why does the US suddenly have nba players in the world cup

[tomtucker]

used to be only in the olympics, right ?

[bdreason]

We won it in 2010. We started taking it serious after we got Bronze in 2006.

This is still our B-Team though. Especially with guys like Durant, Love, and Griffin pulling out late. For the Olympics 2016 guys like LeBron, Durant, and CP3 should be playing.

[uber]

The last time team usa didn't had USA players at the WC was 1998

[BoutPractice]

The last time team usa didn't had USA players at the WC was 1998
You mean to say that not only did 1998 Team USA not come out with an NBA Dream Team, but they also didn't even bother to put American citizens on the floor? An Ethiopian at guard, a Venezuelian at forward, a Swiss at center? :D

[tomtucker]

but why not let the college kids play in the world cup....let them represent the US and at the same time make a name for themselfes, show everybody what they got.........and let the NBA guys play in the olympics........which afterall is the most important thing (besides NBA titles)........ will NBA players really continue to play international ball every two years ? :eek:

[Dresta]

but why not let the college kids play in the world cup....let them represent the US and at the same time make a name for themselfes, show everybody what they got.........and let the NBA guys play in the olympics........which afterall is the most important thing (besides NBA titles)........ will NBA players really continue to play international ball every two years ? :eek:
Because they would get spanked.

[bdreason]

U.S. College players would get worked because other Countries are sending NBA players and seasoned professionals from other leagues.

[SyRyanYang]

Thanks, Lebronze

[Encre92]

Scared of Spain and Slovenia.

[SpanishACB]

but why not let the college kids play in the world cup....let them represent the US and at the same time make a name for themselfes, show everybody what they got.........and let the NBA guys play in the olympics........which afterall is the most important thing (besides NBA titles)........ will NBA players really continue to play international ball every two years ? :eek:

The Olympics only hold a bigger importance in the US, and that's because, I guess, because the US wins a lot of medals in singles sports and therefore it's an easier to sell product amongst americans unaware of the international scene: the vast majority of the viewers in america.

It still features lower quality of teams, because of the equal numbers per continent, some of the "big" european teams will miss out in favor of much lesser teams from other continents.

[uber]

You mean to say that not only did 1998 Team USA not come out with an NBA Dream Team, but they also didn't even bother to put American citizens on the floor? An Ethiopian at guard, a Venezuelian at forward, a Swiss at center? :D
Haha i didn't even noticed :lol

[SexSymbol]

but why not let the college kids play in the world cup....let them represent the US and at the same time make a name for themselfes, show everybody what they got.........and let the NBA guys play in the olympics........which afterall is the most important thing (besides NBA titles)........ will NBA players really continue to play international ball every two years ? :eek:
European players play international ball every summer, it's not really hard to play every two years

[fefe]

used to be only in the olympics, right ?


In 1989, FIBA, international basketball's governing body, allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time

In 1990 worldcup it was still no NBA players.

1992 olympics was the original Dream Team

1994 WC was Dream Team 2

1996 olympics was Dream Team 3

1998 was no NBA players because of the NBA lockout

2000 olimpics with NBA players
Still gold with some very close games...

2002 WC - 6th place with NBA players
PG - Baron Davis, Andre Miller, Jay Williams
SG - Reggie Miller, Michael Finley
SF - Paul Perce, Shaun Marion
PF - Elton Brand, Antonio Davis
C - Jermaine O'Neal, Ben Wallace, Raef LaFrentz

2003 FIBA Americas -
With the 6th place finish in the Worldcup, USA failed to directly qualify for the Olympics, so they even had to send NBA players to the FIBA Americas tournament.

2004 olympics
LeBron, Wade, Melo, Duncan, Iverson, etc.. all the superstars returned after the failure in 2002.
still 3 losses in the tournament, and 89-81 loss to Argentina in the semis, Bronz Medal..

2006 WC - Colangelo and Coach K take over
LeBron, Wade and Melo as captains, Dwight, Bosh, CP3 also on the team, everyone gives 3 year commitment
still only Bronze medal, as Greece defeeted USA in the semifinal round quite easily (101-95). Spain blew out Greece in the final (70-47).

2008 olympics - Redeem team
USA won handily

2010 WC - Durant setting records, USA won easily (first time since Dream Team 2 won in 1994)

2012 Olympics - gold again

2014 WC in Spain - probably a gold with Spain out of the picture.



In one word: WRONG!

USA has been sending NBA players to all international tournaments, except in the year of the lockout.

from 2002 to 2006 they lost 3 tournaments in a row with NBA stars, but they seem to be back on track now.

[Rooster]

The Olympics only hold a bigger importance in the US, and that's because, I guess, because the US wins a lot of medals in singles sports and therefore it's an easier to sell product amongst americans unaware of the international scene: the vast majority of the viewers in america.

It still features lower quality of teams, because of the equal numbers per continent, some of the "big" european teams will miss out in favor of much lesser teams from other continents.

