Jerry Colangelo softens Team USA stance/JJ Hickson on Team USA?

• hoops23

  

  Per Yahoo! Sports
  

  Originally Posted by Marc Spears
  USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo has softened his stance on players who skip this summer’s world championships, saying he will allow more flexibility to NBA stars who have already spent considerable time in the national program.
  
  LeBron James is strongly considering not playing this summer so he can attend to other business and family interests. Colangelo said last week that any Team USA member who passes on the summer’s events without a valid excuse could jeopardize their eligibility for the 2012 Olympics in London.
  
  “There are no special rules for anyone,” Colangelo said then. “If someone decides to pass without a legit issue, they do it with an understanding of the risk.”
  
  Those comments irritated James, who has previously played in two Olympics, a world championships and a FIBA Americas tournament. “If he came out and said that, I don’t respect that because of the commitment we’ve given to the United States with a three-year commitment off the bat,” James said. “We didn’t second guess it at all.”
  
  Without mentioning James specifically, Colangelo said Saturday that he will consider each player on an individual basis and give special consideration to players who have built “equity” with USA Basketball.
  
  “I appreciate the time and commitment players have given to USA Basketball,” Colangelo said by phone. “That’s a sacrifice. I’ve spoken often about equity. We’ll have equity in our program. If a player is not able to perform, that equity does count. Each situation will be looked at on a case-by-case basis.”
  
  USA Basketball currently has 27 players in its men’s program, including previous Olympians like James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard. Bryant recently said he expects to play depending on his health, while Wade has gone back and forth on his intentions. Colangelo said Detroit Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince and Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo have accepted offers to join USA Basketball, but their agents have yet to send back signed contracts.
  
  Colangelo said he plans to email each of the players in the program to provide an update about this summer’s plans. USA Basketball will also likely invite some younger NBA players to participate in a summer minicamp in Las Vegas, possibly including J.J. Hickson, Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry.
  
  “The season is winding down,” Colangelo said. “The playoffs are about to begin and a number of players have significant roles on teams. They’ve had terrific years. I’m happy for them. Since minicamp doesn’t arrive until July, a lot could happen beforehand with injuries and free agency. The good thing is we have a deep roster and I’m confident we’ll have a deep squad before the world championships.”

  Figured this would happen...
  
  But I love the fact that JJ Hickson could be involved with Team USA. The dude is obviously a freak athlete and his improvement from year 1 to year 2 at the age of 21, was fantastic, especially considering he missed most of the the summer workouts due to a back injury.
  
  His jump shot is starting to improve and he's found a new level of intensity on the glass.
• KnightXC1

  

  Just shows Colangelo has no backbone and won't stand up to anyone. Obviously you don't leave Lebron off the team but to back down so easily show what he is made of.
  
  Hickson has improved a bunch but he won't be on the 2012 team unless guys can't play because he is behind too many others that are on the roster.
• devil1197

  JJ has improved greatly and the last game he looked to be getting more muscle tone.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Christ, we're going to have to do this again?
  
  Reading comprehension is at an all time low around here. He hasn't changed his stance, period.
  
  LOL @ people says he has no backbone.
• Big Red Monster

  Come on Crazies, you know what this is about.
  
  He took alot of junk for what he said and this is him backing down.
• SportsAndLady

  

  SQ_Crazies wrote:LOL @ people says he has no backbone.

  Yeah, what the fuck was that poster talking about? No backbone?
  
  I'm sure that guys never made a business move and then gone back and changed it.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  No. He isn't changing shit, lol...he said the same thing he said in the article from a few weeks ago but for whatever reason people had a hard time reading that one..
• Fly4Fun

  

  SQ_Crazies wrote: No. He isn't changing shit, lol...he said the same thing he said in the article from a few weeks ago but for whatever reason people had a hard time reading that one..

