Boogie Has Earned a Spot on the USA Basketball Olympics Team
- Thread starter Peter_Gibbons
- Start date
Ok wait...
1) yes he has, of course he has. Idiots putting together their Olympic rosters without Boogie a prominent part of it are just that: idiots. If you haven'e noticed I am tired of the breed. He was a major force for them at the FIBA's, and now A.D. isn't even healthy to go. Nor Blake for that matter. Boogie is a lock.
2) BUT, I was under the impression that there is no such official thing until they go through camp every time. Guys can be presumed, but nobody is just given it until they show up.
3) BUT this is Marc Spears, who is one of the most credible NBA guys around. So...don't know. Maybe its just an unofficial encouragement, as in "absolutely, we need you, the spot is yours to lose" or some such.
1) yes he has, of course he has. Idiots putting together their Olympic rosters without Boogie a prominent part of it are just that: idiots. If you haven'e noticed I am tired of the breed. He was a major force for them at the FIBA's, and now A.D. isn't even healthy to go. Nor Blake for that matter. Boogie is a lock.
2) BUT, I was under the impression that there is no such official thing until they go through camp every time. Guys can be presumed, but nobody is just given it until they show up.
3) BUT this is Marc Spears, who is one of the most credible NBA guys around. So...don't know. Maybe its just an unofficial encouragement, as in "absolutely, we need you, the spot is yours to lose" or some such.
That's how it works normally. But there really isn't a chance they cut Boogie considering how many bigs are out with injury. I tend to think that Cousins would've earned a spot even if Blake, Davids, Aldridge etc. wasn't injured or decided to skip it.
Coach K and Jerry most likely showed up at Cousins' house and said "We ain't leaving until you commit to playing for us".
Jason Jones @mr_jasonjones 16m16 minutes ago
Playing in the Olympics has been one of Cousins' goals since I've known him. He's excited for sure.
Playing in the Olympics has been one of Cousins' goals since I've known him. He's excited for sure.
I truly believe this international experience is going to add to Boogie's game and maturity. It bodes well for him and what bodes well for him bodes well for the Kings. We have turned a corner. I feel it in my bones. The team Vlade puts together this year is going to be one we'll be proud to call the Sacramento Kings - from the newest assistant coach to the franchise player.
Mark Cuban has made noises at times about wanting to set up an insurance regime the NTs would have to pay for, but NBA contracts have run to such size that few NT's could afford it. Maybe the U.S. could, but for all the guys? Doubt it.
Besides, with Vivek looking for international attention, and Vlade an old vet of international play who was just running Serbia's Olympic commitee, do you think we would really be telling Boogie don't go?
Besides, with Vivek looking for international attention, and Vlade an old vet of international play who was just running Serbia's Olympic commitee, do you think we would really be telling Boogie don't go?
K
I just can't for the life of me understand how owners who are paying these guys insane amounts of money allow them to play in other comps below NBA level, not only does it bring a injury risk due to the physical nature of international ball but it also wears players out who might have to play as many as 100+ games over a NBA season if they make it deep. It's purely idiotic if your a owner of a team to allow a NBA player to win some championship which is not even the penicil of basketball
the penicil? What's that, some kind of fancy writing instrument?
think you were after "pinnacle"
In any case, not letting them play would involve a lot of bad press, which is bad for business. And end up a negotiated thing in the Collective Bargaining Agreements, especially for players from outside the U.S. who consider NT's actually big stuff. Back in the day used to have debates with Serbian fans convinced that winning the FIBAs (which to the rest of the world is considered the bigger/more important tournament to win than the Olympics) was more important than winning the NBA Finals, because the NBA was just a "club championship". Now they were being both self-serving and flat wrong about the level of competition, but jingoism will run as it will. In any case, only rarely has there been a major problem. Paul George's accident last year actually got people talking again, but its a rare thing and legitimately could have happened during just about any charity game or scrimmage he played in over the summer.
What's that, some kind of fancy writing instrument? think you were after "pinnacle"
In any case, not letting them play would involve a lot of bad press, which is bad for business. And end up a negotiated thing in the Collective Bargaining Agreements, especially for players from outside the U.S. who consider NT's actually big stuff. Back in the day used to have debates with Serbian fans convinced that winning the FIBAs (which to the rest of the world is considered the bigger/more important tournament to win than the Olympics) was more important than winning the NBA Finals, because the NBA was just a "club championship". Now they were being both self-serving and flat wrong about the level of competition, but jingoism will run as it will. In any case, only rarely has there been a major problem. Paul George's accident last year actually got people talking again, but its a rare thing and legitimately could have happened during just about any charity game or scrimmage he played in over the summer.
