Woj: Paul George injury could be tipping point for use of stars in International play

[Milbuck]

[QUOTE]Adrian Wojnarowski @WojYahooNBA

[Bless Mathews]

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=349751

[Legends66NBA7]

Injuries can happen at anytime.

[russwest0]

just got home from work and saw that injury....

holy shit....

after durant played an assload of minutes last season I'm pretty upset that he's playing in this thing.

[tomtucker]

fukk the GM

[TylerOO]

ill play for our country

[Good Ol JR]

BY GAWD this could very well be the end of an era folks.

[BigBoss]

Injuries can happen at anytime.

Yeah, but if they were to happen it needs to be on company time.

[Sarcastic]

Yeah, but if they were to happen it needs to be on company time.


Players have a love of the game clause in their contract. They can play basketball at any time during the year.

[outbreak]

back to using college teams and players who need exposure?

[JtotheIzzo]

media is gonna run with this.

hopefully pros will play long enough for Canada`s team to develop.

[SpanishACB]

If this was soccer, the NBA would be paying George's salary for the duration of the injury.

It should be a honor to play for your country. Americans, do not antagonize international competition, antagonize the NBA for not putting in measures to protect players and franchises from these things.

[bdreason]

If this was soccer, the NBA would be paying George's salary for the duration of the injury.

It should be a honor to play for your country. Americans, do not antagonize international competition, antagonize the NBA for not putting in measures to protect players and franchises from these things.


George's contract is guaranteed. He'll be getting paid while he sits on the bench next season.


As for the issue of NBA players playing in International events... I think we just need to limit International competition to once every 4 years (like the World Cup), instead of once every 2 years (Olympics + WC). As much as I love to watch Basketball, I wouldn't mind if the sport were eliminated completely from the Olympics... or perhaps only use amateurs.

[BoutPractice]

At least for the world/Americas championship, I suppose.

The Olympics experiment has been too successful from a business standpoint to go back to the previous situation... I would be very surprised if they didn't put out a strong team of NBA all-stars for 2016.

[OG LeeTSkeeT]

thats why im always scared when players play in pro-am tournaments, drew leagues, or pick up games, anything can happen at anytime.

[Oly BC]

George's contract is guaranteed. He'll be getting paid while he sits on the bench next season.

Will he be getting paid by the pacers or by the nba? That's what he means.

[S13M]

I guess they're banning all off-season basketball. No more summer league, drew league, pickup games, practices

[PleezeBelieve]

Expect half the USA roster to pull their commitment and not play in the World Cup.

[Euroleague]

back to using college teams and players who need exposure?

That would not last more than even one tournament. The USA could not even get out of a group stage with college players.

This isn't the 1980s anymore.

:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

:biggums: :biggums: :biggums:

[Euroleague]

George's contract is guaranteed. He'll be getting paid while he sits on the bench next season.


As for the issue of NBA players playing in International events... I think we just need to limit International competition to once every 4 years (like the World Cup), instead of once every 2 years (Olympics + WC). As much as I love to watch Basketball, I wouldn't mind if the sport were eliminated completely from the Olympics... or perhaps only use amateurs.

It has been tried over and over, but Americans refuse to accept it, because they have this crazy idea in their heads that the Olympics, which is the 3rd highest level of international tournaments (after EuroBasket and World Cup) is "more important" than the actual world cup.......

So USA keeps blocking all those attempts. Stern even tried to do that, even stating the NBA itself even agreed that the FIBA World Cup should simply be the only tournament, as it is the only actual world tournament, and it makes no sense at all to even use the Olympics for it.

All the NBA only fans in this forum - ALL OF THEM, went absolutely freaking nuts when he was talking about that.

Because somehow, they have this crazy notion that "only the Olympics matter". Even though it's pretty much actually a joke tournament.

[Euroleague]

At least for the world/Americas championship, I suppose.

The Olympics experiment has been too successful from a business standpoint to go back to the previous situation... I would be very surprised if they didn't put out a strong team of NBA all-stars for 2016.

