic gold hanging and shining from their necks and flowers in their hands on the top level podium. They basked in glory and the adulation not just of the 18,000-plus fans who filled the Wukesong basketball Gymnasium that afternoon during the gold medal game against Spain. Throughout the entire world the fans who loved them and those who hated them for their wealth and arrogance all conceded in agreement and agreed in concession that once again the Americans were the best basketball team in the world.

For the NBA and Nike these Olympic Games were as much about restoring American basketball dominance as they were about reminding the world of their marketing dominance. Kobe Bryant, thanks to all of those promotional tours, has become the biggest and most recognized basketball star, and one of the top three or four recognizable athletes on the planet. Wukesong and the streets of Beijing were filled with people wearing Bryant’s Team USA and LA Lakers jerseys. NBA Commissioner David Stern, a lawyer who has become the longest serving professional league head in American major league sports, announced that a thousand NBA stores will open in China within the next couple of months. Nike even outfitted the entire team, including players who have contracts with other brands such as Dwayne Wade.

This victory was especially sweet for youngsters Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James and Carlos Boozer, holdovers from the bronze medal team of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games under Larry Brown. Bryant may have drawn the most applause and appreciative screams but it was these three who were truly soaking in the triumph, having come as they did off the debacle in Athens four years ago. They were part of the old Team USA concept of sending NBA All Stars with little to no preparation, and they came full circle with the new Team USA that prepared like the dickens and worked hard and played as a team each and every game.

But all of these good feelings may not mean much come 2012 in the next Olympics Games in London England. Continuity is key. With the best players in the NBA on this team they still went through a wringer in the gold medal game against Spain. Spain has NBA players of their own including 7-foot All Star forward-center Pau Gasol, Bryant’s teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers. They have a probable future NBA Number 1 draft pick in 17-year old Ricky Rubio, a boy who played like a man all throughout these Olympics. And lest anyone forget they are after all the reigning FIBA World Champions.

Everywhere else in the world there are great players already making their way and strutting their stuff in the NBA. Argentina has an NBA champion in 6-foot-6 swingman Manu Ginobili. Had he not inured his ankle in the game against Team USA the Americans may not have romped off with that 20-point win in the semifinals. Ginobili has other NBA players in 6-foot-11 center Fabricio Oberto, 6-foot-10 power forward Luis Scola, 6-foot-9 forward Andres Nocioni and 6-foot-3 guard Carlos Delfino. To have seen the Argentines still joyous even after settling for the bronze medal and failing to retain the gold is a beautiful reminder of what paying with real team spirit and the joy of play are really all about. I’ve never seen a former gold medalist so genuinely ecstatic winning the bronze medal.

And of course who can forget host China? Yao Ming, the 7-foot-6 giant of the Houston Rockets is the best center in the NBA. 7-foot power forward Yi Jianlian moves to the New Jersey Nets and is only 20 years of age with at least two more Olympics in him. China has thousands of teenagers in the 6-foot-10 to 7-feet range learning the game from the likes of former NBA head coach Del Harris and other great teachers of the game, and competing against the best players in the world in several international tournaments.

In sum the Americans may have gotten back on top of the basketball heap, but whether or not they stay there up to 2012 is far from certain. In order to stay on top they need to keep sending only the best players in the NBA to represent the United States. They cannot stay away from international tournaments such as the FIBA Tournament of the Americas and then only show up in the Olympics. And most of all they have to keep the best NBA players committed to the program put in place by Director Jerry Colangelo. At present there are some 20 players in the Team USA pool including up and coming players like 6-foot-9 swingman Kevin Durant and 7-foot center Greg Oden, who sat out his rookie season last year because of an injury. “We have five or six guys from this team willing to stay on and give it another go,” he said in an interview after the medal ceremonies. “We have some things to sort for 2012 out but for now these guys deserve a break,” he added.

I only hope the break isn’t too long. The rest of the world caught up in the 2000 games in Sydney Australia when Kevin Garnet and Vince Carter and the rest of Team USA barely got past Lithuania in the semifinals. Right now it is no exaggeration to say the rest of the world is at a par with the Americans. Yes, the Americans still have arguably the best athletes and the most naturally gifted players in the world. But as 6-foot-5 Greek pointguard Theo Papaloukas, 6-foot-2 Australian pointguard Patrick Mills, and all of the other top international players showed, in real games they can take any American to school on any given play.

In 2012, Wade, Anthony, James and Boozer need to return, as must centers Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh and pointguard Chris Paul. They will surely have Durant and Oden with them. They may want to take a long and serious look at incoming rookies 6-foot-3 guard Derrick Rose, multi-skilled 6-foot-9 forward Michael Beasley, jumping jack 6-foot-9 forward Joe Alexander and 7-foot center Brook Lopez. A designated shooter and/or defender should also be on the final lineup. Bryant already said he’d like to come back at age 34 if the team will have him. “I don’t mind coming back with the team at 34,” Bryant declared after the medal ceremony.

They are back on top. And perhaps – finally – the Americans understand full well what it takes to stay on top.