Team USA, NBA players and Bogi?

#1
I have a question. With so many NBA players pulling out of Team USA should Bogi consider focusing on his main NBA job and not moonlight for his National Team?

If it was me as a player I would be all about the NBA first and foremost.
 
#3
Regardless of what the Kings and their fans think, the truth is that all the USA players pulling out gives more incentive for the other nationalities to actually play and have a legitimate shot at gold.
 
#4
You just don't get it people, for Americans It's just another World Cup where they likely will get Gold and head back home like nothing happened and will just add to their collection one more gold... For European basketball players it means everything to represent their country in their respective sports for fans It means even more they are watching all together in bars, they are travelling and cheering for the team so passionate, they all are their heroes and just for those two weeks whether It's European, World Cup or even Olympics, they forgot about their struggles just to live for that moment...

And the players who play for their NT are heroes for their fans, the guys who withdraw from NT not because of injuries, but personal reason are becoming Nations fans number one enemy even if he played all years previously for National team. (In my National Team case Porzingis became Nations top 1 enemy after he said no to NT in 2015, and still some peole hold grudge even though he played in 2017 for NT).

It's that damn deep, my country is not representing this years World Cup because of stupid FIBA, but still I Will be cheering for my neighbour country and I can't even imagine what they will be feeling for those two weeks...

As I said it American people just don't get it.
 
#6
You just don't get it people, for Americans It's just another World Cup where they likely will get Gold and head back home like nothing happened and will just add to their collection one more gold... For European basketball players it means everything to represent their country in their respective sports for fans It means even more they are watching all together in bars, they are travelling and cheering for the team so passionate, they all are their heroes and just for those two weeks whether It's European, World Cup or even Olympics, they forgot about their struggles just to live for that moment...

And the players who play for their NT are heroes for their fans, the guys who withdraw from NT not because of injuries, but personal reason are becoming Nations fans number one enemy even if he played all years previously for National team. (In my National Team case Porzingis became Nations top 1 enemy after he said no to NT in 2015, and still some peole hold grudge even though he played in 2017 for NT).

It's that damn deep, my country is not representing this years World Cup because of stupid FIBA, but still I Will be cheering for my neighbour country and I can't even imagine what they will be feeling for those two weeks...

As I said it American people just don't get it.
I get that The Kings are paying Bogi 8.5M to play for Sacramento it'll be nice if he would take that into consideration and focus all his energy into giving his employer their moneys worth.
 
#7
No pressure on the US players to do so and there is an expectation that even what is left will be good enough to win the tournament. Kind of the attitude that had them losing in the Olympics and world basketball for a few years before the top guys started participating again.

I’m guessing it’s different for Bogdan. It’s not unique to him. I personally thought it sucked that his problems last season could partially be attributed to coming back from a surgery caused by an injury he sustained playing for his national team and not the team paying him but it is what it is. US players view it as summer camp and other countries view it at face value...as a world championship
 
#9
I wish he would be more judicious about it—it’ll shorten his career. But, it’s unrealistic to expect him to turn down a call up. Best case scenario for us is that the FO’s encouragement of national team play allows us to keep Bogi long term at a market rate. I always reference Manu with Bogi—the Spurs never asked Manu to take a discount, and they never gave him problems about national team play. Consequently, he felt comfortable spending his career as a “6th man” making market rate money.

But, there were entire seasons where the Spurs’ only goal for Manu was getting him game fit in time for the playoffs because he carried injuries into training camp that needed rest.
 
#12
Big difference playing in a pick up comp and playing against super physical Euro style basketball where the intensity and exposure to injury is far higher. Your getting massive money and are a somewhat vital component (solid role player) to your teams success he's not going to get better playing in a FIBA comp unless it's a guy who gets no playing time in the NBA (talking about Bogdan not Zion).

It's far easier to work on your game in pick up comps than it is at the FIBA level.
 
#13
Big difference playing in a pick up comp and playing against super physical Euro style basketball where the intensity and exposure to injury is far higher. Your getting massive money and are a somewhat vital component (solid role player) to your teams success he's not going to get better playing in a FIBA comp unless it's a guy who gets no playing time in the NBA (talking about Bogdan not Zion).

It's far easier to work on your game in pick up comps than it is at the FIBA level.
Well I wouldn't say you're not going to get better playing in FIBA, just maybe in different areas (i.e. less specific individual skills and more overall game experience). But the main concern is the physical toll as you mentioned. If he comes into the season with nagging injuries and no lift on his jumpshot he has no one else to blame but himself.
 
#14
I'm curious if anyone remembers what Vlade and Peja did back in the day? Did they play every summer with their NT? I can't recall it ever being discussed.
 