K
the penicil? What's that, some kind of fancy writing instrument?
think you were after "pinnacle"
In any case, not letting them play would involve a lot of bad press, which is bad for business. And end up a negotiated thing in the Collective Bargaining Agreements, especially for players from outside the U.S. who consider NT's actually big stuff. Back in the day used to have debates with Serbian fans convinced that winning the FIBAs (which to the rest of the world is considered the bigger/more important tournament to win than the Olympics) was more important than winning the NBA Finals, because the NBA was just a "club championship". Now they were being both self-serving and flat wrong about the level of competition, but jingoism will run as it will. In any case, only rarely has there been a major problem. Paul George's accident last year actually got people talking again, but its a rare thing and legitimately could have happened during just about any charity game or scrimmage he played in over the summer.
What's that, some kind of fancy writing instrument? think you were after "pinnacle"
In any case, not letting them play would involve a lot of bad press, which is bad for business. And end up a negotiated thing in the Collective Bargaining Agreements, especially for players from outside the U.S. who consider NT's actually big stuff. Back in the day used to have debates with Serbian fans convinced that winning the FIBAs (which to the rest of the world is considered the bigger/more important tournament to win than the Olympics) was more important than winning the NBA Finals, because the NBA was just a "club championship". Now they were being both self-serving and flat wrong about the level of competition, but jingoism will run as it will. In any case, only rarely has there been a major problem. Paul George's accident last year actually got people talking again, but its a rare thing and legitimately could have happened during just about any charity game or scrimmage he played in over the summer.
Zika.
While you cannot ignore it, especially as a mosquito borne virus, it is a bit of a boogeyman at this point. The internet has unleashed a great age of panics, but zika cases are in the thousands, not millions, and Brazil is not becoming a depopulated wasteland despite its presence.
As long as Boogie plays it a little smart, doesn't do much sight seeing, stays mostly indoors and focused on the basketball, then gets out, he should be ok. We should all pitch in and get him a crate of Deep Woods Off however.
So the final 12-man roster will be:
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) - Starting PF
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings) - Starting C
Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)
Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls)
Paul George (Indiana Pacers)
Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors)
Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers)
DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors)
Klay Thompson(Golden State Warriors)
Plus 2 more players
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers) - offered, hasn't accepted yet
Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors)
Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)
Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets)
Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings)
Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz)
Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets)
Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors)
Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers)
LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs)
Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons)
Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers)
Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)
LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs)
James Harden (Houston Rockets)
Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers)
John Wall (Washington Wizards)
Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Irving is in because-- Coach K. Drummond is likely in as the backup C. Lebron and Kawhi are in if they want to be. Thompson is a lock if he doesn't pull his name off the list. That leaves 16 players on the list who haven't withdrawn themselves from consideration and 5 spots remaining. Kevin Durant, Harrison Barnes, Bradley Beal, and Mike Conley are the free agents to be here. Beal is a virtual lock to get a max contract from Washington, Durant is staying put or moving to GS/SA but this could be a good recruiting opportunity for DeMarcus if Barnes makes the team. That will probably require more injuries and/or voluntary withdrawals from all of the forwards ahead of him. (I assume DeMarcus himself won't be trying to recruit Mike Conley if he still wants Rondo back) Rudy Gay looks like a longshot as well. One or both of Lillard/Conley have to be in as we need a backup PG. Butler seems like a good bet for the backup SG spot and the front-runners for the remaining forward spots are probably Melo, Paul George, and Draymond.
EDIT-- Looks like Lebron is probably out by choice, DeAndre Jordan is in. Andre Drummond is probably out. Paul George and Draymond Green are in. Lillard is out because of injury. Kawhi Leonard is out by choice. Carmelo is in. Jimmy Butler is in. And Kyle Lowry is in (who wasn't even on my list of candidates...)
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) - Starting PF
DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings) - Starting C
Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)
Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls)
Paul George (Indiana Pacers)
Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors)
Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers)
DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors)
Klay Thompson(Golden State Warriors)
Plus 2 more players
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers) - offered, hasn't accepted yet
Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors)
Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards)
Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)
Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets)
Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings)
Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz)
Dwight Howard (Houston Rockets)
Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors)
Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers)
LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs)
Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons)
Damian Lillard (Portland Trailblazers)
Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)
LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs)
James Harden (Houston Rockets)
Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers)
John Wall (Washington Wizards)
Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Irving is in because-- Coach K. Drummond is likely in as the backup C. Lebron and Kawhi are in if they want to be. Thompson is a lock if he doesn't pull his name off the list. That leaves 16 players on the list who haven't withdrawn themselves from consideration and 5 spots remaining. Kevin Durant, Harrison Barnes, Bradley Beal, and Mike Conley are the free agents to be here. Beal is a virtual lock to get a max contract from Washington, Durant is staying put or moving to GS/SA but this could be a good recruiting opportunity for DeMarcus if Barnes makes the team. That will probably require more injuries and/or voluntary withdrawals from all of the forwards ahead of him. (I assume DeMarcus himself won't be trying to recruit Mike Conley if he still wants Rondo back) Rudy Gay looks like a longshot as well. One or both of Lillard/Conley have to be in as we need a backup PG. Butler seems like a good bet for the backup SG spot and the front-runners for the remaining forward spots are probably Melo, Paul George, and Draymond.
