Mark Cuban Pushing for Player Ban on Playing in the Olympics

January 25, 2012 – The Hoop Doctors

Mark Cuban for years has been voicing his opinion that NBA players shouldn’t be allowed to play in the Olympics or any other international competition while they are under contract in the pro’s. Obviously that opinion is highly prejudicial from the fact that he’s an owner who looks at his players as an investment. Here is what Cuban recently told the media:

“It’s just the epitome of stupidity that we would allow ourselves to be used so other corporations” — as Cuban calls the Olympics — “can make tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars,” Cuban said. “There’s some guys sitting at the Olympic headquarters going, ‘Those dumb-asses, we’re taking all their best guys for nothing.’ ”

Cuban knows he’s unlikely to bring change to the system, but he said he will continue “fighting so that we’ll pull out.” (Quotes via ESPN Dallas)

Personally I think Cuban’s comments are very ignorant. Not everyone thinks in dollars in cents. I know Cuban is a capitalist and not part of the 99%, but he’s also an American. There are other considerations for players representing their Country in international play besides money. National pride for one is something Cuban obviously knows nothing about. If he had even an ounce of it, he would be not only supporting NBA players participating in the Olympics but pushing for it. Why? Because from a pure numbers perspective, the US players in the NBA are still the largest talent pool for any one country.

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Comments

http://www.facebook.com/pat.gordon Pat Gordon

Yeah, but think about it from Cuban’s angle. His best player is German… so what happens if his superstar gets injured while trying to help Germany win a medal? That’s a no-win for Cuban.

Anonymous

True, but he can’t make a ‘no Nowitzki’ olympic rule. So is it better to sacrifice your own country’s chance at a gold over one player? So it comes down to national pride vs. protecting a personal asset. Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry Torch

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=507319819 Dakota Smith

the olympics should be for amateur athletes anyway, not millionaire professionals.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=507177751 Phil J Malloy

what is wrong with you??? the absolute best should be at the olympics…thats all there is too it
Abuse

I agree, in part, when it comes to NBA, MLB players…. the talent pool is large enough to let the kids go for us & still compete for the gold.

However, Shaun White, Michael Phelps, Apolo Ohno, etc are million dollar professional athletes as well that each get paid on some level to compete outside the Olympics. We’d be killing ourselves to deny these guys the Olympics.The Olympics are about sending our best to compete with everyone else’s best… lets not get too carried away with the amateurs-only philosophy.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=507177751 Phil J Malloy

i was with you til you threw the “99%” in there… f off, we dont need class warfare in our damn sports.
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http://www.facebook.com/people/Matthew-Brown/100000489559188 Matthew Brown

Pro’s? The apostrophe is never used to make a plural, you illiterate yahoo! Let Bob explain it to you.
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Keaton Price

Your “99%” comment is pretty ignorant. Mark Cuban has been one of the most vocal 1%-ers about raising tax rates for the rich. He also does take pride in his country with his philanthropic efforts for war veterans.

That said, players should be allowed to compete on an international scale.
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