NBA Champions

[timvp]

Soccer doesn't place much importance on the Olympics.

Well then. What's wrong with the US not valuing men's basketball in the Olympics? I had a grandfather who played on the Argentinean national soccer team and all he ever talked about was the World Cup. What he did between the World Cups (making big money playing in the Euro leagues) wasn't nearly as important.

That's what the difference is. The NBA is the end-all for basketball players. You play basketball, you want to make it into the NBA. You play soccer, you want to play in the World Cup. It's two different things.

Basketball is now a global sport. The US has done it's job. Sending a compe ive team to play in the Olympics won't do anything to help them improve. They have the coaches, players and know how to grow on their own accord.

[adidas11]

Quote: "That's what the difference is. The NBA is the end-all for basketball players. You play basketball, you want to make it into the NBA. You play soccer, you want to play in the World Cup. It's two different things.

Basketball is now a global sport. The US has done it's job. Sending a compe ive team to play in the Olympics won't do anything to help them improve. They have the coaches, players and know how to grow on their own accord."

Well TimVP, FIFA made the decision on the Olympics, not an individual country. And that rule applies to ALL countries that wish to participate in the Olympics. For myself, I wouldn't have a problem if FIBA set an age limit for basketball, so to place more importance on the World Basketball Championships. (which is the equivalent to the World Cup for soccer)

I understand that in the USA, the NBA is the end-all for up and coming players. And I hope that as basketball continues to become more of a global sport, that will change. Because for soccer, players also dream to play for their favorite club teams, but they also dream to play for the national team as well.

I guess overall, my dissatisfaction is with Team USA and how they approach international basketball in general. Not just the Olympics. For me, the World Basketball Championships are more important, and that is the at ude that all of the other countries take as well. Why do you think players like Vlade Divac and Peja chose not to play (well, besides Vlade being an old fart)? They come out in DROVES for the World Basketball Championships. I remember a quote from Antonio Davis back in 2002, when he was shocked at how seriously the foreign teams took the tournament. It was MUCH more important to them than the Olympics.

[adidas11]

And TimVP, make no mistake, big time players were present at the Olympics this summer for soccer. Cristiano Renaldo and Gabriele Heinz (Portugal and Argentina, respectively) were there. Both players play with Manchester United, and Six Alex Ferguson was pissed when they both got selected, since they are two penciled starters on Man U. But there was nothing Sir Alex could do about that, because FIFA mandates that international compe ion for individual players takes precedence over domestic compe ion, and if the country calls those players, they go.

[smeagol]

Addidas, dude, I have gained a lot of respect for you. Your takes on Team USA have been right on for the last two months (before they lost their first friendly against Italy).

Even more, your analogy with Soccer could not be more precise: Soccer players kill themselves to reach their Mecca, which is European soccer (Italy, Spain and England and to a lesser degree Germany, France and Portugal). To be able to play in Europe, for soccer players, is like playing in the NBA for b-ball players. Soccer players in Europe make huge amounts of money (+$5MM per year).

But despite the fact that soccer players play year round (they might rest 20 days per year, not more), they also kill themselves to play for their national teams, not only in the World Cup, the largest sporting event in the world (outside the US), but also in the Olympics, the Eurocup, the Copa America and the international championships they play with their clubs.

Timvp, I understand that applying this to the NBA and the way the US picks the players for Team USA is very difficult, but there is no other way to go if you guys want your team to stay compe ive.

[adidas11]

Smeagol, the point I'm trying to make to TimVP, and others, is that we shouldn't settle for mediocrity when it comes to international compe ion. Why can't we we have a great domestic league (the NBA) and a great international team? Now I realize, that it probably isn't realistic, given our current climate of basketball in our country. And I also realize why a lot of the top players chose not to play in Greece this summer. They had very valid reasons. I just hope (and it's a long hope) that we change how we view and run basketball in our country overall, to allow greater importance for international basketball.