EDIT-- Looks like Lebron is probably out by choice, DeAndre Jordan is in. Andre Drummond is probably out. Paul George and Draymond Green are in. Lillard is out because of injury. Kawhi Leonard is out by choice. Carmelo is in. Jimmy Butler is in. And Kyle Lowry is in (who wasn't even on my list of candidates...)
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Imagine if Drummond, Deandre and Dwight all back out and in waltzes WCS ready and able to step in lol. Pipe dream but it would be awesome.
Kinda sad to see this many stars backing out. Part of the allure of this team is seeing the absolute best on one team. That already six of the top 10-15 players in the world out. Still hard to see any team challenging U.S, Spain is past its peak.
Kinda sad to see this many stars backing out. Part of the allure of this team is seeing the absolute best on one team. That already six of the top 10-15 players in the world out. Still hard to see any team challenging U.S, Spain is past its peak.
Rio is a beautiful place but from my vivid memories from last visit 24 years ago, It has bigger problems than Zika. I remember sex workers lined up every evening alongside the Ave. Atlantica. Two of my young buddies came back with chicken pox. A guy literally took our clothes along with money when we went to dip at copacabana beach and pulled a knife while five of us tried to confront him. We found police to be very corrupt there. Hope these young men stay away from all the dirty business that goes around in Rio de Janero. I will be worried if my child was going.
Aliene Voisin: Cousins' Selfishness On Display Once Again
BY ALIENE VOISIN
ailvoisin@sacbee.com
A continent away, public health officials engage in a desperate fight against a deadly illness that can, among other things, cause horrific birth defects.
Here in the U.S., tone deaf basketball officials respond by anointing the NBA's own version of a plague to be their standard bearer into the stricken nation.
To represent all of us, and carry the good name of the United States on a world stage.
Think about that.
As if the troubled people of Brazil did not have enough problems.
Russel Westbrook understood the situation for what it was, and politely bowed out. James Harden quickly followed suit. Their rejections following a rapidly accumulating stack including every legitimate superstar in the NBA in what is quickly beginning to resemble the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, boycotted by half the world, full of inferior competition and tainted medals.
But it hardly comes as a surprise that a personality as stubborn and self-involved as DeMarcus Cousins would not hear a call to reason. For Cousins it has always been about Cousins, his wants, his needs, and consequences be damned. And so if a desperate USA Basketball is willing to make a deal with the devil and invite him along? Far be it from Cousins to raise the issue of whether we should be sending a team at all.
When you are DeMarcus Cousins and you sense the opportunity to pick up a cheap and only half-earned honor, you pounce on it as quickly as your lumbering nearly 300 pound frame will allow.
In a more professional organization there might be an adult in the room to tell the Kings perpetual child-man "no, not this time." But instead the Kings have as their GM the amiable -- too amiable as it turns out -- Vlade Divac, who's own out of shape lumbering profile may have made him rather too quick to dismiss Cousins' numerous offenses, and who's inability to subdue the franchise's headache may mark him as not long for the job.
The boyishly charismatic Peja Stojakovic waits in the wings, his lanky, rippling build and thrilling 3pt shooting game marking him as much more able to address the modern athlete than the grandfatherly Divac. But until inexperienced owner Vivek Ranadive finally grows beyond his Cousins' infatuation, there is not much either man can do.
A wise old head such as George Karl, with his 1300 wins and focus on discipline and playing the game the right way, might have been able to save the franchise from its folly, but there too Cousins' ego was able to run roughshod.
And so now we face the spectacle of watching DeMarcus Cousins redefine just how ugly the ugly American can get on a world stage as he brings his brand of bullyball versus the helpless Angolas and Cambodias of the world.
And if his selfish insistence on pursuing his dream of a medal should result in his teammates being infected with the deadly Zika virus? If Cousins should be infected himself and bring the disease home to infect his family and teammates? If an outbreak should occur here in Sacramento among the very same children Cousins' backers are always so eager to point out as targets of his charity?
Well why would Cousins care about that? The child-man who has been given everything and never had to suffer any consequences seems incapable of balancing the needs of others with his own at this point. If Zika were to strike he or the team, it would just be one more excuse for the constant failures and unwillingness to lose 30 pounds and get fit.
Many Sacramentans will hold their nose and root for Cousins in the Olympics, saying its the name on the front of the jersey, not the back, that matters. I won't be one of them. Somebody has to look at the bigger picture, and we already know that somebody will never be Cousins or his apologists.
