Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban is not afraid to voice his opinion and this time his thoughts are centered around sending NBA players to the Olympics. Cuban has always been against allowing NBA players from competing in the Summer Games, and with the 2012 event coming up shortly, Cuban has once again expressed his position on the topic.
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Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas writes that Cuban is still upset with the fact that the Olympics committee is making money off NBA players even though they are exposed to the possibility of an injury.
“It’s just the epitome of stupidity that we would allow ourselves to be used so other corporations” — as Cuban calls the Olympics — “can make tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars,” Cuban said. “There’s some guys sitting at the Olympic headquarters going, ‘Those dumb-***es, we’re taking all their best guys for nothing.
“The commissioner’s office won’t open it up to discussion. They just make a unilateral call,” Cuban said Monday. “They’ll take calls about it, but won’t put it up for a vote. Hopefully, I can get him to move it to a vote at some point.”
As for the Los Angeles Lakers’ case, they have two players who are all but guaranteed a spot in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Kobe Bryant will no question return to the men’s roster for a chance to win a second consecutive gold medal and Pau Gasol will be joining the Spanish National Basketball Team in hopes of knocking the USA from the throne.
Although Cuban is right about the fact that the players are put at an injury risk, everyone would love to play for their country. Wearing a nation’s colors on your jersey is special and something that cannot be taken away. Cuban makes a good point, but it is fair to say that NBA players will continue to fight for a gold medal for the USA.