The Olympics is a joke tournament and it's a total 100% marketing gimmick. No serious "world sport" would use the Olympics for its "world championship".

The NBA did that just as a marketing gimmick in 1992 and that was it. It has been trying to get out of since then.

It is completely illogical to use the Olympics as the world championship of the sport.

And the NBA itself even agreed 100% with that.

They should completely do away with it, and do just like football does. It's absolutely nuts the way they are doing it now, just because Americans claim that's the correct way to do it.

[Euroleague]

Will he be getting paid by the pacers or by the nba? That's what he means.

Neither. By the insurance company.

Then again there is Greece, which is the only European federation that does not insure their players, and yet STILL has Greek media claiming they do, simply because the federation said they do, and that's good enough for the media.......

So good to have all the basketball system and media controlled by a single club team...........

You know damn well that is the real reason Spanoulis and Sofo are not playing at this tournament. Because Sofo even said he was fine to play and was going to play, but that Maccabi demanded to see proof that he was insured before they released him to play. About a week later, it was announced in Greek media that, "he was not playing because he was injured".

Papanikolaou even said that Barca demanded to see proof that he was insured and that he wasn't, but they allowed to play anyway. While they claimed in the federation and media that all the players were insured....

FIBA really needs to set some damn rules about this stuff and it needs to be legally binding, because for example what the Greek federation is doing is absurd.

[BRabbiT]

media is gonna run with this.....


+1

[jzek]

Agree with Woj. Top-tiers shouldn't be allowed. Our mid-tier guys are good enough to beat the rest of the world if you give them proper training and time together.

[R.I.P.]

Why do these owners think their revenue has increased so much over the last 20 years. International expansion and when did it all start? Barcelona 1992. So they had one freak injury in 22 years and in return they made billions of extra dollars by expanding the NBA brand around the globe.

Nike, individual player brand expansion and not least of all a chance to win a gold medal representing your country, when most top players otherwise never sniff a championship in their professfional career. Good luck with that. Not to forget that international players grow up with a different attitude toward national team duty.

The NBA cannot afford to have US college kids be bitch-slapped every two years in these events. Bad for business. Let

[BoutPractice]

The Olympics is a joke tournament and it's a total 100% marketing gimmick. No serious "world sport" would use the Olympics for its "world championship".

The NBA did that just as a marketing gimmick in 1992 and that was it. It has been trying to get out of since then.

It is completely illogical to use the Olympics as the world championship of the sport.

And the NBA itself even agreed 100% with that.

They should completely do away with it, and do just like football does. It's absolutely nuts the way they are doing it now, just because Americans claim that's the correct way to do it.

I kind of agree with you that the actual world championship should logically be the main event, but it's not the way it's turned out so far.

The Olympics became the story people care about, now it's difficult to reverse the momentum. They seem headed in that direction, though, it'll be interesting to see whether they can make it as big as it should be in 2019.

[The JKidd Kid]

I disagree, this is just an overreaction to an admittedly horrible injury that was a one time freak accident. What makes this any different than the Drew league or even practicing over the summer, it wasn't even a real game, it was a practice between NBA players vs other NBA players. NBA players have been playing basketball in the off season for years and this is the first really serious injury. If people are going to blame international competition for this, then they are out of their minds. He could've suffered the same injury in a practice with his friends and no one would've said anything but since it's related to international competition everybody freaks out.

[IGOTGAME]

I disagree, this is just an overreaction to an admittedly horrible injury that was a one time freak accident. What makes this any different than the Drew league or even practicing over the summer, it wasn't even a real game, it was a practice between NBA players vs other NBA players. NBA players have been playing basketball in the off season for years and this is the first really serious injury. If people are going to blame international competition for this, then they are out of their minds. He could've suffered the same injury in a practice with his friends and no one would've said anything but since it's related to international competition everybody freaks out.

exactly.

