The backlash to Paul George's devastating leg injury has officially begun. Kevin Durant, the next face of U.S.A basketball has opted to leave team U.S.A prior to the World Cup kicking off.
Kobe Bryant's international career is over. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony have participated at the Olympics on three occasions. There's a good chance both LeBron and Carmelo are finished playing for team U.S.A. Durant is the best player in the N.B.A, that is still a few years away from his peak. That's when most guys at the professional level sacrifice the time and effort to represent the United States. In the N.B.A your 30 ' s are about winning championships.
Durant is definitely not the only player pondering about this whole team U.S.A thing. George's injury is significant enough to alter the remainder of his career. Basketball is different for soccer. The N.B.A Championship is considered the ultimate trophy in the sport. The league is considered a fraternity. Witnessing a key member of that fraternity suffer a terrible injury will definitely send shock waves throughout the league.
The U.S.A began an unprecedented international run beginning with the Dream Team in 1992. The 1996 team was a nice follow up to the Dream Team, but failed to dominate the the rest of the world in the Same manner. By 2004 team U.S.A was only good enough to win bronze. Well, at least the guys that were willing to go were good enough to win bronze.
LeBron is still the best player in the N.B.A today. But the question is how long before that changes? Better yet, will the next wave of superstars be coaxed by owners like Mark Cuban into skipping international play altogether?
Basketball has exploded into an international game. Players like Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki fell in love with basketball by watching the best players in the N.B.A play international ball. The N.B.A wouldn't be the league it is today without foreign influence. It's one of the things that make the league so special.
If the days of the N.B.A's best participating for team U.S.A are over it has certainly been a great ride. The N.B.A is now a corporate conglomerate. Players are billion dollar investments.
For the N.B.A's sake I hope they find some way to compensate.
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