USA Basketball / NBA

[Bob Slydell]

Originally posted by Patch'sD
IHow can Levar (sp) Burtan learn the team concept jumping from High School to Pro Ball.

LeVar Burton plays in the NBA??

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Originally posted by Bob Slydell

LeVar Burton plays in the NBA??

LOL!!!

Come on, you know who the poster means. Is it lebron james or something like that????

 

[orvilleair]

Originally posted by UncleKyle
This is why I don't think Coach K, Roy Williams, or Tubby Smith will ever coach in the NBA. Players can get a coach fired quicker than they can hit a jump shot. The NBA has become more Hollywood than anything, it's a show with A list, B list, and C list players/actors.

And it's unfortunate that these great coaches will never have the opportunity to groom these high schoolers into the complete player. Every high schooler with decent ability will go straight to the NBA. Their handlers will not tutor them on the rigors of life, but the player will be placed on a pedestal and everything will be handed to him. The NBA should should not allow a high school graduate to enter the draft unless at least 2 years of college have been completed.

As for Allan Iverson, the dude has the attitude to win, but he wants to "be the man." I respect him and Tim Duncan for playing though.

 

[hydster]

The whole point of my posts has been the fact that the USA team has changed into an entire ME ME ME sport! It has nothing to do with the fact that the past dream teams didn't want to wear a jersey or a shoe or the fact that they didn't stay in the Olympic Village (by the way there were SEVERAL countries who didn't stay in the Olympic Village here in Utah for the Winter Olympics so what?) the point is that the era past in basketball is an era about PRIDE IN THE GAME and HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED! The era we are in now is how great can I look andI am the man! Even Carmello Anthony admitted that this year's team was NOT made up of a cohesive group who played team basketball but he said he felt very "confident" that Larry Brown could take a team of "ONE ON ONE" players into a "TEAM OF TEAM FIRST" players!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/...10,0,5613452.story?coll=bal-sports-basketball

Back in the "day" that phrase wasn't ever uttered because players played like a team and checked their ego's at the door! They played to win not playing to further their own agenda! This years team is one team who is full of talent but has no idea how to play! They didn't gel not because they didn't play together for very long or that they don't have talent but because they had NO chemistry and NO respect for each other and their game! NBA players in the past had a certain "respect" for their coaches...now well just look at good ol' Al Iverson..there's respect for you! It's all about respecting the game and they do not! They respect what they GET from playing the game not the game itself.

 

[Patty3]

I agree with you guys, I have to add that I was embarassed by the team for our country. I feel the team should be made up of college players and get Coach K, Tubby Smith or Roy Williams to coach the team. I am sick of the me mentality.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Back in "the day"? That day being 1992??

I'd argue that players today and players 10-12 years ago weren't really that much different. You want to go back 30 or 40 years, sure, but the NBA's been about the superstar and the one on one game for a while now.

 

[orvilleair]

I not happy with the me!me! attitude, but give Allen, Lebron etc... their props for being on the team. It's the guys like Kobe, Shaq, Jason Kidd etc... (whom are sitting home) that I can't stand. This attitude transcends more than just basketball. Does Serena and Jennifer really have injuries, or do they just don't care about winning a medal in the olympics. I remember a "Dream Team" in hockey 2 olympics ago, and all they did was lose and trash the hotel rooms they stayed in. And the men's baseball team didn't even qualify for the olympics.

 

[jimmalru80]

Play like the USA women play; pass the ball, play defense, shoot the ball and make it. It's basketball 101 without the slam dunks. And... oh yeah, WIN!! I'd watch the women over the men any day. At least they support each other.

 

[hydster]

Yep that day being in 1992!

Sure Basketball has changed but the "basic game and fundamentals" has not! The only thing that has changed is the fact that every year the players get younger and greedier! In 1992 it wasn't as prevalent. Greed is now a HUGE part of the NBA (and a lot of other professional sports as well) and it gets increasingly worse every year! In 1992 players had R~E~S~P~E~C~T for the game and each other....now the only thing they respect is who gives them the most bling for their buck!

But I will agree to disagree and leave it at that!

 

[UncleKyle]

Know where the basketball team is staying during the Olympics? The Queen Mary 2 off the coast of Greece, saw a special on it, they're living the high life. Did you see the Olympic Gymnast from the USA last night who didn't have enough money to eat while she was training? Her story was so compelling people have sent her money so she could live while she trained. She is the definition of Olympic spririt. These basketball players can't even take a loss with grace yesterday, did you see the whining? I'll bet if we told them all they would get a multi year deal with a big signing bonus if they won the gold, they'd pull out some huge wins.

 

[GaTech]

I am right there with you on the the play or lack there of from "The best 12 who agreed to play." Notice I didn't call them the Dream Team. But to take shots at where they stay is another thing. Many athletes do not stay in the village and several don't even show up until a day before their event. Carl Lewis says that he never stayed in the village so that he could concentrate on why he was there. Where these guys stay is not as important as how they perform on the court. If they were hustling and were perceived as giving it their all we would all be saying "the world has gotten better and we should prepare for the Olympics rather than send mostly young NBA players into a pick-up style game". Just my $0.02.