mollyfamwatIt’s a bit late to be calling for the Dream Team. But five former NBA players, all starters for their respective teams during their careers, are ready to make their own mark on the game. Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Nick Van Exel, Scottie Pippen, and Charles Barkley will be among the 238 players competing in the Olympics. (Based on the format of the event, one of these five players will likely be shuttled off to a second team, but that’s another story.)
The Summer Olympics are over, and once again Americans are treated to a parade of NBA stars who can’t quite make the transition from the hardwood to the hard court.
The Olympics are a great opportunity for players who want to try to sneak their way into professional basketball for a few years, but the experience can also be a good one for those who want to walk away from the game. In Rio, the U.S. men’s basketball team will have the chance to see some of its former players step back onto the court and show they still have what it takes to play at the highest level.. Read more about nba players playing for other countries in olympics 2021 and let us know what you think.
The Olympics are over, and USA Basketball has reasserted its dominance in the Summer Games once again. After defeating France 87-82, the Americans won their fourth consecutive gold medal.
After a poor result in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Team USA redeemed themselves at the Olympics, but it was clear that it wasn’t as simple as it used to be. The rest of the world is just catching up. As the NBA becomes increasingly international, more foreign players are being educated to play with the greatest in the world. As a result, other national teams’ rosters have been strengthened.
Even former international NBA players have contributed to the success of their national teams. Despite the fact that these players are no longer in the NBA, they still possess the skill that propelled them there in the first place. Let’s take a look at some former NBA players who have competed in the Olympics.
Hamed Haddadi, Hamed Haddadi, Hamed Haddadi, Hamed Haddadi
Hamed Haddadi was a member of the Memphis Grizzlies and the Phoenix Suns in the NBA. Given that he is the first and only player from his country to make it to the NBA, he was and still is Iran’s greatest basketball player. Despite a lackluster five-year NBA career, Haddadi is a key member of Iran’s national squad.
After a winless campaign, Iran ended up dead last at the Olympics in 12th position. This was to be anticipated, considering that Iran was paired with powerful teams such as the Czech Republic, the United States, and France. Haddadi, on the other hand, was probably their brightest point.
Hamed Haddadi, the Olympics’ oldest G League veteran, still has a lot of game!
Iran’s 7’2 big, 36, averaged 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He was first in blocks and third in rebounding among all Olympians. pic.twitter.com/No7KPq7Zpt pic.twitter.com/No7KPq7Zpt pic.twitter.com/No7K
August 6, 2021 — G-League TV (@GLeagueTV)
In their Olympic campaign, which was Iran’s first participation since 2008, the former Grizzlies center led the way with 15.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He had his greatest individual performance against France, when he had 18 points and 12 rebounds. Haddadi was also the tournament’s top blocker, third in rebounding, and sixth in efficiency.
Exum Dante
The Boomers of Australia have finally won a medal at the Olympics, taking bronze against Slovenia, who was captained by none other than Luka Doncic. And, due to Dante Exum, the Boomers were able to stave off Slovenia’s ferocious fourth-quarter rally.
The wait is finally over.
#Tokyo2020 | #7Olympics pic.twitter.com/gkNpV3kvex The Boomers have a medal in their hands.
August 7, 2021 — 7Olympics (@7olympics)
In the clutch, the former Cavs guard showed some much-needed poise for Australia, sparking a 20-8 surge. Exum scored 12 points on 4/5 shooting from the field in the bronze medal game at the Olympics. It’s important mentioning that he did so while simultaneously controlling Mavs star Luka Doncic. Exum was instrumental in pushing Mavs standout DeMar DeRozan into eight turnovers.
There’s little question that a return to the NBA is a distinct possibility after his outstanding performance in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medal game. In fact, several analysts have already advocated for NBA clubs to sign Exum.
Dante Exum has performed well enough in this Olympic competition to earn another NBA deal, in my opinion.
August 5, 2021 — Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen)
Exum has had a difficult NBA career. Injuries have slowed him down, and he hasn’t performed like a genuine fifth overall selection in six seasons with the Jazz and Cavaliers. He has, however, utilized the Olympics as a springboard to resurrect his basketball career. Throughout the tournament, Exum averaged 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. And it was when it counted most that he played his greatest basketball.