[Derka]

I disagree, this is just an overreaction to an admittedly horrible injury that was a one time freak accident. What makes this any different than the Drew league or even practicing over the summer, it wasn't even a real game, it was a practice between NBA players vs other NBA players. NBA players have been playing basketball in the off season for years and this is the first really serious injury. If people are going to blame international competition for this, then they are out of their minds. He could've suffered the same injury in a practice with his friends and no one would've said anything but since it's related to international competition everybody freaks out.

100% agreed.

Shut up American sports media.

[Frozen1]

Overreaction. Simple as that.

Tell me the last NBA player who got seriously injured playing for his national team besides PG. I don

[Euroleague]

Agree with Woj. Top-tiers shouldn't be allowed. Our mid-tier guys are good enough to beat the rest of the world if you give them proper training and time together.

The top tier USA team beat Spain by 7 points, Argentina by 6 points the first time they played them, and Lithuania by 5 points in 2012.

GET SERIOUS.

Mid tier?

They would get crushed by even teams like Slovenia.

[Euroleague]

I kind of agree with you that the actual world championship should logically be the main event, but it's not the way it's turned out so far.

The Olympics became the story people care about, now it's difficult to reverse the momentum. They seem headed in that direction, though, it'll be interesting to see whether they can make it as big as it should be in 2019.

It's already been big for a very long time. It's an enormous event.

It's bigger than Olympics basketball.

It's already been absolutely HUGE for decades outside the USA. By even the last tournament it had already surpassed Olympics basketball for both 2008 and 2012.

There is nothing more that they can possibly do. The thing is freaking huge.

It's just Americans that REFUSE to get this stupid notion about the Olympics only mattering out of their heads that causes the whole problem.

There should be one world tournament, the FIBA World Cup, every 4 years, and that's it. EVERY other country already accepts it as a HUGE tournament and it already is BIGGER than Olympics basketball even without the US caring about it.

What more can they do? They simply need to just STOP playing at the Olympics with pro players. That will solve the problem. Americans won't have any say in it then.

The Olympics committee is greedy, but they don't own the sport. They can go to hell. They are doing nothing at all to help the sport, and are only hurting it. The Olympics tournament is a joke. They would not even expand it to 16 teams when that was submitted as a proposal.

[gabepizza]

It has been tried over and over, but Americans refuse to accept it, because they have this crazy idea in their heads that the Olympics, which is the 3rd highest level of international tournaments (after EuroBasket and World Cup) is "more important" than the actual world cup.......

So USA keeps blocking all those attempts. Stern even tried to do that, even stating the NBA itself even agreed that the FIBA World Cup should simply be the only tournament, as it is the only actual world tournament, and it makes no sense at all to even use the Olympics for it.

All the NBA only fans in this forum - ALL OF THEM, went absolutely freaking nuts when he was talking about that.

Because somehow, they have this crazy notion that "only the Olympics matter". Even though it's pretty much actually a joke tournament.


Yes that is why the top teams from Eurobasket play in every Olympics and a European team including the last five Eurobasket champions have not won an Olympic gold medal since the USSR.

[kurple]

thats why im always scared when players play in pro-am tournaments, drew leagues, or pick up games, anything can happen at anytime.
:lol

NBA players don't get where they are if they don't play basketball

Should they just stop practicing aswell?

Injuries happens, I feel bad for George and the pacers, but it's a part of the game

[Euroleague]

Yes that is why the top teams from Eurobasket play in every Olympics and a European team including the last five Eurobasket champions have not won an Olympic gold medal since the USSR.

And that post is why your IQ is below 65.

[gabepizza]

It's already been big for a very long time. It's an enormous event.

It's bigger than Olympics basketball.

It's already been absolutely HUGE for decades outside the USA. By even the last tournament it had already surpassed Olympics basketball for both 2008 and 2012.

There is nothing more that they can possibly do. The thing is freaking huge.

It's just Americans that REFUSE to get this stupid notion about the Olympics only mattering out of their heads that causes the whole problem.

