DeAndre Jordan on Olympic golds: "I think they're above NBA rings"

[jambr380]

I mean he gets to decide what's more important to him. I certainly think the NBA is a more prestigious prize.

I do think as the Olympics continue to get more competitive the relative value will shift for me.

Will they get more competitive, though?

What if we were rolling out Lebron, Curry, CP3, Leonard, AD, Westbrook, Harden, Wall, Aldridge, Blake, Drummond, Millsap, IT, etc? I mean, a team of NBA American players who aren't playing would handle our current team pretty handily. Some of these other countries have a couple of very good players, but there is no way in heck they would stand any chance against our 'best' line-up.

I do think if Spain, Australia, France, Argentina, or any other country actually beat the US for gold, it would be a superior victory for those NBA players than a championship, since it is a nearly impossible task.

[Surferdad]

Wow, the consistent lack of patriotism here is pretty disturbing.

.

Haha wow dude.  It's basketball at the Olympics where the US team wins most games by 30 points.  Take a step back.

Yeah, and the fact that many players choose not to play on the Olympic team says quite a bit about what is really important to these guys.

Not so quick, please  If you are injured or recovering from an injury, then you can't play.  That decision not driven by a judgment based on what more important, just a fact of life.

[manl_lui]

I mean he gets to decide what's more important to him. I certainly think the NBA is a more prestigious prize.

I do think as the Olympics continue to get more competitive the relative value will shift for me.

Will they get more competitive, though?

What if we were rolling out Lebron, Curry, CP3, Leonard, AD, Westbrook, Harden, Wall, Aldridge, Blake, Drummond, Millsap, IT, etc? I mean, a team of NBA American players who aren't playing would handle our current team pretty handily. Some of these other countries have a couple of very good players, but there is no way in heck they would stand any chance against our 'best' line-up.

I do think if Spain, Australia, France, Argentina, or any other country actually beat the US for gold, it would be a superior victory for those NBA players than a championship, since it is a nearly impossible task.

I agree with this statement

I still think the team in 2008 was better than this current one. By no means am I taking anything away from this team for now. But when you have LeBron, CP3, a prime-Orlando Dwight Howard, healthy Chris Bosh, all players who are arguably top 2-3 in their position playing for the redeem team, I don't think any country's best can compete with that.

If you are talking about current season's best players @ their positions you are still missing

LeBron, CP3, Blake Griffin, Dwight, Curry, Wade

two MVP of the last 3-4 years are not in this year's lineup.

[Snakehead]

Wow, the consistent lack of patriotism here is pretty disturbing.

.

Haha wow dude.  It's basketball at the Olympics where the US team wins most games by 30 points.  Take a step back.

Yeah, and the fact that many players choose not to play on the Olympic team says quite a bit about what is really important to these guys.

Not so quick, please  If you are injured or recovering from an injury, then you can't play.  That decision not driven by a judgment based on what more important, just a fact of life.

This is all going far off the basis of calling people unpatriotic because they disagree and don't find the Olympics as competitive... because they plainly are not.

[Clench123]

Rationalizing one's failure.  That's all.

[danglertx]

Let's be honest, if I were on the USA Olympic team I'd get a gold medal. Christian Lattner got one. I don't think getting a gold medal in basketball for the U S team is much of an accomplishment at all.

[jambr380]

Let's be honest, if I were on the USA Olympic team I'd get a gold medal. Christian Lattner got one. I don't think getting a gold medal in basketball for the U S team is much of an accomplishment at all.

Yeah, basketball (like swimming, gymnastics, track, etc.) should have individual competitions in addition to team competition. A gold medal in 3-pt shooting or 1-1 would be way more impressive than a US team gold.

I am half-kidding about the individual competitions, but it would be interesting.

[spikelovetheCelts]

Let's be honest, if I were on the USA Olympic team I'd get a gold medal. Christian Lattner got one. I don't think getting a gold medal in basketball for the U S team is much of an accomplishment at all.

Yeah, basketball (like swimming, gymnastics, track, etc.) should have individual competitions in addition to team competition. A gold medal in 3-pt shooting or 1-1 would be way more impressive than a US team gold.

I am half-kidding about the individual competitions, but it would be interesting.

They are thinking about 3 on 3. That would be so cool.

[greece66]

The competition is at a wholly different level at the NBA.

The only thing about the Olympics is that getting chosen for the team is a recognition of achievement and that you are a high calibre player that's all.

[Eja117]

Let's be honest, if I were on the USA Olympic team I'd get a gold medal. Christian Lattner got one. I don't think getting a gold medal in basketball for the U S team is much of an accomplishment at all.

Laettner played well in those Olympics and that team was beat by a college all star team with Eric Montross on it.

[Eja117]

Let's be honest, if I were on the USA Olympic team I'd get a gold medal. Christian Lattner got one. I don't think getting a gold medal in basketball for the U S team is much of an accomplishment at all.

But let's be honest. If I were on the 96 Bulls I would have won a ring. Robert Horry has like 7 rings. It just means you were on the right team at the right time is all.

[Who]

As a basketball accomplishment, the NBA is clearly the pinnacle of the sport and the highest achievement possible.

As an athlete - not purely a basketball player - the Olympics represents something different. Something more than just basketball. To stand alongside so many other great athletes in track & field and many other competitions. Listening to former NBA players talk about that and how much it meant to them - clearly it was something of great pride to them and to win a gold medal like a Jesse Owens and other legendary athletes was something they treasured.

So I would treat the Olympics slightly differently. Not solely as a basketball competition but as an overall athlete. A different accomplishment. A different meaning.

But purely in terms of basketball, no question the NBA is the pinnacle.

[Eja117]

This may seem odd but I think maybe getting beat was one of the best things for US basketball

[Ogaju]

its fun to debate an issue raised by an athlete's dumb statement, but don't be fooled into thinking that the statement is any less dumb just because we have fun debating it in a slow sports month.

There is no paradigm in which a league championship played over the course of 100 games by the best of the best in the world can be compared to an exhibition competition that does not even field the best players in the world.

The fact that Jordan is even about to get a gold in the Olympics and has not even come close to one in the NBA is conclusive proof that NBA ring is over the Olympic gold.

If the Olympic team had the best players, Jordan probably is not on the US team.

[Eja117]

I think you need both to be considered one of the greatest to have ever played (with rare exceptions) but when it comes to one or the other I think maybe it's a matter of preference.

But if you're the 6th best player on the US Olympic team and you beat the world....or you're the 6th best guy on an NBA championship team....I mean there is no question in my mind I rate DeAndre's gold medal a higher and more impressive achievement than say James Posey's ring. I put Laetner's higher than that.

To me it's a little like saying...which pilot is better...the one that has flown absolutely everything professionally and instructs others and has brought down a plane in a very difficult situation or being the only living fighter pilot to take down a Mig in combat. They're both pinnacle of the field but give me the fighter pilot.

Navy Seal who has only been in one raid or top notch swat team guy that has been in 20. Give me the seal.

I take elites every time if possible.