BY ALIENE VOISIN
ailvoisin@sacbee.com
A continent away, public health officials engage in a desperate fight against a deadly illness that can, among other things, cause horrific birth defects.
Here in the U.S., tone deaf basketball officials respond by anointing the NBA's own version of a plague to be their standard bearer into the stricken nation.
To represent all of us, and carry the good name of the United States on a world stage.
Think about that.
As if the troubled people of Brazil did not have enough problems.
Russel Westbrook understood the situation for what it was, and politely bowed out. James Harden quickly followed suit. Their rejections following a rapidly accumulating stack including every legitimate superstar in the NBA in what is quickly beginning to resemble the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, boycotted by half the world, full of inferior competition and tainted medals.
But it hardly comes as a surprise that a personality as stubborn and self-involved as DeMarcus Cousins would not hear a call to reason. For Cousins it has always been about Cousins, his wants, his needs, and consequences be damned. And so if a desperate USA Basketball is willing to make a deal with the devil and invite him along? Far be it from Cousins to raise the issue of whether we should be sending a team at all.
When you are DeMarcus Cousins and you sense the opportunity to pick up a cheap and only half-earned honor, you pounce on it as quickly as your lumbering nearly 300 pound frame will allow.
In a more professional organization there might be an adult in the room to tell the Kings perpetual child-man "no, not this time." But instead the Kings have as their GM the amiable -- too amiable as it turns out -- Vlade Divac, who's own out of shape lumbering profile may have made him rather too quick to dismiss Cousins' numerous offenses, and who's inability to subdue the franchise's headache may mark him as not long for the job.
The boyishly charismatic Peja Stojakovic waits in the wings, his lanky, rippling build and thrilling 3pt shooting game marking him as much more able to address the modern athlete than the grandfatherly Divac. But until inexperienced owner Vivek Ranadive finally grows beyond his Cousins' infatuation, there is not much either man can do.
A wise old head such as George Karl, with his 1300 wins and focus on discipline and playing the game the right way, might have been able to save the franchise from its folly, but there too Cousins' ego was able to run roughshod.
And so now we face the spectacle of watching DeMarcus Cousins redefine just how ugly the ugly American can get on a world stage as he brings his brand of bullyball versus the helpless Angolas and Cambodias of the world.
And if his selfish insistence on pursuing his dream of a medal should result in his teammates being infected with the deadly Zika virus? If Cousins should be infected himself and bring the disease home to infect his family and teammates? If an outbreak should occur here in Sacramento among the very same children Cousins' backers are always so eager to point out as targets of his charity?
Well why would Cousins care about that? The child-man who has been given everything and never had to suffer any consequences seems incapable of balancing the needs of others with his own at this point. If Zika were to strike he or the team, it would just be one more excuse for the constant failures and unwillingness to lose 30 pounds and get fit.
Many Sacramentans will hold their nose and root for Cousins in the Olympics, saying its the name on the front of the jersey, not the back, that matters. I won't be one of them. Somebody has to look at the bigger picture, and we already know that somebody will never be Cousins or his apologists.
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I never read Poi-son's utter nonsense anymore --- except that Brick copied and pasted it here.
The fact that this hack still has a job is an utter embarrassment to the Bee and the Sacramento region. She's beyond horrible. Her personal hate for DeMarcus Cousins has reached a level to where she cannot objectively do the job -- if she ever could in the first place.
Case in point, she mentions names of players that "bowed" out such as Russell Westbrook and James Harden (as if they aren't "me" players themselves) yet totally fails to mention that Kevin Durant, like Cousins, is planning on participating. So why isn't the same "selfish" label levied upon KD?
What an absolute joke.
The fact that this hack still has a job is an utter embarrassment to the Bee and the Sacramento region. She's beyond horrible. Her personal hate for DeMarcus Cousins has reached a level to where she cannot objectively do the job -- if she ever could in the first place.
Case in point, she mentions names of players that "bowed" out such as Russell Westbrook and James Harden (as if they aren't "me" players themselves) yet totally fails to mention that Kevin Durant, like Cousins, is planning on participating. So why isn't the same "selfish" label levied upon KD?
What an absolute joke.
It was Brick's parody -- though the actual article she wrote does take a few not-so subtle shots at Cousins' attitude and conditioning while going out of it's way not to recognize this as the significant accomplishment that it is (the bulk of the article is devoted to explaining how Cousins made it only because other players are injured or pre-occupied with the Finals, DeMarcus paid his dues, nobody better is available right now, there's a health concern, etc). It's been 20 years since Sacramento had a player on the US Olympic squad and our hometown newspaper decides the best way to celebrate the occasion is to have the reporter who's asked for him to be traded for years write another article about how this might be his last chance to prove (to her) that he's not a terrible human being.
I'm not going to link to it, you can find it if you want to.
I'm not going to link to it, you can find it if you want to.