There should be one world tournament, the FIBA World Cup, every 4 years, and that's it. EVERY other country already accepts it as a HUGE tournament and it already is BIGGER than Olympics basketball even without the US caring about it.

What more can they do? They simply need to just STOP playing at the Olympics with pro players. That will solve the problem. Americans won't have any say in it then.

The Olympics committee is greedy, but they don't own the sport. They can go to hell. They are doing nothing at all to help the sport, and are only hurting it. The Olympics tournament is a joke. They would not even expand it to 16 teams when that was submitted as a proposal.


Lies lies and more lies. If you're going for total viewership then the WC would get more "viewers" maybe because they have twice as many games. But I would be willing to bet that the Olympic Final gets more views that the WC final and until you can show a link showing that the FIBA championship gets more views than you are a liar.

And if the Olympic is such an easy tournament it shows show pathetic European teams are that they have not been able to win an Olympic gold medal since the USSR.

No wonder Euroleague is such a low level tournament if European teams can not even win gold in a 3rd tier tournament!!!! Maybe they can play in the women's division instead? Would that be low enough level for them to finally win??

[JUDGE WITNESS]

And that post is why your IQ is below 65.
cause hes right? :lol

[gabepizza]

And that post is why your IQ is below 65.

Yes good response. So why have the top teams in Eurobasket including the last 5 Eurobasket champions got their buts handed to them in the last 5 Olympics? It may be a low level tournament but it is still still hard of a tournament for those weak ass European teams to ever win!

Last I remember Spanoulis and 3/4 of the roster of the defending Euroleague champions Olympiacos were getting embarrassed in the Olympic qualifying tournament!!

:lol :oldlol: :oldlol: :oldlol:

[JellyBean]

Injuries can happen at anytime.


My thinking actually. I know owners and GMs will definitely consider Paul George's terrible injury when it comes to letting their elite players play in international play. But injuries happen and the players have to weigh that decision. I just hope PG is able to have a speedy recovery. My thoughts and prayers are with him. I had to stop watching the game and deleted the DVR of the game. I am not watching ESPN or any other sports shows this week, other than the golf channel. At least I know the Golf Channel won't talk about this terrible event for 8 hours.

[FireMcFailPlease]

That would not last more than even one tournament. The USA could not even get out of a group stage with college players.

This isn't the 1980s anymore.

:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

:biggums: :biggums: :biggums:
Yep.

Exhibit A: 2012 Greece.

[NoGunzJustSkillz]

Maybe they use a mixture of college players and retired players.

[Hey Yo]

[QUOTE=Frozen1]Overreaction. Simple as that.

Tell me the last NBA player who got seriously injured playing for his national team besides PG. I don

[ALBballer]

I disagree, this is just an overreaction to an admittedly horrible injury that was a one time freak accident. What makes this any different than the Drew league or even practicing over the summer, it wasn't even a real game, it was a practice between NBA players vs other NBA players. NBA players have been playing basketball in the off season for years and this is the first really serious injury. If people are going to blame international competition for this, then they are out of their minds. He could've suffered the same injury in a practice with his friends and no one would've said anything but since it's related to international competition everybody freaks out.

:applause:

[Hey Yo]

Dr. Johnny Benjamin ‏@DrJCBenjamin 54m
IOC or FIBA to NBA owners- I'm gonna use YOUR player for FREE & take ALL the $$. That's what's known in the street as- Gorilla pimpin'

Dr. Johnny Benjamin ‏@DrJCBenjamin 59m
@MarkJonesESPN Playing in an international basketball game doesn't make one a patriot but it does make IOC & FIBA $$$

Dr. Johnny Benjamin ‏@DrJCBenjamin 1h
@MarkJonesESPN If FIBA or IOC was legally on the hook for NBA salary if a player got hurt they'd quickly make NBA players ineligible.

[bballnoob1192]

so are the pacers gonna tank. i think they should. there is no point for them making the playoffs this year.