Should be close to that of the ones exiting the mouths of every NBA owner and GM with a player on the team(in private), and subsequently, the players on the team.(in private)
It's nice that most players -here's looking at you, Stephen Curry- have decided to stay and honor their commitment to Team USA. It's even nicer that their shooting shirts during warmups are going to honor Paul George. But with the World Cup of basketball coming up this next month in Spain and training camps the month after, wouldn't the smart, even unsurprising thing, be to do what Kevin Durant did?
http://espn.go.com/olympics/basketb...ers-coaches-discuss-impact-paul-george-injury
I've mostly found Durant to be a classy guy, so I believed him completely when he issued the following statement acknowledging he was withdrawing from Team USA:
Translation: I'm the same height as Paul George and packing an extra 20-30 lbs then him, and what I'm really invested in is helping the team paying me win the NBA Championship for the first time, and earning myself another MVP award. It'll earn me endorsements as well, and maybe I'll finally be able to pay for Lasik eye surgery so I don't have to wear those glasses that make me look double my age(Actually, they're stylish). After (Paul) George got hurt, there's no way I can sit the bench and nurse a fake injury. Conversely, I can't afford to get injured playing games the best college kids in the nation could win. And I am exhausted following the season, so I won't be lying either, just omitting some truths.
I believed all of what Durant said. I just feel he omitted quite a bit as well.
All of his NBA teammates should be following his lead. Get out, and watch the college kids beat up on the other countries. And even if we don't win with them, at least we've got our health. Instead, most seem to be taking their clues from Stephen Curry. From the ESPN article:
All of these are overused sports cliches, but they seem almost...apropos here. For what reason does Curry have to play but for love of game and country? Is that enough? Sure, it's easier for a guy like Curry to "take advantage" of opportunities granted him by George's injury and Durant's withdrawal. While I follow basketball fairly closely, I do not keep up with individual player's endorsements. I do know that Curry makes about 10 million dollars this upcoming season, but he's not in jeopardy of losing any of that money. His contract is guaranteed, so he must be playing for love of the game, correct?
Not necessarily...
Curry is coming off his first season as an All-Star, and at 26, he has plenty of years ahead of him. If he grows into a bonafide superstar that can carry a franchise, he can not only put Golden State back on the map in California, but earn himself both local(which I'm sure he has) and high-profile national endorsements. As is the case in many sports, one can make as much if not more in major endorsements. If injured, endorsement money goes away. It doesn't hurt Kevin Durant to sit out, or honestly, his career could end tomorrow thanks to a freakish injury, but he could make plenty on endorsements now and into the future thanks to his star power. Paul George doesn't quite have that yet, nor does Stephen Curry.
But Curry would be better off following Durant's path here rather then George's. Once Curry's contract would end(if he were severely injured and could no longer play)the money would be gone. His contract calls for a lot of money to you and me($44 million, guaranteed), but to an athlete used to living a certain lifestyle, it goes quicker then one would think.
If I were Curry and his teammates now, I'd withdraw, and let the unpaid college players still beat up on most of the other teams in the World, and have the team enlist the help of some higher profile rookies and second year NBA players. For love AND money may be true and all, but all the love in the world isn't going to pay the bills if you're injured and can no longer play the game.
The fact that Curry consulted with his team's GM tells me he had reservations in the first place.
Do you buy Kevin Durant's reasons for withdrawing from the games?(Physically and mentally exhausted)
Mike Krzyzewski(Team USA's coach and Duke University's head coach and legend) has stated that the men who are there are "all in" because they love playing for the United States. Do you believe this to be true?
Would Stephen Curry and his All-Star teammates be better off sitting out like Kevin Durant has, and not risk further injury? Why or why not?
If you were a player with a chance to play for your country, would an injury like Paul George's change your mind? Would that mean you don't "love" playing for your country enough?
All other thoughts here are welcome and encouraged.
It's nice that most players -here's looking at you, Stephen Curry- have decided to stay and honor their commitment to Team USA. It's even nicer that their shooting shirts during warmups are going to honor Paul George. But with the World Cup of basketball coming up this next month in Spain and training camps the month after, wouldn't the smart, even unsurprising thing, be to do what Kevin Durant did?
http://espn.go.com/olympics/basketb...ers-coaches-discuss-impact-paul-george-injury
I've mostly found Durant to be a classy guy, so I believed him completely when he issued the following statement acknowledging he was withdrawing from Team USA:
Translation: I'm the same height as Paul George and packing an extra 20-30 lbs then him, and what I'm really invested in is helping the team paying me win the NBA Championship for the first time, and earning myself another MVP award. It'll earn me endorsements as well, and maybe I'll finally be able to pay for Lasik eye surgery so I don't have to wear those glasses that make me look double my age(Actually, they're stylish). After (Paul) George got hurt, there's no way I can sit the bench and nurse a fake injury. Conversely, I can't afford to get injured playing games the best college kids in the nation could win. And I am exhausted following the season, so I won't be lying either, just omitting some truths.
I believed all of what Durant said. I just feel he omitted quite a bit as well.
All of his NBA teammates should be following his lead. Get out, and watch the college kids beat up on the other countries. And even if we don't win with them, at least we've got our health. Instead, most seem to be taking their clues from Stephen Curry. From the ESPN article:
I'm surprised at the end there, he didn't add that he was going to "give it 100%", was playing for "love of the game", and would take it "one game at a time."
All of these are overused sports cliches, but they seem almost...apropos here. For what reason does Curry have to play but for love of game and country? Is that enough? Sure, it's easier for a guy like Curry to "take advantage" of opportunities granted him by George's injury and Durant's withdrawal. While I follow basketball fairly closely, I do not keep up with individual player's endorsements. I do know that Curry makes about 10 million dollars this upcoming season, but he's not in jeopardy of losing any of that money. His contract is guaranteed, so he must be playing for love of the game, correct?
Not necessarily...
Curry is coming off his first season as an All-Star, and at 26, he has plenty of years ahead of him. If he grows into a bonafide superstar that can carry a franchise, he can not only put Golden State back on the map in California, but earn himself both local(which I'm sure he has) and high-profile national endorsements. As is the case in many sports, one can make as much if not more in major endorsements. If injured, endorsement money goes away. It doesn't hurt Kevin Durant to sit out, or honestly, his career could end tomorrow thanks to a freakish injury, but he could make plenty on endorsements now and into the future thanks to his star power. Paul George doesn't quite have that yet, nor does Stephen Curry.
But Curry would be better off following Durant's path here rather then George's. Once Curry's contract would end(if he were severely injured and could no longer play)the money would be gone. His contract calls for a lot of money to you and me($44 million, guaranteed), but to an athlete used to living a certain lifestyle, it goes quicker then one would think.
If I were Curry and his teammates now, I'd withdraw, and let the unpaid college players still beat up on most of the other teams in the World, and have the team enlist the help of some higher profile rookies and second year NBA players. For love AND money may be true and all, but all the love in the world isn't going to pay the bills if you're injured and can no longer play the game.
The fact that Curry consulted with his team's GM tells me he had reservations in the first place.
Do you buy Kevin Durant's reasons for withdrawing from the games?(Physically and mentally exhausted)
Mike Krzyzewski(Team USA's coach and Duke University's head coach and legend) has stated that the men who are there are "all in" because they love playing for the United States. Do you believe this to be true?
Would Stephen Curry and his All-Star teammates be better off sitting out like Kevin Durant has, and not risk further injury? Why or why not?
If you were a player with a chance to play for your country, would an injury like Paul George's change your mind? Would that mean you don't "love" playing for your country enough?
All other thoughts here are welcome and encouraged.