As predicted, the New York Times has an article and analysis on the negative effects that some NBA Olympians are feeling during this NBA season. From LeBron James to Manu Ginobili to Chris Kaman:
“…of those 25 Olympians, 17 are scoring fewer points this season than they did a year ago. The slippage is not staggering, ranging from Carlos Boozer’s 0.6 fewer points to Manu Ginóbili’s drop to 14.6 points a game from 19.5... six Olympic players have missed at least 10 games with injuries.”
Some, like LeBron James aren’t having any problems with the grueling NBA season, as his Cavs are having their best season with LeBron looking stronger than ever and showing no effects of no downtime during the off-season. Though Cleveland has done as much as possible to avoid any Olympic burnout for their superstar, “We’ve tried to give LeBron as much rest as possible,” Cavaliers Coach Mike Brown said. “He’s getting time off during practice. Time off during training camp. Time off during the preseason games. We really worked on limiting his minutes in the preseason.”
Whole other teams haven’t had as much luck, such as the Los Angeles Clippers:
Center Chris Kaman is sidelined with a strained arch in his left foot. The Clippers had expressed dismay when Kaman, who was coming off an injury-plagued season, said he planned to suit up for Germany in the Olympics after he unearthed distant lineage among his great-grandparents.
Kaman played to have something to do over the summer, and for the opportunity to travel. Others said they could not pass up the chance to represent their country, no matter what the repercussions might be.
And some think the Olympics may have been a good thing for their star players. The Houston Rockets are one of those teams. Despite being injured towards the end of last season, the extra preparation and timetable may have actually had a positive impact on the 7-6 center’s body:
“In some ways, it helped him,” Rockets Coach Rick Adelman said. “He had to get himself ready for both the Olympics and the season.”
“That was a great moment in my life,” said the Houston Rockets’ Yao Ming, who played for China. “We prepared for that a long time. I think we did very well and I’m proud for my country and the people of China. Of course, when you spend time playing in the summer and I had an injury and I had surgery, and that was tough for me. I think the first month of the season, I struggled, and now I’m getting back my confidence and my strength.”
Andres Nocioni doesn’t want to hear any complaining, or expect special treatment because he participated in the Olympics, “I’m not the type of guy who complains about the way we practice or starts slow because I was playing for the national team. If I wanted to play for the national team, it’s my decision. It’s not the Bulls’ decision. So, I can’t come back from the national team and say I need special treatment because I was playing for the national team.”
Links and Resources: For some NBA players, effects of Beijing still Linger (New York Times), Injuries to NBA Stars and the Olympics (Interbasket), 2008 Olympic Basketball Forum (Interbasket)
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