NBA may not send top stars to Olympics

duke Jun. 02, 2012 - 07:24PM JST. i thought it was more up to the player/agent who want to stay healthy for their current/up-coming contracts etc, look at steve nash, he stopped playing for the Canadian team years ago b/c he said he wanted to rest up his nagging injuries (back) and get healthy for the following season. He realized the hope of an Olympic medal was a lot slimmer than that of an NBA ring, not to mention contract negotiations.

NBA contracts can make things like this conditions for working for them. If NBA teams were paying many times what these star plays could get elsewhere, the team owners might very well be able to make demands like this, knowing that I'd rather stay and keep making the big bucks. They are paid millions playing basketball because they earn millions for their owners. That's how the supply and demand of labor work. The NBA, like nearly all American professional sports leagues, is a monopoly, depending on your viewpoint. Soccer is an exception; truly talented American players would actually earn much more money playing in international leagues, where the game is more popular than it is here, so the MLS is not a monopoly. And because Soccer is so popular in so many countries, there is a ton of inter-league competition, and the market is very free.

The NBA owners, most of whom made hundreds of millions in a free-market economy, are once again trying to apply exploitative principles of markets that are not free to their market. In a truly free market, the employers could never make rules like this stick. Their employees would just leave and play somewhere else.

The Olympics is no longer an one-off for many NBA players. It's a multi-year system - it's been that way for many countries, and even for the U.S. since 2005. That means players are groomed/required to play in prior international competitions in order to be in the national pool for selection to the Olympics.

For example, the new retooled US selection process under Olympic chief Colangelo and Coach K, US players have to give a rolling 3-year commitment - basically the cycle of playing for the World Championships year (or Olympics), qualification year, then playing for the Olympics (or World Championships). Not only for the main squad but also the practice squad who would then graduate to the main squad. So that creates a system of playing together, instead of just putting a bunch of superstars together for an one-off tournament. That means US players can't just expect to play for the Olympic squad without paying their dues first preparing in prior tournaments. The system worked and is now credited for reviving US basketball's undefeated 2008 Olympics and 2010 World Championship title runs.

But on the other hand, it's now a 3-year commitment, which puts more burden and risks on both the players and their clubs. So being at the Olympics is no longer just being at the Olympics - its a whole lot more than that now.

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I liked US basketball in the Olympics when it was the college kids who were playing. They get great experience and exposure on the world stage and I believe that they are better ambassadors for their country

Hahahaha........... until the college players started losing, then they just became a laughingstock to be derided on what's wrong with US basketball.

realteacher: "one player makes the whole squad.."

you said that, not me. I said he was their best player, don't quote someone incorrectly and then act like a mouthy kid. Since you mentioned Michael, Larry and Kobe, how many championships do you think they would have won without those players? Because that is the context to which i was mentioning, the mavs without Dirk at the Olympics.

well realteacher, i figured I had to spell it out for you judging on the basis of your comment of just sending the nba champs, which makes no sense at all.

sfjp330: "it's not up to the players, it's up to the team owners who invested many millions to these top players"

i thought it was more up to the player/agent who want to stay healthy for their current/up-coming contracts etc, look at steve nash, he stopped playing for the Canadian team years ago b/c he said he wanted to rest up his nagging injuries (back) and get healthy for the following season. He realized the hope of an Olympic medal was a lot slimmer than that of an NBA ring, not to mention contract negotiations.

American players in the NBA are prima dona's who shouldn't be playing in the Olympics anyway in my opinion. I liked US basketball in the Olympics when it was the college kids who were playing. They get great experience and exposure on the world stage and I believe that they are better ambassadors for their country than the likes of Kobe.

if they did that, then from last year they'd be sending the Dallas Mavericks... MINUS Dirk Nowitzki, who is German and their best player. Without him they'd finish last in the Olympics easily, so your theory doesn't make any sense. Most teams are comprised of a few international players, and oftentimes they are one of the teams key players.

Foreigners playing in the NBA? No sh*t, really? And you think one player makes the whole squad? Sorry, but not even Michael, Larry, or Kobe (well maybe Kobe) would agree with your ANALysis of that situation.

Fadamo rJun. 01, 2012 - 09:59PM JST The NBA is a bunch of overpaid thugs who tremble in fear at being part of a team that might lose in the Olympics. It's much safer for them to hide in their mansions and talk about "burn-out" than to actually put their "elite" status at risk by playing against (and possibly losing to) other nations' teams.

If these top players of the NBA had choice to play in the Olympics, most will play. However, it's not up to the players, it's up to the team owners who invested many millions to these top players. The team owners are selfish but they have every right to protect their investments. What happened to pitcher like Matsuzaka who burned out his arm during WBC, and Boston Red Sox already invested $100 millions on this guy, and they could not recover the loss. Will WBC pay back Red Sox for the damages? Matsuzaka so far has not returned to become an effective pitcher and most likely his career is over.

It have been proven that the NBA top stars don't finish first with the gold medal in the Olympics.

Send the college players to the Olympics. That would be worth watching and supporting.

realteacher: just send the NBA champs

if they did that, then from last year they'd be sending the Dallas Mavericks... MINUS Dirk Nowitzki, who is German and their best player. Without him they'd finish last in the Olympics easily, so your theory doesn't make any sense. Most teams are comprised of a few international players, and oftentimes they are one of the teams key players.

Frenchosa, the player you are referring to is Tony Parker, who is... FRENCH! lol

The NBA is a bunch of overpaid thugs who tremble in fear at being part of a team that might lose in the Olympics. It's much safer for them to hide in their mansions and talk about "burn-out" than to actually put their "elite" status at risk by playing against (and possibly losing to) other nations' teams.

If the USA wants to send the best possible squad, just send the NBA champs. Forget this all-star mish-mash of high profile players who don't know how to play together.

Many of the top players are not from the States. Possibly the best team, the Spurs, their PG is from Belgium.

Come on guys its only once every 4 years.... The Ice Hockey players from the NHL, KHL, SM_Liiga etc all cope just fine when the Winter Olympics come round.

If the USA wants to send the best possible squad, just send the NBA champs. Forget this all-star mish-mash of high profile players who don't know how to play together.