NBA players should reconsider international competition
Dante Exum is the latest NBA bit by the injury bug while participating in international competition. The torn ACL in Exum's left knee was a non-contact injury while coming to a jump stop. The injury will most likely keep Exum out for the entire 2015-16 season. The Utah Jazz selected Exum with the 5th in the 2014 draft and was expected to make an huge impact for a young Jazz roster.
This on top of the Paul George injury from last year's USA scrimmage game brings me to the point that NBA franchises should reconsider allowing their players to compete in international basketball. NBA teams are investing million of dollars into athletes for them to win NBA games. Not to say that international competition is not important but to have players risk an season-ending injury to play in a "world basketball tournament" just doesn't seem like a good idea.
I'm all about players having free will to do as they please during the off season but not at the expense of risking the future of the franchise. Without a franchise player like Paul George, teams suffers on the court and financially by not selling as many tickets. Imposing a fine on players injured during international competition will give teams a way to recoup some of the investment they made in the player.
Another reason why NBA players should reconsider playing in the Olympics is because the level of competition is too sub par to risk injury. They was a point in time where the world had "caught up" to the pace of American basketball, which lead to a bronze medal performance in 2004. Now in 2015, our athleticism has surpassed the rest of the world by a long shot. No other county can compete with the speed of the American game. Sending LeBron James, Kevin Durant and the rest of the elite NBA stars to the Olympics proves nothing that we didn't already know. Stop risking the health of our superstars for the pleasure of the IOC and FIBA. A gold medal is not worth my NBA team not having the superstar for an extended period of time.
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| Exum averaged 7.9 ppg and 3.9 apg in his rookie season (abcnews.go.com) |
I'm all about players having free will to do as they please during the off season but not at the expense of risking the future of the franchise. Without a franchise player like Paul George, teams suffers on the court and financially by not selling as many tickets. Imposing a fine on players injured during international competition will give teams a way to recoup some of the investment they made in the player.
Another reason why NBA players should reconsider playing in the Olympics is because the level of competition is too sub par to risk injury. They was a point in time where the world had "caught up" to the pace of American basketball, which lead to a bronze medal performance in 2004. Now in 2015, our athleticism has surpassed the rest of the world by a long shot. No other county can compete with the speed of the American game. Sending LeBron James, Kevin Durant and the rest of the elite NBA stars to the Olympics proves nothing that we didn't already know. Stop risking the health of our superstars for the pleasure of the IOC and FIBA. A gold medal is not worth my NBA team not having the superstar for an extended period of time.
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