Should USA basketball use college players instead of NBA stars?

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I know the NBA stars bring in added viewing for the olympics. However even with the global improvement in basketball, the NBA is still a pretty big leap over everyone else.

What would you think of using college players instead? Also, how successful do you think they'd be?

 

[ih8nyy]

I think the Olympics should be about amatuer athletes. But I doubt they would ever go back to that. There is too much $$$ involved.

 

[Mister J]

Using collegiate athletes worked when the international game wasn't as refined as it is now. The success prior to '92-Barcelona was when guys actually stayed 3 and 4 years for NCAA ball. Good luck fielding a competitive team when practically all the legit pro prospects haul ass after one season now. Unless other countries are going to abandon sending their professionals, USA should keep sending theirs or we'll get thrashed.

 

[ComicChick]

Using collegiate athletes worked when the international game wasn't as refined as it is now. The success prior to '92-Barcelona was when guys actually stayed 3 and 4 years for NCAA ball. Good luck fielding a competitive team when practically all the legit pro prospects haul ass after one season now. Unless other countries are going to abandon sending their professionals, USA should keep sending theirs or we'll get thrashed.

i agree

 

[ih8nyy]

Using collegiate athletes worked when the international game wasn't as refined as it is now. The success prior to '92-Barcelona was when guys actually stayed 3 and 4 years for NCAA ball. Good luck fielding a competitive team when practically all the legit pro prospects haul ass after one season now. Unless other countries are going to abandon sending their professionals, USA should keep sending theirs or we'll get thrashed.

Didn't that happen the 2 olympics before 2008 anyway?

 

[Kelly]

I have always thought that the Olympics should be all amateur....BUT, in order for us to come close to competing, then the playing field has to be equal. We can't be the only country sticking with amateur athletes....

So, until the IOC does a better job of regulating the mandates of the Olympics.....I say we stick with our Pro-Athletes, and allow other areas of sports to be paid while getting ready for the Olympics.

Once the IOC can prove that it is effectively regulating the way that it should, then ALL COUNTRIES should bring only amateurs to the Olympics...

 

[StorminNorman]

If the other international teams decided to go with amateurs, I would be in favor of it - but as long as they are using NBA and European club players, we should use our best.

 

[Addendum]

It doesn't bother me if it's amateurs or pros: olympic basketball has never held my interest

 

[Mister J]

Didn't that happen the 2 olympics before 2008 anyway?

Essentially. The 'unbeatable' vibe went away with a close gold in 2000 and we took bronze in 2004. It's what prompted the new setup where the team members actually make a commitment and get to build some continuity prior to the games. As long as that stays in place, I'll always take the home team for the gold.

The chemistry on the international squads is ridiculous because o how familiar they are with each other. There's no way in Hades a collegiate squad would hold their own. Ideally, it'd be all amateur, but that ain't happening.

 

[Immortalfire]

The Dream Team was 1992.


Anyway, the NCAA would come up with some bullcrap reason that college players couldn't participate.

 

[ComicChick]

i dont have a problem with pros playing in the olympics. each country wants to send their best, so if that involves professional nba players, i'm ok with it. if it includes college player(s) i'm ok with that too.

i don't think it would be as big if they were to not allow professionals to play in the olympics. removing pros completely would lower viewership i think.

 

[Dr. Evil]

I have always thought that the Olympics should be all amateur....BUT, in order for us to come close to competing, then the playing field has to be equal. We can't be the only country sticking with amateur athletes....

So, until the IOC does a better job of regulating the mandates of the Olympics.....I say we stick with our Pro-Athletes, and allow other areas of sports to be paid while getting ready for the Olympics.

Once the IOC can prove that it is effectively regulating the way that it should, then ALL COUNTRIES should bring only amateurs to the Olympics...

This is true. If we replace Chris Paul, Derron Williams, LeBron James and Carmello Anthony with amateurs, other countries would have to replace their NBA players with amateurs as well. Meaning that there would be no Yao Ming (China), Pau Gasol (Spain), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Manu Ginobili (Argentina) or Andrei Kirilenko (Russia).

An all amateurs in basketball rule would also have to be in play on the Womens Side. Of course, the American women will still crush everyone in Olympic competition.

The IOC did drop baseball because one of the reasons was that The United States was using amateur players. I've heard rumors that the upcoming Winter Olympics will be the last to use NHL players.

I don't see basketball being filled with amateurs anytime soon, not as long as there are NBA players who dream of one day playing in the Olympics. Some of the NBA's best international players have yet to play in the Olympics. France has a bunch of guys on it's international team playing in the NBA, most notably Tony Parker and Mickael Pietrus. Parker said in an interview last year during the Olympics that his goal was to lead France to the 2012 Olympics in London.

 

[lou2099]

Other countries have been using professional athletes for years. It's only fair that the US has been using them also.

 

[\S/JcDc\S/]

I wonder if they would be able to use both Pro and Collegiate players. If so, that may be an interesting way to go.

 

[Dr. Evil]

I wonder if they would be able to use both Pro and Collegiate players. If so, that may be an interesting way to go.

It would be interesting, but could cause problems in other international competitions such as the World Championships.