The U.S. federation team won’t make it strict for the NBA players to adhere to the call for national cause on the international basketball stage.
Per USA basketball managing director Grant Hill, the program isn’t requiring players to commit to multiple years with the national team should they wish to participate in the Olympics.
“There’s no commitment necessary, no, ‘If you want to play in the Olympics, you have to play here,'” Hill told reporters, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“I understood why that was implemented, and I think it was tremendously successful … But we feel like we had to make a change in that regard. So, no tryouts, no commitment.”
Under Jerry Colangelo, the previous director of the United States basketball program, it was required for NBA players to commit for multiple years in order to be admitted to the Olympic games.
This became a rule following the United States humiliating bronze medal finish in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
With the NBA now in its load management era in light of the grinding type of play, Hill pointed out that Team USA has to also adjust for the availability of players.
“You have to adapt to the times,” Hill said. “If you look at the NBA, it has changed tremendously. It’s changed since I retired in 2013. Every generation’s different, and it’s important for us as leadership, particularly USA Basketball, to recognize that and be willing to adapt with that change.”
The U.S. program did not require firm commitments for players should they wish to participate in this year’s FIBA World Cup which will be held in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.
