https://www.nba.com/news/report-jerami-grant-zach-lavine-accept-olympic-bid-roster-to-12

Love was on the 2012 team

….representing the United States in the Olympics

Kevin Love has been dogshit for the last 3 seasons .

There are literally 30 + players more deserving

And in 12 Kevin Love was the only white guy. This just some back room maneuvering to generate some interest if he plays well so he can get out of Cleveland. They don’t want him just as much as he doesn’t want to be there.

but youre right, lol someone tell Jalen Rose, that was his whole diatribe yday

on his podcast w Jacoby

edit, he also went in HARD on Christian Laettner

>And in 12 Kevin Love was the only white guy. This just some
>back room maneuvering to generate some interest if he plays
>well so he can get out of Cleveland. They don’t want him
>just as much as he doesn’t want to be there.

>And in 12 Kevin Love was the only white guy. This just some
>back room maneuvering to generate some interest if he plays
>well so he can get out of Cleveland. They don’t want him
>just as much as he doesn’t want to be there.

the racial and political climate today is totally different from what was 5 and 13 years ago. They want an ear and a voice in the room.

>Love was on the 2012 team

So was Andre Iguodala

I just didn't get the "Lifetime Achievement Award" angle

>I just didn't get the "Lifetime Achievement Award" angle

he wasn't on the 2016 Olympic team or the 2019 World Championship team

this was arguably his worst year as a pro...:
https://sports.yahoo.com/kevin-love-apologizes-for-on-court-tantrum-during-inbounds-play-i-fed-up-165344881.html

he doesn't deserve this at all

or Gordon Hayward

And let me be clear, I'm not saying I would've picked Kevin Love after a season he clearly disgruntedly phoned in. But they clearly don't need shot creation from a big man-- they have loads of shot creators-- and traditional rim-protecting bigs won't work well against the Euro bigs that will happily just drag them outside. So all they need from a big man is good screens, pick-and-pop 3s, and passing-- especially in transition since they're clearly looking to run.

So who is better at those skills than *a motivated and healthy* Kevin Love? One of the best pick-and-pop bigs of the decade, probably a Top 5 transition passing big man in NBA history. If you think he's healthy and he gives a shit, and you're looking for those specific things for this roster?

Now, would I have picked Zion? Absofuckinglutely, lol. That shit would've *owned.* But he's definitely not as strong a stand-still 3-point shooter as Love. Randle's also a better all-around player than Love, but he's also not as strong a pick-and-pop guy. Christian Wood had a much better season, but again, he's not a better passer or pick-and-pop guy than a healthy and motivated Love. Same with Myles Turner (although Turner is a much better defender than anyone else on this list). I think John Collins would've been a sneaky good pick, as his pick-and-pop game has improved as has his defense, and his rim-running is among the best in the world... but he's definitely not a passer if that's a priority.

I also imagine that, as your comment alludes to, they wanted someone with experience to just be a bench vet. I can't imagine whoever fills this role would play much, so maybe they just want someone who can know the role and make shots in his few minutes played.

... now, would I have strongly considered Blake Griffin over Love for this role based on all of the things I said, including veteran leadership, and based on the series he just had? Yeah. Absolutely.

But, you know. It is what it is. My unpopular opinion is I think picking Love based on a very specific role is defensible enough. Wouldn't be my choice, for sure... but defensible enough that I don't think it's a crime. (But many of you will disagree, I imagine, lol.)

Love in 2021 we've lost already

That's clear. Whoever was picked here was gonna be at most a 6-8 MPG kinda guy, unless they hit a shitload of injuries.

than Love even at this point in their careers

Being the "better player" just isn't a determination for some of these selections every year. They always pick one or two guys every Olympics that make people say "bullshit, Player X is better!" Just because they're looking for some specific role to be filled.

I'd take a lot of the guys from the shortlist over Kevin Love as an all-around player. But "Love's the better player" isn't the argument, and it never is for the last couple guys selected every year. This is always what leads to people arguing about some bench guy or two on the USA Olympics team every single time, lol.

>Being the "better player" just isn't a determination for some
>of these selections every year. They always pick one or two
>guys every Olympics that make people say "bullshit, Player X
>is better!" Just because they're looking for some specific
>role to be filled.

And its been discussed what that "specific role" is, you can disagree that's your prerogative

or done anything to earn his spot. The idea of Kevin Love is fine. Real Kevin Love seems to be a different thing, and his addition to this team doesn't seem to have much to do with merit.

Shooting 40% on catch-and-shoot 3 point opportunities.

Again, I'm not arguing he's the best choice. I'd have gone a different direction. I'm just arguing if you think this season was anomalously bad because he was clearly disgruntled (a pretty easy argument to make imo), then one can defend his selection for a specific role.

There's not really a good argument to select him.

You've stated you wouldn't have selected him.

What's the point of defending the choice here?

He doesn't belong, and better AND nore deserving players are available.

This selection is in honor and a privilege, an he doesn't warrant either.

So again... Why are you defending it?

in the league. And damn, it's pretty dreadful.

Gordon Hayward? Duncan Robinson? Kevin Huerter? Joe Harris? Love? Caruso? Reddick?

Yeesh.

I wonder why white American players have fallen off so sharply while white Euros have been able to ascend to a high level.

The game today seems tailor-made for the style of play of white American players. You'd figure they'd have a whole batch of "skilled shooter and heady defender" types ready to go off the assembly line.

and yeah you can play at school that way, but you can't get the high level aau competition that moves you forward without it




www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at