While some NBA players have considered the matter, Paul George‘s gruesome leg injury suffered during a Team USA scrimmage in the summer of 2014 hasn’t necessarily impacted every player’s decision on playing in the FIBA World Cup next month, Marc Stein of the New York Times writes.
George, who was stretchered off the court after fracturing his tibia and fibula, was coming off a career season with averages of 21.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest at the time. Many wondered if George would ever be the same due to the injury, but he worked vigorously to get his body back to shape and eventually became an even better all-around player.
“I appreciate the guys who still come out here and do this, because a lot of people would say, ‘If something like that could happen, why would you come out here and risk it?’ But I was talking with Coach Malone and he said, ‘You guys are in the gym playing anyway.’ If you’re playing basketball, you’re playing basketball,” Nuggets center Mason Plumlee said, as relayed by Stein.
While Plumlee has opted to keep his name in team consideration for next month, several stars such as Damian Lillard, DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Kevin Love and others have already withdrawn from competition to focus on the upcoming NBA season.
The 2019 FIBA World Cup begins on Saturday, Aug. 31, with Team USA scheduled to play its first game against the Czech Republic on Sunday, Sept. 1.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world tonight:
- Michael Beasley‘s five-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy stems from a failed drug test last fall, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Beasley failed the test around the same time his mom was dying of cancer, Charania notes.
- Seth Partnow of The Athletic examines why NBA teams aren’t hoarding first-round draft picks as frequently as they have in the past. Of the 30 first-round picks in June’s NBA draft, 11 of them changed teams either around or on the night of the event.
- Michael McCann of Sports Illustated explored how NBA power agent Rich Paul could build a case against the NCAA for changing its criteria for agents who wish to represent collegiate players. The NCAA is expected to enforce that certified agents have a bachelor’s degree, be certified by the NBPA for at least three years and pass an in-person exam at the organization’s headquarters, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
So Rich Paul isn’t grandfathered in on this rule? It’s interesting how the NCAA (college) is the one creating this rule and not the NBA. College players can’t have agents anyway so Paul would never have any influence with what these kids are doing as student athletes.
Any future player entering the draft is likely doing so of their own volition and Paul doesn’t waste his time with players who don’t have first round potential so most of those players would have been one-and-done guys regardless of who their agent is. So since colleges wouldn’t have to worry about players being advised by agents, since it’s the norm to leave early, then what’s their concern with the college credentials of already approved NBA certified agents? If the NBA allows agents without college degrees to become agents because of their overall qualifications then shouldn’t their “ok” be good enough for the NCAA? Truthfully, the NCAA holds no right to oversee what a player does after they’ve decided to enter the draft anyway. Seems like the NCAA is carrying the NBA’s water. I think the NBA would have a hard time passing that rule on it’s own because of the Player’s Union. Get the NCAA to do it for you and there’s no opposition for it to pass unless someone files a law suit.
The NCAA can prevent a player from ‘returning’ to amateur status. A prospect can hire who ze wants to but has to follow rules if they want to continue their status.
@x%sure Has nothing to do with the agents at all. And under this rule they CAN’T hire any agent they want. Why would the NCAA have ANY jurisdiction on what the players do AFTER they decide to enter the draft? Agents represent NBA players not current so their requirements for agents should trump all others.
The NBA would have a hard time passing this rule because it is nonsensical and does not benefit anyone except the NCAA.
Man that sucks so bad about Beasley’s drug test having been around the time of his mother’s death. We all cope with things differently but I think everyone can agree that the process of grief isn’t an easy one by any means and that marijuana isn’t a very dangerous drug. RIP to Michael Beasley’s mom and best of luck to him in Detroit.