NEW YORK– Ever since All Star forward Paul George of the NBA Indiana Pacers, a projected starter for Team USA in the upcoming World Cup competition, suffered a broken bone in his leg at an intra squad scrimmage in Vegas two weeks ago that will sideline him for the entire NBA season, there has been a debate about whether NBA stars should gamble with their future by representing this country in international competitions in non-Olympic years.
Is the risk bigger than the reward for established stars in their second contacts? Are franchises having second thoughts about allowing their best players to participate in the off season after watching George go down?
“It should be a players decision,” Golden State guard Steph Curry, a likely starter, said. “You shouldn’t be forced to do anything whether it’s play or sit out. every body is at a different point in their career and has to make that personal decision We all have families, We all have things gong on in the off season we want to get advantage of. But if this is important to do and you want to it it you should be able to do it.
“Obviously there’s risk and all, but this experience is so rewarding it would be disheartening to know people wouldn’t have that opportunity because someone said they couldn’t .”
Curry did talk to Golden State officials after George suffered that gruesome injury that will cost him a season.
“I was feeling them out to see where they stood,’ Curry said. “They were very supportive. It’s good to know everybody is on the same page.”
These have been rocky times for Team USA, which has lost the bulk of its projected front court through withdrawals, injuries, trade deliberations or fatigue.
Forwards Kevin Durant, George, Kawahi Leonard and Blake Griffin and centers Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge were all invited to participate in the trials. But none of them are e for one reason for another, forcing senior national coach Mike Krzyzewski, who seems intent on playing the same way defensively, to reassess how to use his available personnel.
:”To me I always would weigh what you get from it, what you wouldn’t get from it?” Krzyzewski said. “Everybody who’s playing from the time we’ve been here has gotten better. so what price to you put on getting better. and why wouldn’t’ t you want someone from your organization to get better, to grow, not just as a player, but as a person, a leadership.
“I don’t know where you are going to get that training. Certainly not in individual workouts in L.A. or Florida or Chicago.
“Obviously, all the franchise of the guys here think it’s worth it. If you had LeBron James or Carmelo or Chris Paul, or all these guys who have played numerous times, they would tell you it was worth it. More than worth it.
”A lot, I’m sure, depends on their contract. I don’t know if they have exclusion clauses, right to play. If I were a player I’d want as much freedom as I can get.”
That was the decision Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose made when he signed on.
“Everybody has got to think about their own scenario,” said Rose, a 2010 NBA MVP who is coming of two serious knee injuries that sidelined him for most of 13 months the past two seasons. “Some guys do it to build their own brand. Some guys are here because their organization, their franchise put them here. Some guys are here just because they want to be here.
“My thing is, I’m trying to knock the rust off. I’ve been coming here since I’ve been in the league, from the time I was asked to participate on the Select team to help prepare guys for the 2008 Olympics. . I remember when guys on the select team didn’t even get a chance to play offense. They didn’t even get to play offense. Playing defense the entire time. So going to the Olympic trails, seeing how hard they are made me appreciate them. This is my seventh year here and this is an opportunity to come here and play for Coach K and his coaching staff is a blessing.”
For what it;’s worth, George texted his support to Krzyewski Thursday morning.
“We had our team meeting at 11 and 5 minutes before I get a text from Paul and he says, “Coach, the team looks amazing. I am so happy,” Krzyzewski recalled.
“We texted him back and said, “You’re a lot more amazing than we’re doing.”
