<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Ron Artest is miffed at being bypassed for the U.S. Olympic basketball team. Artest, arguably the NBA's best perimeter defender, was at a Park Avenue press conference yesterday, dressed in a mustard-colored suit to promote Sept. 15's All-Star Classic for Wheelchair Charities. But Artest feels he deserves to be in Athens, lending his trademark tenacity to an Olympic Team that appears lifeless. "I was surprised the Defensive Player of the Year didn't get an invite, didn't get called," Artest said at the Park Avenue Country Club. "I would've been a ballboy. I would've gotten all the guys water. I would've done anything to be down there." "It's hard to point out [what's wrong] when it's so frustrating not being there, so frustrating not getting an invite," Artest added. The snubbing of Artest could not have been based on ability. His history of losing his cool, technical fouls and ejections likely kept him off Team USA. NBA disciplinarian Stu Jackson, who's suspended Artest multiple times, also heads the U.S. Olympic Committee. But coach Larry Brown can sure use Artest now. Artest agreed the snub was "political." "One year I had a lot of trouble, but last year was a nice turnaround, and not getting an invite, after all the guys turned it down...," Artest said. "I was third-team All-NBA, All Star, Defensive Player of the Year. All the top guys not playing, there's room for me. "I was one of the guys who wanted to be there," the Pacers swingman added. "If there was a bomb that went off, I would've been fine and played the next day."</div>Link I agree, his defense would definetly be appreciated in this team.
I would really like Artest to be there. I understand the fact that he has had his "problems", but not getting even an invite after winning Defensive player of the year is kind of an insult. How could you not invite Artest and you invite a rookie like Okafor?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting authentiq:</div><div class="quote_post">I would really like Artest to be there. I understand the fact that he has had his "problems", but not getting even an invite after winning Defensive player of the year is kind of an insult. How could you not invite Artest and you invite a rookie like Okafor?</div> Exactly, I used to think Ron-Ron was just a big knucklehead, Who thought he was "The Man", And only cared about himself, But from this season, Only getting suspended ONCE, (UNFAIRLY), He has shown me he has matured, And NO DOUBT the US need defensive guys up in there, And Ron Artest is "THEE defensive specialist, in the NBA, its not fair he didn't get invited, Hell i would be bitter if i was in his situation, And to hear him say he would just be the ball boy if he could, Thats how you know hes a good guy, Peace
I think one rookie is required in every Olympics team and thats why Okafor was invited. He's still got a poor attitude but what do you expect from a defensive power house, it's part of his game to intimidate his opponents and have a strong attitude. I personally don't like him but he's a good player and does deserve to be in this team, he could easily replace carmelo anthony.
Artest's attuide and past coach problems may of been the reason he was not asked to play, the USA selectors seem to hate to have guys who have attuide problems and could hurt team chemistry. He would be very useful no doubt, defending the three would be much easiler with him around.
Yes, skill wise he deserved to be there but I still think Ron needs attitude help and possibly anger managment. The Olympic Commitee just didn't want an outburst at another player or on the referree in front of the whole world. But hopefully Ron is working on this problem, I doubt it though, lol.
Artest definitely deserved a Olympic invite. Even though he's crazy, he is one of the toughest and hardest working players in the league. He wants to win as much as anyone and I do believe he would have had a positive impact on this team. The U.S. committee is too worried about the image of their Olympic team and that is one of the main reasons why we may not medal in this tournament.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Raptors2004:</div><div class="quote_post">Exactly, I used to think Ron-Ron was just a big knucklehead, Who thought he was "The Man", And only cared about himself, But from this season, Only getting suspended ONCE, (UNFAIRLY), He has shown me he has matured, And NO DOUBT the US need defensive guys up in there, And Ron Artest is "THEE defensive specialist, in the NBA, its not fair he didn't get invited, Hell i would be bitter if i was in his situation, And to hear him say he would just be the ball boy if he could, Thats how you know hes a good guy, Peace</div> nahh ben wallace is much better defender than artest
I think a reason for him not being on it is because of Larry Brown's no noncense players saying. AI is the only exception he has ever made to that rule. Though Artest's attitude improved greatly last season he is still no boy scout player and can still have a temper tandrem at times. I guess Larry and the olympic selection commity felt with the terrorist threats and the fac tthey would be over seas having Artest's attitude problem on the team would be to big a risk. I am a little pissed that team USA didnt put Francis on the team though.
lol We could of atleast made him a water boy if he wanted to be their that badly.. But I think he deserved to be their before some of these rookies.
He deffiantly would have been a nice addition to the team,the USA is missing a perimeter defender and Ron Artest could deffiantly give them that.
Artest deserved to be on the team. If you guys say it is because of his behavior than why the hell did they put Iverson and Odom on there? The only USA team member that should have been put on there before Ron is Tim Duncan. This team is a joke.
why... why??? argh!! they shouldve took artest, he has a heart of a lion and his defense is incredible, i believe he wouldve helped the team greatly.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DrFeelgood:</div><div class="quote_post">This team is a joke.</div>This team is not a joke. This team is way more talented than any team in the Olympics and when they click there is no team capable of beating them in the Olympics, period.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">when they click there is no team capable of beating them in the Olympics, period. </div> By "when they click" do you mean "when Wade and Marion go in"? And as for Artest, of course he should've been there. I'd pick him way before Jefferson, way before Carmello, way before LeBron, with him we might've been able to contain the 3 pointer birrage (sp?) against Lithuania.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting authentiq:</div><div class="quote_post">^care to explain??</div> yea ben wallace does everything best in defence he steals, he blocks, he rebounds but artest is a better offensive player though
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">yea ben wallace does everything best in defence he steals, he blocks, he rebounds but artest is a better offensive player though</div> There is more to playing defense than just racking up numbers (Artest was ranked 3rd in steals last season). You should know that. Nothing against Ben Wallace, both players are excellent defenders. But didn't Artest win Defensive Player of the Year last season? Give the man some credit.
yea he should have been invited, and even tho Emeka Okafur is a good player they shouldnt let players who havent been in the nba for a year be in the olympics.....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting heatfan83:</div><div class="quote_post">This team is not a joke. This team is way more talented than any team in the Olympics and when they click there is no team capable of beating them in the Olympics, period.</div> Yes, this team is a joke. They didn't grasp the idea of team basketball until it was too late. The team, in the way it was assembled, was a joke. There are no shooters. At all. "when they click..." Yada, yada, yada. Means jack shit. Thats like saying, "Well, if we only had played better, we would have won." Means nothing because IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THE US TEAM NEVER CLICKED. So who cares if they have great individual talent. They were beaten by better teams. All the talent in the world means nothing if you can't grasp the idea of team basketball.
