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Not Exactly
By: Keith Dobkowski, Senior Sports News Writer
Lets argue. Quickly, best point guard in the NBA. Jason Kidd.
Best two guard in the NBA, Kobe Bryant. Best three in the NBA,
well, on this team I will choose Kevin Garnett. Yeah, Garnett
plays the four but what kind of starting five does not include the
Most Valuable Player from 2004. The power forward is Tim
Duncan and so long as Shaq can walk, he will always be the
starting center. Just of note, this team has eight combined
championships, twelve finals appearances, four MVP awards,
countless first team all-NBA appearances and about forty all-star
games played.
And when you think of backups to the above Team names such
as perennial defensive player of the year and recent NBA
champion Ben Wallace comes to mind. Straight shooter Ray Allen
is the perfect backup for Kobe. The toughest and most exciting
player in the NBA, Allen Iverson would be a key energizer off the
bench. NBA scoring leader Tracy McGrady is a shoe in at the
three. And Jermaine O’Neal with his 20-point and 10-rebound
average is welcome backup big.
Any team, including the first Dream Team that boasted Hall of
Fame players across the bench, would have a tough time
handling the above group, which we will now call Dream Team
2004.
A quick interlude before the point is reached. Imagine everyone
in their prime and the 2004 Dream Team taking on the 1992
Dream Team. Fast breaks lead by Magic Johnson, John Stockton
and Jason Kidd, the three best floor generals of the past 25
years. Chris Mullin and Ray Allen coming off screens to put up
some the sweetest jumpers ever seen. Shaq banging up against
the Admiral, when David Robinson was in his MVP form. Would
you rather have the power forward combo of ‘The Big
Fundamental’ Tim Duncan and J-O’Neal or Sir Charles and the
Mailman? Finally with your team down by one, is it Jordan or
Kobe to hit the winner? And to think that I did not mention Larry
Legend, Garnett, the Glyde or the Answer…
And the interlude ends…
The 2004 USA Basketball Team headed to Athens is anything but
a dream. Outside of Duncan and Iverson, not a player mentioned
so far is going. Shaq is tired, Kobe’s on trial, O’Neal is afraid of
terrorist, Kidd’s knee hurts and a handful of other excuses are
keeping America’s best at home.
Of course there is still intrigue with Melo’ and Lebron headed to
Athens, but something is not right when the best we have would
rather do something else. Furthermore, if the United States
could still coast through international play as it did in 1992, the
worries would not be as great. However, the United States is
coming off a sixth place finish in last summers international
competition and that team was better than the current one.
Do American basketball players not see the importance of the
Olympics? Do they not realize that they can represent all
Americans especially in a time when our international image is
faltering? Do they not understand the influence they have upon
other nations and their children?
Pao Gasol said as much when the 1992 Dream Team came to
Spain. Gasol’s future changed that summer and he is now one of
the best players in the NBA. While many point to Drazen Petrovic
and Sarunous Marcelones as the NBA door openers to the
international players, it was really the Dream Team that created
European ballers.
Nowitzki, Peja, Vlade, Gasol, and Parker were all influenced by
the best in the world, by the sheer talent of MJ, Magic and Bird.
The real reason that the NBA draft is now European dominated
has more to do with the Dream Team’s influence than anything
else. And the rest of the World is not far behind with Yao Ming
from China and Nene from Brazil.
America has changed dramatically since September 11th. The
unity that spread across the country following the terrorist
attacks has slowly, but completely, disappeared and we are now
more partisan that ever. Terms like patriotism and symbols like
our flag have become targets of political ownership. The pride
and togetherness that had been America just three years ago is
gone.
The answer, and this time it is not AI, is sport. Sport brings us
together. Aside from politics, aside from fear and aside from
terrorist, competition is partisan-blind. And could there be a
more perfect time for the world and its greatest athletes to meet
in the home of the Olympics, Athens, Greece.
In just a few weeks Weapon’s of Mass Destruction, Al Qaeda,
Hussein, and even George W. Bush will be set aside as we learn
who the worlds fastest person is, who can jump the highest, run
the farthest, and swim the fastest. Another Gymnast will grab
our hearts and the cover of the Wheaties box. A boxer from
nowhere may win the gold and declare himself the greatest and
we will remember Ali. Stories of sacrifice will grip us all. France
will play against the United States and sportsmanship, unlike
politics, will prevail. And the Iraqi’s will field a national team and
the world will root for them.
I get it. I think most people get it. The world’s greatest,
together, to compete in sport.
So why do the American Basketball players cease to see the
obvious? Money, lack of pride or just too damn tired? And how
come the European players do not suffer the same ailments and
excuses?
It is not a matter of making Olympic participation mandatory, but
rather understanding the importance of the Olympics. While the
NBA may have 1000 reasons to love it, I just found one reason
why I don’t.
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