USA Basketball

Colangelo Responds To Stern's Ideas For USA Basketball: I Like What We Have

Published July 9, 2012

While NBA Commissioner David Stern will consider implementing an age restriction for the U.S. men's Olympic team for '16, USA Basketball “isn’t quite ready to roll over,” according to Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. TIMES. Stern last month said, "I think we got a lot out of the Olympics. We helped grow the game. The result has been extraordinary. But I think it's appropriate to take a step back and take stock of everything." USA Basketball Chair Jerry Colangelo said, “I don't want to change anything, because I like what we have. We take care of our players and I think we do the right things.” Stern "wants to make the Olympics a 23-and-under event, basically returning it to the college kids and NBA players with only a few years of pro experience." Colangelo: "You need a lot of things to fall into place in order for all of this (age restriction) to happen. You need the cooperation and the votes and support of a lot of people. So when I hear something like this, I say it may happen. The real question is when. Is it '16, is it 2020?” Lakers G Kobe Bryant, who is also a proponent of the current structure, said, "I hope it continues to go that way, because it's good for the game. ... If I'm an owner, I would want my player to play (internationally) because I understand that they're going to be playing anyway, going to be playing pickup basketball in the summertime, and I'm not going to be able to know where they are” (L.A. TIMES, 7/9).