Dwayne Wade raises voice against David Stern's Olympics age limit proposal – NBA News
Miami Heat star shooting guard and Olympic gold medallist Dwyane Wade said on Wednesday that he feels a little bit of regret for missing the London Olympics due to his surgery, but feels even more for those players who could miss
out on an opportunity to play in the Olympic if an age limit is put in place for future competitions.
NBA Commisisoner David Stern put up this suggestion last month, one which is believed to have the backing of the NBA owners, who want their franchise players exposed to a minimal injury risk.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has been contemplating on putting an age limit on players, in a bid to follow the football model that allows only under 23 players with three exceptions. The age limit is to ensure
that the World Cup remains the pre-eminent Basketball competition in the world .
Wade was scheduled to represent the U.S side in the Olympics this year but the Miami Heat star decided to opt out of the games and undergo a knee surgery as he prepares for the upcoming NBA season. Wade was on the 2004 and 2008
U.S basketball Olympic team, and has a bronze medal from 2004 and a gold from 2008.
“It's not something right now that everyone smiles about because so many of us have been older and got an opportunity to play in the Olympics. Especially if you go through four years of college, you get out, it might take you four
years to get your legs under you in professional sports and now you're ready, you might be too old to play in the Olympics,” said Wade while talking to Reuters.
The player is currently in London and is excited about seeing his team battle through the tournament and go for Olympic glory, with many players playing at this stage for the first time.
Wade said that he feels the U.S team will be able to pull through with a gold medal, and said that he is not worried about close games as at the end of the day, a win is a win. He also laid emphasis on defence and said that if
the U.S team was able to step up their defence, they would cruise through to the gold medal.
“I think they're going to be their best at the end and I believe they're going to bring it home,” added Wade.
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