Posted on 07/11/2021 11:36:04 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
LAS VEGAS (AP) — This is not how USA Basketball expected to open its Olympic summer.
Nigeria probably didn’t expect it, either.
If there was any expectation of invincibility for the Americans heading into the Tokyo Olympics, it’s already gone — after Nigeria beat the U.S. 90-87 on Saturday night, an international shocker pulled off by a roster primarily filled by little-known NBA players that found a way to beat a group of All-NBA, All-Star and max-contract performers.
“We just wanted to compete,” said Nigeria’s Gabe Nnamdi, who goes by Gabe Vincent when playing for the Miami Heat. “We know what USA Basketball means around the world and what they’ve stood for for so long.”
The U.S. had lost 11 games before Saturday in major international play — Olympics and World Cups, mostly — since NBA players began filling the American rosters with the first Dream Team in 1992. None of those losses came against a team from Africa.
"I thought that the Nigerian team played very physically, did a great job in that regard and knocked down a lot of 3s,” U.S. coach Gregg Popovich said. “Give them credit.”
Nnamdi led Nigeria with 21 points. Caleb Agada scored 17 points, Ike Nwamu added 13 and Nigeria outscored the U.S. 60-30 from 3-point range.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
HA HA!
HA HA!
Olympics are dead to me like most professional spirts
It’s almost like today’s NBA allstars are better at being woke than they are playing basketball
In 1986, professional athletes were given permission by the International Federation to compete in each sport of the Olympic Games.
The Olympics were originally designed to allow amateur athletes the chance to compete on an international stage. Per Vice, the origins of modern-day Olympics had more to do with classism than professional status, but still, amateurism was regarded as an easy way to level the playing field.
Today, the only two sports in the Olympics that require participants to be amateur are Wrestling and boxing..
I just think the Olympics should be amateur athletics...PERIOD...
I’m torn... Love the USA, but not the NBA. Lol
That's how we got the 1992 NBA "Dream Team" in the Olympics. They not only destroyed every team they faced, but were proudly patriotic about it. Now...not so much.
NBA players are too busy complaining about anything and everything to worry about playing ball.
I remember about 20 years ago the all White Argentina team beat “Team USA” and the scandal that caused.
LOL!
Oh, them.
They aren’t there to represent America, glad they lost.
The NBA players are paid professuonals but they’re representing not USA but themselves. Hard to cheer for such selfishness.
My Give-A-Damnmeter is not registering any metrics.
Tell that to the amateurs of the past from free countries that competed against professionals in communist countries, under the banner they are not paid.
That’s how Cuba dominated baseball in all those years, and Russia in hockey
I guess being paid and cared for by the state doesn’t imply professionalism.
It was a joke all those years, everyone knew the Soviet Union and Cuba had professionals playing boys.
Unless you can guarantee communist countries will play fair, your argument is lost on me.
Yet, who knows, America will one day be a communists country itself, then you will get your wish, because all professional sports will be controlled by the state. Capitalism will be dead.
So, wait, and you will get your misguided wish that things will be what they used to be.
Nothing “misguided” about my “wish”...
I just prefer amateur sports over professional...
I am a former small college football coach and my players most all played for the love of the game...
And you can stick communism where the sun don’t shine as far as I’m concerned...
A waste of time and money not to mention being poor role models for the young people of America. I bet a Lee Greenwood song never crossed their ears. These anti-patriots are already losers before they get in the game.
Frankly, the Nigerian team is probably more pro-American than the team led by the leftist Popovichy.
I've seen Luka play and he is very good.
Who is this guy Melania?:)
If he makes the team, here is one who is an excellent role model for kids today...
“This is not how USA Basketball expected to open its Olympic summer.”
The USA team had a disadvantage because of white privilege.
Where are the wokesters decrying the appalling lack of diversity on the basketball teams???
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