This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The dream is dying this summer, but it is not dead.
The challenges USA Basketball faced in assembling a team for the 2016 Olympics, with the Jazz's Gordon Hayward and former Weber State star Damian Lillard among about a dozen players turning down invitations, naturally raised questions about the merits of sending NBA athletes to the Games. Some would say the Dream Team concept has played itself out, with only four of the 10 Americans on this year's All-NBA first and second teams being willing to go to Rio de Janeiro.
This is a tricky subject for me. Among my lasting images of the Olympics is riding past the tennis venue in Beijing every morning and wondering why that individual sport is necessary in the Summer Games. Shockingly enough, I feel the same way about golf.
The Olympics are for Olympians, I've always believed — the contestants who gear themselves for a showcase every four years, as opposed to professional athletes making just another stop on tours that take them to Wimbledon, Augusta National or other iconic venues. So now, I'm going to contradict myself: Hockey is my favorite Olympic team sport, featuring NHL players, and I'll be disappointed if the league changes its stance in 2018.
My view of basketball is similar. Whenever possible, the best athletes in any sport should compete at the Olympic level. So I don't care how far down the list USA Basketball has to go to find available NBA players, I'll watch them play.
USA Basketball chair Jerry Colangelo prepared for any and all possibilities by having a selection pool of 31 players. Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski probably never pictured having to look beyond that list to complete the roster for Rio, though, adding Toronto guard Kyle Lowry. That's what happened last week, when the responses of regrets just kept coming.
I'm convinced this year's issues are more about Rio than you might imagine. If these Games were being staged in Chicago, as should have happened, NBA players would be finding fewer reasons to stay home this summer. It's also possible that 2016 just caught some players in the wrong year, regarding injuries (including Lillard's foot trouble) or other issues. The irony of Hayward's decision is he needed other wing players to withdraw to have any chance of making the team, and then he declined. But I won't criticize anyone for not playing. The Olympics should represent opportunity, not obligation, and how athletes view their personal circumstances is up to them — even in the cases of Jazz teammates.
Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey suggests Hayward's choice of skipping the Olympics to attend the birth of his second child will play well in Utah, a culture known for valuing families. So how are we supposed to feel about Joe Ingles? His wife is due to deliver twins Aug. 4, the day before the Opening Ceremony. He's hoping for early arrivals, but he'll be in Rio regardless, appearing in his third Olympics for Australia.
Each athlete made the right decision for himself. So did Jazz guard Dante Exum, choosing to continue rehabilitation from last summer's knee injury that he sustained while playing for Australia.
Lindsey tells the story of agonizing as he watched the Jazz's Rudy Gobert and Tibor Pleiss compete internationally last summer. "You want them to get off the court as quick as possible, so nothing happens," he said. "That's kind of a weird emotion."
As much as he wants his players to perform well, Lindsey said, "Just as many times, I pray to avoid bad luck."
Lindsey had to feel somewhat relieved by Hayward's decision, although he and coach Quin Snyder "told him no matter what he decided, that we were going to support him, and that's the truth," he said. "Dante's a different matter, given what happened last summer."
Jazz guard Raul Neto will play for host Brazil, and one other Jazzman potentially will compete. Gobert will join France's entry in Rio if the team qualifies without him in a tournament in the Philippines in early July. The inevitable question is whether Lindsey will be cheering against France's qualifying effort.
"We've got a theme going here," he said, smiling. "You know what Rudy would do to me if I admitted to that?"
Gobert probably would understand. He's valuable to the Jazz, as well as to France, and he missed 21 games due to injury last season.
But if Gobert's French teammates get to Rio, the Jazz should be happy to have him join them. The Olympics are worthy of having the best players — or the best who are willing and able, anyway.
A closer look
Of the 15 Americans named to the All-NBA first, second and third teams in 2015-16, seven will play for Team USA:
Going • DeAndre Jordan (first), Kevin Durant (second), Draymond Green (second), DeMarcus Cousins (second), Paul George (third), Klay Thompson (third), Kyle Lowry (third).
Staying home • Stephen Curry (first), LeBron James (first), Kawhi Leonard (first), Russell Westbrook (first), Chris Paul (second), Damian Lillard (second), LaMarcus Aldridge (third), Andre Drummond (third).