SYRACUSE -- Team USA was dubbed as the "B Team" by some heading into the World Championships in Turkey. Now, thanks in part to Syracuse Orange head coach Jim Boeheim, they can be called 2010 World Champions.

Boeheim, Team USA's assistant coach, along with Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski and assistants Nate McMillan and Jay Triano pulled off an impressive 81-64 victory over Turkey on Sunday to capture the 2010 FIBA World Championship title. Winning without many of the "A-list" NBA stars was a satisfying experience for everyone involved.

“It was a little bit more challenging coming in,” says Boeheim, “you're gonna really have to play good defense and you're not gonna be as powerful on offense without guys like Kobe and Dwayne Wade and those guys. But from a defensive point of view these guys played just as well if not better than the team did in the Olympics.

On the offensive side, Kevin Durant had a breakout tournament, including 28 points in the championship game that gave the Americans their first World Championship gold medal finish since 1994. USA finished a perfect 9-0 in Istanbul, Turkey, and earned an automatic qualifying berth for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

While Boeheim is a natural head coach at heart, he says it’s a nice chance to be an assistant coach on a successful national team.

"It's different as an assistant coach, it's definitely different. I like being the head coach I like doing the things that the head coach does but it's a fun situation to be an assistant coach and you make some suggestions and you have some ideas but Coach Krzyzewski allows a lot of input from his staff which is always a good thing."

Click on the video player to hear more from Coach Boeheim.