New York Daily News - Jason Kidd wants to win gold again. He wants to represent his country. But he also craves an NBA championship.
That's why Kidd has yet to make a decision on whether to join Team USA and commit his next three summers to Jerry Colangelo.

Kidd spoke with the managing director of USA Basketball on Thursday about going for his second gold medal but still is undecided. He's not sure if he wants to sacrifice three offseasons of rest as he gets older.

"I wanted to get all the information about the three-year commitment," said the 32-year-old Kidd, whose Nets look to extend their winning streak to 10 today in Toronto. "I told him I wanted to talk it over with Joumana (his wife) and see what we will decide on."

Colangelo wants to unveil his roster during All-Star weekend in mid-February. The point guard says he will not take that long to make up his mind.

IMO, playing for your country is an honour not a luxury. Anyone who is offered a place on the national team should accept immediately. It has nothing to do with who plays your wages. Noone is going to miss any games to play for the national team. Now, I'm not an American, so maybe the cultures are different, but in any other sport, in any opther country, if you're country calls, you come running. It's not even an option. Most sportsmen spend their entire lives aspiring to be good enough to represent their country. And if you get injured, so what? You copuld just as easily have been injured playing pick-up in the playground. TO me thats not grounds not to go.

This stinks of atheletes who have been so mollycoddled, that they think that their personal lives are more important then representing their country, their homeland in a tournament against other athelets who are competing to prove their supremacy over your own country.

How can you not stand up to that? Pansies.

I'm not American, but this is just basketball. People want to win games, not to show supremacy over other countries, this is just a game.
That being said, I think every player should play for the USA team (even if he does not like the team of whatever) if the USA coach wants him to play for his team.

Representing your country is a chance to show that the basketball team of your country is No 1. I know you meant that.
I may be selfish, but of course my personal life is more important than my country. And even if this is not basketball related I'm really against patriotism. I believe in people, not in countries.
I think American players should play with their team because playing basketball is all they do in their lives and they should enjoy doing it, but not because they are proud of their country or want to show that their country is better than any other.

I think nationalism/patriotism is stupid. But thats just me.

Posted by Allanfan20:

They can sacrifice a Summer, unless of course TRUELY injured or for a really really really good reason, for one of the biggest honors that will come to you.

Thats just it, i'm sure many nba players hold winning an nba ring above winning a gold medal.

Posted by DarkKnicks:

I'm not American, but this is just basketball. People want to win games, not to show supremacy over other countries, this is just a game.
That being said, I think every player should play for the USA team (even if he does not like the team of whatever) if the USA coach wants him to play for his team.

I dont think it is about America proving it is a better country - that is just how the rest of the world seems to feel about it. Its about America showing they are better at sports, its called competitiveness, if Europe etc cant handle that then maybe they shouldnt suit up.

P.S. America wouldnt be the first to try and dominate others in sports through the Olympics, try The Former Soviet Union, China, Germany in the 30's/40's and the list goes on.

Posted by OasisBU:

Posted by DarkKnicks:

I'm not American, but this is just basketball. People want to win games, not to show supremacy over other countries, this is just a game.
That being said, I think every player should play for the USA team (even if he does not like the team of whatever) if the USA coach wants him to play for his team.

I dont think it is about America proving it is a better country - that is just how the rest of the world seems to feel about it. Its about America showing they are better at sports, its called competitiveness, if Europe etc cant handle that then maybe they shouldnt suit up.

P.S. America wouldnt be the first to try and dominate others in sports through the Olympics, try The Former Soviet Union, China, Germany in the 30's/40's and the list goes on.

This is a really funny quote dont you think. The rest of the world feels that way, but of course it is not so! Competing at the Olympics athletes compete representing their countries! Of course there is some amount of Patriotism in it, still I often think that can be too much of that sometimes!
I really feel that the world would be a better place if people would stop reducing other humans (including themselves) to nationalities, religions etc. Those things are not defining people!!!
Sorry for beeing a little bit of topic!!! ;-)