Stephen Curry. Anthony Davis. LaMarcus Aldridge. James Harden. Chris Paul. Russell Westbrook. John Wall.
What do they all have in common?
They, among many other high-profile players, won’t be participating in the Team USA festivities.
You’ll notice that the point guard position in particular is taking a hit. Four of its top-five contributors—Curry, Paul, Westbrook, Wall—are all out. And while the NBA is more than capable of replacing them with talented playmakers, assembling those contingency plans may not be so easy.
One of them is Damian Lillard, arguably a top-five point guard himself. And he remains undecided on his immediate future with Team USA basketball, per Kevin Berry of CSNNW:
Speaking in Taguig City while on tour for Adidas, Damian Lillard indicates that he hasn’t made any decision related to playing for Team USA in the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
The Manila Times quotes Lillard saying, “I have not thought about it yet.”
Calling Lillard’s bluff here. He has most definitely thought about it.
Rest and relaxation has become a key part of NBA player recovery. There is less than a zero percent chance that Lillard, who is set to begin the first year of his five-season super-max extension, hasn’t thought about playing for Team USA, or about the potential ramifications of significantly extending his court time.
Playing for Team USA, as many stars have already echoed, is an honor. But the NBA is their bigger stage. And as the benefits of rest become more and more accepted, fewer stars will participate in Team USA happenings sans proper compensation.
Still, for the sake of maintaining the integrity of Team USA’s backcourt, you can’t help but hope that Lillard accepts the call to arms.