  Classic media trying to blow up something and get viewers to watch... it's disappointing to see how many people really bought into it.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  At least I'm not the only one who didn't...
• gibby08

  

  It's pretty sad when ONE PLAYER controls our National Basketball team
• SQ_Crazies

  

  ^Sigh...another victim.
• gibby08

  

  It's the truth you dummy...
  
  He runs the Cavs...and it's also appearant he has Colangelo by the nuts
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Not saying he doesn't have control. But Colangelo is just repeating what he said in the beginning and you all think that LeBron is controlling him. And you're yet another great example of people who are just hating on LeBron. LeBron isn't the only play to say he probably won't play this summer, yet he's the only one getting beat up about it.
• gibby08

  

  Colangelo shouldn't let any of them play...
  
  But as we have already seen....he doesn't really run this team...Lebron does
• SQ_Crazies

  

  LOL, will everyone just take note of this epic fail at trolling?
• gibby08

  

  How is it trolling dumbass...
  
  
  It's the truth no matter how much you don't want to believe it
• sleeper

  

  When you're the best player to have ever played the game, you not only control team USA, but the entire basketball universe.
• gibby08

  

  ^^^
  
  But he isn't that sleeper
• sleeper

  

  gibby08 wrote: ^^^
  
  But he isn't that sleeper

  :rolleyes:
  
  Yeah right.
• Trueblue23

  

  Gibby you must be in an "epic dbag" mood tonight lmao
• sportswizuhrd

  Howard might sit out the World's this summer. He might act in a movie or be in a reality show.
  

  C Dwight Howard not only has fired his longtime agent, Aaron Goodwin, but there are indications he might forgo the World Championships in Turkey this summer in order to rest and possibly act in a movie and/or appear in a television reality show, among other things.
  
  Howard has said publicly he would play for Team USA in the World Championships, but those close to Howard say he might be looking for a diplomatic way later to bypass playing in the tournament.
  
  Howard also might participate as a judge in a reality show this summer that will be based on a search to find the best basketball talent off the street.

  So far Team USA might be without Howard(acting/judging), LeBron(Free agency, movies), DWade(Free Agency and Divorce) and Carmelo(getting married).
• krazie45

  

  The fact that JJ is even in the conversation for Team USA has to be a great sign for Cavs fans.
• namod65

  

  I can't remember if Kevin Durant is already one of the 27 players in the program. If not we need to get him in there because I think he could easily start on the team now.
• KnightXC1

  

  ^^ He is. Here is the full list of guys signed up through the 2012 Olympics:
  
  Player Team
  LaMarcus Aldridge: Portland Trail Blazers
  Carmelo Anthony: Denver Nuggets
  Chris Bosh: Toronto Raptors
  Kobe Bryant: Los Angeles Lakers
  Chauncey Billups: Denver Nuggets
  Carlos Boozer: Utah Jazz
  Kevin Durant: Oklahoma City Thunder
  Rudy Gay: Memphis Grizzlies
  Eric Gordon: Los Angeles Clippers
  Danny Granger: Indiana Pacers
  Dwight Howard: Orlando Magic
  Andre Iguodala: Philadelphia 76ers
  LeBron James: Cleveland Cavaliers
  Al Jefferson: Minnesota Timberwolves
  David Lee: New York Knicks
  Brook Lopez: New Jersey Nets
  Kevin Love: Minnesota Timberwolves
  O.J. Mayo: Memphis Grizzlies
  Lamar Odom: Los Angeles Lakers
  Chris Paul: New Orleans Hornets
  Kendrick Perkins: Boston Celtics
  Derrick Rose: Chicago Bulls
  Amare Stoudemire: Phoenix Suns
  Dwyane Wade: Miami Heat
  Gerald Wallace: Charlotte Bobcats
  Russell Westbrook: Oklahoma City Thunder
  Deron Williams: Utah Jazz
  
  As I said before, free agency is not an excuse for a tournament that starts at the end of August when free agency starts July 1.
• Hb31187

  

  JJ Hickson?!?