Garnett Turns Down Team USA

Pretty simple story here: Kevin Garnett was asked about playing in this summer's Olympics. He brusquely refused and no one was upset. From The Boston Globe:

"There is no discussion about that," Garnett said. "I don't want to discuss that. They know that."

Said [USA Basketball President Jim] Tooley: "We understand his decision and respect it. He's with a good team and he's focused on that."

Great, I'm glad there are no hard feelings. Kind of sucks for the Team USA, since Garnett's likely going to be this season's MVP, and his game is tailor-made for the international context. And he's already got the gold medal experience from 2000.

I don't get, though, why Team USA doesn't put at least a little pressure on him, or try and guilt trip him in public. Surely, KG turning his back on our national basketball security is bad for the program, and a bad precedent to set. It's basically the same attitude that pissed off the public in the first place. You know, NBA players wouldn't stand up for their country because they're lazy and selfish. Apparently, if one is as reputable as Garnett, he's got nothing to prove and can dismiss this duty--and honor.

The flip side of this: Without Garnett-caliber players on the team, don't we run the risk of regressing back to 2004, when Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, and Lamar Odom made a mockery of our flag? If participating becomes a rite of passage for players with sketchy reputations, the red, white and blue will also likely suffer on the court. Or maybe not, as long as they keep Larry Brown away from the cauldron.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-15-2007 @ 11:52AM

drain said...

U make it sound like a lock for Garrnet MVP....

Some guy avg'ing : 28 pts 7 asst and 8 rebs and 2 blks a game might have something to say about that...

See. Lebron.

11-15-2007 @ 12:22PM

Rick said...

some of the comments about the garrnet needing to play is crazy. the nba has other players that are more than qualified to play at his position. and as far as the flag is concerned it`s just a game.

11-15-2007 @ 12:34PM

DM said...

The season is very young. MVP??? Gimme a break! 7-0, that's good, but none of those seven wins include the Pistons, Spurs, Suns and the Mavs. That is when reality sets in for the Celtics. We'll see where they're at in 20 games.

11-15-2007 @ 12:43PM

LB said...

Why would you want to force someone to play??? That is real good PR for the sport??? A team of players that don't want to be there. He played for the US in 2000. We have plenty of great players that want to play.

Your attitude is the reason why players don't want to play because either you win and people say "you should have" or you lose and get ripped. The 2004 team lost but they gave up their summer and put their lives at risk because of the possiblity of terror threats which stopped some players from going and all you can do is rip them safely behind your computer screen.

11-15-2007 @ 12:50PM

Dead Weight said...

Bethlehem tell this man, it no NOT JUST A GAME, this is like saying war is just an activity. My country is better than yours is the reason the whole of England will shutdown to watch England take on Germany, it is the reason Manu will always be a national hero in Argentina, It is the reason AK47, Paul Gasol, and Dirk will play like possessed men in FIBA basketball and turn into lambs when playing for their NBA teams. International sports is war without the casualties, anybody that has lived a day outside the USA, knows that the biggest sports events on the planet are those that pit one country against another, like the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. The Super Bowl, The World Series, and The NBA Championship all pale in comparism when you start talking about a worldwide audience of 3 BILLION PEOPLE for a sporting event. Bringing down Goliath is the reason we still remember the 1980 “miracle on ice”, Team USA is Goliath and everybody wants a piece. When Boston wins, Bostonians celebrate and people in Connecticut shrug, when Brazil wins, 180 million people in every city, state and county hit the streets celebrations last days, sorry sir but it is not just a game.

11-15-2007 @ 1:05PM

Caleb Page said...

The olympics sucks. It is just a freeking PR. Who cares? I don't. What matters is winning the national championship. Byeeeeeee

11-15-2007 @ 1:11PM

louise said...

I guess now that Garnett is with the Celtics and not
the Timberwolves, he is more concerned about being
"possible" MVP and "possibly" getting a ring, than playing on the Olympics team for the good old USA.

11-15-2007 @ 2:47PM

TIMMYD02 said...

I'm tired of people using ALLEN IVERSON as the scapegoat of everything WRONG in the NBA. Allen Iverson didn't make a "mockery" out of anything. If anything, he was one of the only players that showed up and made people proud on that USA team. The MEDIA seems to conveniently forget that the team in ATHENS wasn't even the original team that was supposed to go. The original team had everyone on it from Mcgrady, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Elton Brand, Jermaine O'Neiel (Kobe was on it as well, but he had a RAPE trial to attend to) and a bunch of other names. I remember they rolled through the tournament with ease. Then come 2004 everyone broke their promise and dropped out, some were afraid of terrorist attacks, some had family issues and so on. When the smoke cleared the only players from the original team that kept there promise and went were TIM DUNCUN, RICHARD JEFFERSON and guess what....ALLEN IVERSON! Those are the only three players that were left over from the original team. The rest of everyone else that was added last minute in 2004 were NOT on the original team. That team only had three weeks or so to practice. All the other teams around the world have years of experience together. Allen Iverson was the main reason why that team won anything at all. So why should he get blame? If anything, people should be praising him along with Tim Duncun and Richard Jefferson for keeping their promise of representing their country and not coping out. That's why everyone was mad that Team U.S.A had the nerve to snub A.I for 2008, it was a big debate. He deserves to be on this 2008 team just as much as anyone else, and is one of the only SUPERSTARS that actually wanted to represent the U.S.A, while others had said they didn't want to go before selections even begun.

Everyone knows that Jerry Colangelo didn't pick ALLEN IVERSON, not because of his skills (because we all know that A.I is one of the best), but because he's "ALLEN IVERSON" (Magic Johnson, Reggie Miller, Kenny and Charles Barkely all were hinting at the same reasoning on TNT, they couldn't figure out why in the world he wasn't picked). Allen Iverson knew he got snubbed, but handled it professionaly and said he was greatful for getting selected the first time and that maybe it was just not meant to be (he's better then ME, becuase I would have been on t.v cursing). With all due respect to Lebron, D-Wade and Melo, if anyone deserved to go back to the Olympics to regain the gold and serve vengence for that 2004 team...it was Iverson. Period. This just proves to me that the Media will continue to make A.I the VILLIAN and make others the HERO'S. People want for A.I to be remembered for that 2004 team, god forbid he get's on a 2008 team that contributes to bringing GOLD back to our country, oh no... he'd be a HERO then, we couldn't have that. I swear it's getting old. A.I can't stand the MEDIA, when he first go in the league he said they are his worste enemy... I agree.

With that said, i'm glad K.G turned them down. He doesn't owe anyone anything, he already served his duties in Olympic play. Why did they wait so long to ask him anyway? Whatever... I was done with Team USA two years ago when they SNUBBED A.I. and showed what type of biggets they are. The end.

Oh yeah.... and A.I is a "Garnett Calliber player".... what world do you live in? Or have you been sleeping for the past 12 years? To put his name next to Marbury and Lamar Odem is just disrespectful. SMH

11-25-2007 @ 7:07AM

SMH!!!! YOU ARE A DUMB ASS HOLE. AI IS THE MOST CONSISTENT AND THE MOST HARDWORKING PLAYER IN THE NBA. YOU NEED TO GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER.

11-15-2007 @ 6:54PM

bruce said...

No player has a duty to play a game of basketball in the Olympics. If you don't have a duty to serve in the military then you damn sure don't have a duty to play in the Olympics. This is America and it all boils down to a matter of choice. Leave Garnett alone and anyone else who doesn't want to play in the Olympics. Just like the military, rely on those who want to be a part. You probably don't want the military to have a draft, so stop trying to draft people into the Olympics.