Nando De Colo is a character in the film Nando De Colo
Outside of the NBA, Nando De Colo is probably the greatest French basketball player today. De Colo returned home after a two-year run in the NBA, when he played for the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors, and dominated the Euroleague. In addition, he was a key member of the French National Team in the Olympics.
This year’s Olympics in Tokyo saw France produce one of their finest performances, winning a silver medal. De Colo was instrumental in the success of his country’s national squad. He averaged 15.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game in the tournament. Outside, the spitfire guard has shown to be a dependable danger. De Colo made 52.9 percent of his long-range shots, which was excellent for third in the summer games.
The Silver Medal will be with you for a long time! And I’ll remember all we did to achieve our objective, which began with seriousness and ambition on the first day! I’m very proud of my TEAM. Guys, you did a fantastic job in the Olympic Games. Thank you, and… #MissionMarmules VICE-CHAMPIONS OLYMPIQUES pic.twitter.com/GywF1nHviH
August 8, 2021 — Nando De Colo (@NandoDeColo)
De Colo and his teammates will undoubtedly be eager to revenge their defeat against Team USA at the next Olympics, which will be hosted in Paris. But, more significantly, they will be a genuine gold medal contender.
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol is, without a doubt, the most accomplished player on this Olympic team. The Spanish international is a six-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion, having won both with the Los Angeles Lakers with the late Kobe Bryant. Given that they were the FIBA World Cup winners, Gasol and Spain were unquestionably one of the gold medal favorites in the competition. However, an early knockout round match versus Team USA extinguished their gold medal aspirations.
Although Spain fielded an NBA-laden national squad, the majority of the players, including Pau Gasol, are far beyond their peak. When Spain beat the United States in the 2002 FIBA World Championships, Gasol wasn’t the same player he was when he played for the Lakers. Despite being delayed by the passage of time, Gasol was able to make an impression in the Olympics.
The two-time NBA champion had a game average of 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds. In only 17 minutes of play, he scored nine points and pulled down eight rebounds on 50 percent shooting against Argentina.
Gasol has declared his retirement from international competition after Spain’s elimination in the Olympics. However, he is still open to the possibility of playing professionally.
Gasol stated in an interview, “I’m still processing things a little bit, but now it’s time to look back and appreciate all that’s been done.” We’ll see if I retire or not; that decision will be made later.”
Scola, Luis
Luis Scola, another international star, announced his retirement after the competition. Argentina and Scola have just won a spectacular silver medal in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. As a result, they seemed to be a medal contender at this year’s summer showcase. Argentina, on the other hand, was thrashed 97-59 by eventual bronze medalists Australia in the Olympic quarterfinal round.
Scola has played a crucial role in Argentina’s international success. He was still dominating despite the fact that he was 41 years old when he entered the competition. Scola had a game average of 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. The 10-year NBA veteran had his finest game against the hosts, scoring 23 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. In addition, after scoring 23 points against Slovenia in the first game of the Olympics, he became the fourth all-time top scorer in Olympic basketball history.
In case you missed it, during Argentina’s defeat to Slovenia yesterday, Luis Scola became the fourth-best scorer in Olympic basketball history.
INTRODUCTION TO THE ALL-TIME RANKING
Oscar Schmidt has a total of 1,093 points. 789 points for Andrew Gaze 632 points for Pau Gasol 548 points for LUIS SCOLA
July 27, 2021 — HoopsHype (@hoopshype)
And there’s no doubt that Scola earned a standing ovation at the Olympics for his accomplishments in international basketball. He is unquestionably a legend not just in Argentina, but also in the world of basketball.
A standing ovation for one of the all-time greats.
#Tokyo2020 | #Basketball pic.twitter.com/i1Jl9UPe3a Thank you, @LScola4!
3 August 2021 — FIBA (@FIBA)
It’s rare that a generation of basketball players has passed the Olympics, and it’s rarer still that they’ve returned to their old game with some success. But that’s exactly what happened when Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant suited up in 2016. Their collective performances were both inspiring and disturbing, as they showed what’s possible when you’re on the court but unable to be there in spirit. This year, Anthony, Durant, James, and Bosh will be competing, unsure if they’ll be able to make it past the first round. Is this another renaissance? Or is it the end of the road?. Read more about is giannis playing in the olympics and let us know what you think.
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