:facepalm
We won 15 gold medals in team event compare to 1 for Spain in the last Olympics. :oldlol:

[hawksdogsbraves]

:facepalm
We won 15 gold medals in team event compare to 1 for Spain in the last Olympics. :oldlol:

He's saying Olympic basketball isn't as high quality, not the Olympics in general...

[tomtucker]

Because they would get spanked.

maybe, but there is no shame in that...........everybody knows the US is the best at b-ball anyway.........so send the young future stars.........and i don

[SpanishACB]

He's saying Olympic basketball isn't as high quality, not the Olympics in general...

don't mind him, he's a very awful "europe sucks" troll that never gets anything right and therefore rarely gets any attention because basically.

It must be a breakthrough day for him though, since we're talking about it.

And it's not like the US is that good at sports anyway. They're just more people. Per capita, they're average to pedestrian:
http://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/medal-tally/all-time-comparison-pop.htm

[Rooster]

don't mind him, he's a very awful "europe sucks" troll that never gets anything right and therefore rarely gets any attention because basically.

It must be a breakthrough day for him though, since we're talking about it.

And it's not like the US is that good at sports anyway. They're just more people. Per capita, they're average to pedestrian:
http://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/medal-tally/all-time-comparison-pop.htm

Baltimore with population of 2.6 mil produced better basketball players than Spain.:oldlol:

Athletes from LA metropolitan area with 18 mil has won more Olympic medals than Spain with 46 mil.

[Rake2204]

The last time team usa didn't had USA players at the WC was 1998Fun fact: Jimmy King is the only member of the Fab Five to play for a USA National Team.

http://www.sikids.com/sites/default/files/multimedia/photo_gallery/0806/nba.team.usa.tournaments/images/1998.jpg

What a rag tag group of guys. I only knew of King and Trajan Langdon at the time. Although, looking at the roster again now, I totally do not recall David Freaking Wood being on the team. A 34 year old David Wood no less. I was not familiar with Brad Miller at the time and while I surely would have known Mateen, he got hurt before the tourney.

Here's the rest of the roster, in addition to those who did not make the cut (Chucky Atkins, Earl Boykins, Troy Hudson) and the original '98 NBA roster (featuring the likes of Chris Webber, Christian Laettner, Terrell Brandon, and Allan Houston): http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/usa98.txt

[Rooster]

Fun fact: Jimmy King is the only member of the Fab Five to play for a USA National Team.

http://www.sikids.com/sites/default/files/multimedia/photo_gallery/0806/nba.team.usa.tournaments/images/1998.jpg

What a rag tag group of guys. I only knew of King and Trajan Langdon at the time. Although, looking at the roster again now, I totally do not recall David Freaking Wood being on the team. A 34 year old David Wood no less. I was not familiar with Brad Miller at the time and while I surely would have known Mateen, he got hurt before the tourney.

Here's the rest of the roster, in addition to those who did not make the cut (Chucky Atkins, Earl Boykins, Troy Hudson) and the original '98 NBA roster (featuring the likes of Chris Webber, Christian Laettner, Terrell Brandon, and Allan Houston): http://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/usa98.txt

This rag tag crew won Bronze and the other teams went life and death just to beat them. In retrospective I only knew King and Langdon from the team and Madkins and Manning from the ones who did not make the cut because they played at Pac 10. Langdon was cut by the Clips and went on to build a legendary career in Europe. But out of those players from the 1998 team only
Brad Miller went on and built a good career in the NBA. Other player that cut like Nate Huffman won the Euroleague MVP. Troy Hudson and Earl Boykins converted their part time gig with the Clips and went on to have decent NBA career. But Rip Hamilton was probably the one with the biggest success in the NBA and college as well. He played major roles in a couple of huge upse, UConn defeating a loaded Duke team and the Detroit beat down on the Lakers.

[Rake2204]

This rag tag crew won Bronze and the other teams went life and death just to beat them. In retrospective I only knew King and Langdon from the team and Madkins and Manning from the ones who did not make the cut because they played at Pac 10. Langdon was cut by the Clips and went on to build a legendary career in Europe. But out of those players from the 1998 team only
Brad Miller went on and built a good career in the NBA. Other player that cut like Nate Huffman won the Euroleague MVP. Troy Hudson and Earl Boykins converted their part time gig with the Clips and went on to have decent NBA career. But Rip Hamilton was probably the one with the biggest success in the NBA and college as well. He played major roles in a couple of huge upse, UConn defeating a loaded Duke team and the Detroit beat down on the Lakers.Wow, I did not know Nate Huffman was a Euroleague MVP. Crazy. Michigan was all over that 1998 Cup system:

Nate Huffman - Battle Creek, MI native (Central Michigan)
Earl Boykins - Eastern Michigan
Jimmy King - Michigan
Mateen Cleaves - Michigan State
Glen Rice - Michigan
Chris Webber - Michigan
Grant Hill - Detroit Pistons

(and to a lesser extent)...

Richard Hamilton - Future Piston
Chucky Atkins - Future Piston