<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Big Nasty:</div><div class="quote_post">BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro -- Sacramento Kings center Vlade Divac will not play for Serbia-Montenegro at the Athens Olympics, saying he is no longer the best big man on his country's national team. The 36-year-old Divac told B-92 radio on Monday he has "given enough" to the national team and it's time to leave. More than a dozen players from Serbia-Montenegro play in the NBA, including Kings star Peja Stojakovic. Serbia-Montenegro, the former Yugoslavia, is a favorite to make the Olympic final against the United States.</div> <div align="center">Link</div>
Amen! So many players who play in the Olympics get hurt during the regular season. I think no King should go. And leave that to the other players on other teams.
I think he should still play, he's shown he can handle NBA seasons and playoffs in a starting role. So he can handle the Olympics, even if he isn't the best big man on his team like he says. Serbia & Montenegro have a good chance of winning the World Champs again, they don't have the firepower of the USA but play an awesome team gain, and Vlade is a big part of it. He brings leadership, and can give the torch to the new big guys but at the same time teach them a thing or two. I'm surprised that Vlade would let the Olympics slip like that, I thought they'd mean a lot to him.
the former Yugoslavia, is a favorite to make the Olympic final against the United States. Who said that they neccesarly go to the finals... other countries can be in the finals (serbia, argentina, germany, turkey ...)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting yangyang42:</div><div class="quote_post">Amen! So many players who play in the Olympics get hurt during the regular season. I think no King should go. And leave that to the other players on other teams.</div>Some might consider representing their country in the Olympics just as great of an honor.
Nothing is the same since the original dream team. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen Magic Johnson Larry Bird Stockton and Malone Chris Mullin Charles Barkley David Robinson Patrick Ewing Clyde the Glide Drexler and so forth unbeatable. And now its like who cares. What do I get out of it type of mentality for some of the players today. It will be interesting to see who gets selected and who accepts to play.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Peja King:</div><div class="quote_post">the former Yugoslavia, is a favorite to make the Olympic final against the United States. Who said that they neccesarly go to the finals... other countries can be in the finals (serbia, argentina, germany, turkey ...)</div> I was wondering that too... The US team is no longer a lock for the finals since their poor performance at the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, where they were beaten by Argentina, Yugoslavia and Spain and finished in 6th place.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Some might consider representing their country in the Olympics just as great of an honor.</div> Definitely, a lot of pride and patriotism goes into that. But he's really needed for the Kings, they may have big men like Webber and Miller but he and Jackson are virtually the only veterans, they need the knowledge and skills he possesses, particularly his passing and flopping abilities. He'll need rest anyway, he's old, so coming back from the Olympics may affect his game and he'll be even slower than he already is.
