For love of country?
USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo had an interesting answer on Monday's teleconference when asked about the displeasure voiced by some owners (Mark Cuban, in particular) at having their players take on a full summer of basketball with the national team.
"My own opinion, since you've asked, is it's a little selfish to be considering that player only as he plays for that team," Colangelo said. "There is something about national pride. There is something about representing your country, and I think those owners and those people in management and those coaches who support it are on the right track."
Colangelo said he'd never heard anything "face to face" from one of the disgruntled owners. U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski described national team duty even more simply: "The game is bigger than all of us. We owe the game. The game has been great to us."
Cuban and former Mavericks coach Don Nelson went back and forth on the subject last week. Cuban has tens of millions invested in Jason Kidd, who will start for the U.S. team, and Dirk Nowitzki, who will play for Germany in an Olympic qualifying tournament in July.
"It's not that I don't like the idea of them representing their countries," Cuban told the Dallas Morning News. "What I don't like is we lie to ourselves and pretend that Olympians represent our country. They don't. It's about money."
Nelson, who coached the U.S. team at the 1994 world championships, fired back at his old boss.
"This country has given Mark Cuban the opportunity to make money by the billions," Nelson told the paper. "You'd think he'd have more respect about giving something back to his country. He should feel a sense of pride, be privileged and honored to have one of his players on the Olympic team. If he doesn't, that's sad."
--Ross Siler
"My own opinion, since you've asked, is it's a little selfish to be considering that player only as he plays for that team," Colangelo said. "There is something about national pride. There is something about representing your country, and I think those owners and those people in management and those coaches who support it are on the right track."
Colangelo said he'd never heard anything "face to face" from one of the disgruntled owners. U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski described national team duty even more simply: "The game is bigger than all of us. We owe the game. The game has been great to us."
Cuban and former Mavericks coach Don Nelson went back and forth on the subject last week. Cuban has tens of millions invested in Jason Kidd, who will start for the U.S. team, and Dirk Nowitzki, who will play for Germany in an Olympic qualifying tournament in July.
"It's not that I don't like the idea of them representing their countries," Cuban told the Dallas Morning News. "What I don't like is we lie to ourselves and pretend that Olympians represent our country. They don't. It's about money."
Nelson, who coached the U.S. team at the 1994 world championships, fired back at his old boss.
"This country has given Mark Cuban the opportunity to make money by the billions," Nelson told the paper. "You'd think he'd have more respect about giving something back to his country. He should feel a sense of pride, be privileged and honored to have one of his players on the Olympic team. If he doesn't, that's sad."
--Ross Siler
1:14 PM
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