Team USA executive director Jerry Colangelo wanted all 2016 hopefuls to attend at least a portion of the minicamp, and understood James had multiple commitments that limited his availability.
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Bryant is entering his 20th National Basketball Association season and is set to turn 37 next month, but he hasn’t committed to the 2015-16 campaign being his final season.
Don’t read anything into it, though, as James told reporters “I’m not penciling” a run at a third gold medal in for next summer.
“And that would be the end”. “He was very quick to say, ‘But I don’t want a spot”. Those anxious about the message sent to players that even if they work their entire lives to earn a spot on such a team only to have it taken by someone less deserving because of some lifetime achievement award ignore how hard Kobe has worked.
“That’s kind of tough to do but I just want to be able to be a part of something special that’s bigger than myself, which is playing for the Olympic team”, Howard said. The 17-time all-star said in February – after suffering a season-ending rotator-cuff tear in his right shoulder – that he hoped for a “rebirth” next season, the last year of a contract that makes him the NBA’s highest-paid player. This is a team that people want to be around.
Much has been made about Bryant’s retirement and when it’s going to happen. “It’s equity [built up from previous participation] as long as the talent from guys who have equity continues to be at that level with the newness of other maturing talented players”.
At 33, Kobe was already the oldest player on Team USA by four years in the 2012 Olympics.
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USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo revealed on Thursday that he has spoken to Kobe about the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “Unfortunate as it was, I’d like to hope and believe we don’t have another one for the next 10 years”. Just based on the players hanging out in Vegas this past week, we could be looking at a 2016 roster that includes LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, DeMarcus Cousins and plenty of other All-Stars. And as he sat at the podium after a successful and injury-free scrimmage on Thursday night, he wore the look of a man who is enjoying watching the fruits of his labor and planning coming to fruition. Like it’s been for both of the Olympics since the 2004 disaster in Athens, the roster is going to be stacked, and some of the best players in the league will be cut from it. One name though, from way out of left field, that seems to be gathering traction: Kobe Bryant. So because of that environment, because of all those positives, that’s another thing that just attracts them.
