Stern Wants To Scrub Players Over 23 From Olympic Squad: Kobe Balks

“Basically, it’s just a dumb idea and we (discuss) it that way.”

Five-time NBA champion and grizzled veteran Kobe Bryant disagrees with Commissioner David Stern’s desire to eliminate players over the age of 23 from future Olympics. Bryant succinctly labeled it “a player’s choice” and spoke openly of the fact that the push for such a proposal comes from the owners and their desire to “protect their investments.” The USA Today article delineates the cash considerations between the Olympics (there aren’t any) and the FIBA World Championship (owners get a cut).

Would you want to see the Olympics squad replete with young players, not quite college-age players, but up-and-comers rather than established veterans? There is something about abolishing the “Dream Team” concept that I find appealing. The reality is that the under-23 rule essentially recreates the old scenario. Most of the eligible players would have been completing their senior seasons (plus 1-2 years of NBA service).

Is Stern also proposing that international players on NBA rosters would then be barred from participating for their homelands?