Not sure if this was discussed anywhere but there was a tweet that said with the NBA probably playing during the Olympics the seniors should be given a chance to play for the USA. It would be a cool idea/way to let the seniors have a moment. Clearly there are more seniors than spots but I think things could be worked out to an extent and tryouts after. http://<blockquote class="twitter-t...ter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Olympics
- Thread starter SHUsez
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You mean a team made up entirely of seniors? It's not a bad idea in terms of doing something nice for the seniors. But given that the world is closing the gap in basketball, I just don't think they will likely compete for the gold, or even medal, if that's the case. They'd have much better odds of success in the Olympics if they had months and months to practice together.
Who else are u putting out there? Didnt it used to be college at some point anyway?
in reality i think olympics is going to be postponed
Last time was pure college players was like 1982 or 1986....
Damn d leagues. Im sure olympic committees would want some of them first
but theres a bunch of draftees who are better. Hell, powell might be able to work his way in regardless
I misread what the OP was saying. I thought they were implying the NBA would be participating in the Olympics, but upon reading it again, clearly they meant that the NBA would be finishing their actual season during the summer games and therefore not be a part of it. If that's the case, the seniors idea seems as good as any other. Although NYShoreGuy makes a good point about D leaguers. I too think a postponement is a totally plausible scenario at this point.
88 olympics, 90 world championships...ussr and united yugoslavia were quite good
Dream team was the first time pros were included?
Thought pros were included earlier... But again, I'm only 33.
Likely a moot point. I believe the IOC will come to its senses at some point and decide to push the Games back a year. How foolish it would be to have people from all over the world on the heels of a pandemic converge in one of the most densely populated places anywhere and then fly back to their 200 or so home countries. Even if they held the Games without spectators you'd still have the best young athletes in the world living in the close quarters of the Olympic Village. It makes zero sense and is --imho--extremely irresponsible.The IOC is not known for its wisdom, but I think even they are smart enough to postpone the Games. And I strongly suspect the Tokyo organizing committee will find a way to make it work in 2021. They are likely already well into the planning of such postponement.
1988 was the last time. John Thompson was the coach. It was not a good showing for the USA. Hence the Dream Team in ‘92.
1990 world championships in argentina was last fiba champ event with nba american players
It was actually a european fiba official boris stankovich that thought of the idea to bring nba americans and make it a true open competition
Up until early 90a fiba designated nba as only true pros and rest of world pro league compeitors as amateur...you want quick history lesson go read or watch on 88 olympics, world 90s and eurobasket 89 and 91. Ussr was top team in all of world. Sabonis dad was a true wizard of basketball...nba got him once he already had so many injuries. Also on ussr was marcilonis who played with warriors in early mid 90s. Unified yugoslavia was the real show time for international hoops 3 great bigs 2 of which were somewhat positionless radja divac and kukoc. Also just a killer at guard petrovic. He and divac were rookies in nba same season. Petro was on blazers that had terry porter drexler and a waning danny ainge. He didnt get much pt and then got traded to nets where he was with a core of DC and kenny anderson. He tragically died in Germany early June 93 on autonahn accident....but those 2 teams unified plus Greece were best 3 around Europe and world late 80s to early 90s
Humored myself and thought why not just send the 3 All American teams as our representatives? Just looked at the Sporting News team, and of the 15 you'd have to replace Nwora from Louisville (Nigeria) and Petrusev from Gonzaga (Serbia).
Sabonis and Marcialonis were Lithuanian and eventually they gained their freedom, and luckily were able to reach the Olympics with some help from Bill Walton and the Grateful Dead.
That would be one way to decide who played. Agreed never thought about D Leaguers just saw the tweet and it sparked my interest. I think the Olympics will probably be postponed but if they aren't it's an interesting option to think about. And one I think as a nation people could get behind
