Dirk Nowitzki is currently sidelined with a knee injury and the last thing his team wants is for him to play in the Olympics.
Nowitzki’s ailment may have been caused while playing for Germany in international competition last year. Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban feels that injury is proof of why NBA players should not play in London this year or for future Olympics.
“It’s just the epitome of stupidity that we would allow ourselves to be used so other corporations (like 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.’
“I understand from Dirk’s perspective. We should never put our athletes in that position. For some sports the Olympics are very, very important. For basketball, it’s meaningless. It’s not that they’re not decent games. All things being equal, it’s fun to watch us play Argentina and Spain, but it would be just as fun if they were 21 and under.”
Cuban said he has tried to get the debate put up for vote, but has had no success. His belief is shared by other owners, as New York Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire was left off the Team USA roster this year over a similar dispute.
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