#18
2002, 2004, and 2006. but i guess Olympics (2004) is viewed as more important than World Championships (2002,2006)
For the most part when it comes to international basketball only the Olympics are routinely broadcast here and without a big TV production only die-hards can be arsed to care. Certainly in the early 00's before everything was on-demand programming. Still that 2004 disaster resulted in a "never again" attitude in 2008 that is waning right on schedule.
 
#19
The CBA doesn't allow teams to forbid competition in international events unless there is a conflict with the NBA schedule. Bogdan wants to play in an important international tournament. It's his life, why not?
 
#20
The CBA doesn't allow teams to forbid competition in international events unless there is a conflict with the NBA schedule. Bogdan wants to play in an important international tournament. It's his life, why not?
Because the Kings are paying him 5-8million (can't remember how much) a season to play for Sacramento not Serbia, if they want to do that the CBA should make a rule if you get hurt playing in FIBA comps you forfeit the pay you are going to get from the games you miss. The Kings need him fresh and playing his rookie level basketball for us to be decent. I've always been amazed NBA teams allow there star/quality role players to play in high intensity comps.
 
#21
Because the Kings are paying him 5-8million (can't remember how much) a season to play for Sacramento not Serbia, if they want to do that the CBA should make a rule if you get hurt playing in FIBA comps you forfeit the pay you are going to get from the games you miss. The Kings need him fresh and playing his rookie level basketball for us to be decent. I've always been amazed NBA teams allow there star/quality role players to play in high intensity comps.
The CBA doesn’t allow teams to forbid their players from doing so. The Kings, and especially Divac and Peja, knew the likelihood of Bogdan playing during FIBA comps when his deal was signed. I’d love for Bogi to have an awesome year, but there is no guarantee that it would happen just by sitting out this tournament. Again, it’s his life and he is operating within the rules of his contract.
 
#23
The issue isn’t playing Worlds or the Olympics. But Bogdan needs to take a summer off. Serbia is a good team and will go deep in any national tournament. Bogi is going to wear himself out playing international every summer. Very few players from any country do that.
 
#24
I'm curious if anyone remembers what Vlade and Peja did back in the day? Did they play every summer with their NT? I can't recall it ever being discussed.
Divac skipped '97, '98, '00 and '01, so his last tournament was in '02
Stojaković started playing for a NT in '99 and played every tournament till '03

Since so many US players cancelled at this point, chances for winning gold medal are growing. This is a last call for a Bjelica/Teodosic/Boban/Bogdan generation to win gold medal with NT, medal which we are waiting for 17 years. Ok, Bogdan is slightly younger and Jokić definitely have time for a NT trophy.

And when you won it, your career is complete. You definitely have plenty of stories for your grandchildren. You won a gold with NT, maybe even won a Euroleague, played NBA at high level... You done it all.
I don't think that anybody in Europe will ask you about your averages, statistics, numbers.
 
#25
The issue isn’t playing Worlds or the Olympics. But Bogdan needs to take a summer off. Serbia is a good team and will go deep in any national tournament. Bogi is going to wear himself out playing international every summer. Very few players from any country do that.
I’m mystified that you would suggest a craftsmen not practice his craft in his prime. You know with such certainty that he will wear himself out that you prescribe rest?
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#26
I’m mystified that you would suggest a craftsmen not practice his craft in his prime. You know with such certainty that he will wear himself out that you prescribe rest?
I'm jumping in here. He's had inconsistent up and down years since becoming a King. It's been attributed to too much work during the offseason and him being tired. Now he's playing in the Euro league. That's why.
 
#27
I'm jumping in here. He's had inconsistent up and down years since becoming a King. It's been attributed to too much work during the offseason and him being tired. Now he's playing in the Euro league. That's why.
Wrong. You’re mischaracterizing. Yes, rest would be good. But you’re not acknowledging that he was injured to begin his second season and then struggled to catch up. I’m not excusing his overall sub-par play last year, nor overlooking the fact that WE would be better off if he rested when he needs rest. But you gotta be fair about it.
 
#28
I’m mystified that you would suggest a craftsmen not practice his craft in his prime. You know with such certainty that he will wear himself out that you prescribe rest?
Pro sports have an off season for a reason. Working out and honing your game is different than playing competitive basketball. Bogi has had very little time off in 4-5 years and has been injured.

I don’t think he will skip worlds or the Olympics but he needs to think about events like Eurobasket.
 
#29
Wrong. You’re mischaracterizing. Yes, rest would be good. But you’re not acknowledging that he was injured to begin his second season and then struggled to catch up. I’m not excusing his overall sub-par play last year, nor overlooking the fact that WE would be better off if he rested when he needs rest. But you gotta be fair about it.
Right and Joeger and Bogi talked about him being tired and having tired legs his rookie year.
 
#30
Wonder how would the opponents of Bogi doing whatever he wants within the contract react if their employees or customers start telling them what to do in their own free time for any reason.