Kyrie Irving not cool with David Stern's proposal of under-23 team for Olympics – NBA News
Kylie Irving can now be included in a long list of NBA players who have rejected calls by NBA commissioner David Stern to send an under-23 squad to the Olympics from 2016 onwards.
Irving is an up and coming star point guard of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who is likely to make it to the Olympics team sometime in the future. At least, he holds the potential to do so, and has been tipped by many in the NBA to eventually rise to that level.
The reigning NBA rookie of the year is currently recovering from a broken right hand that he suffered during a summer league practice, after slamming his arm against a padded wall over frustration of committing a turnover.
Earlier in the summer, Irving was selected in the USA Select Team that scrimmaged with the U.S Olympic roster during training camp in Las Vegas.
Making it into the select team is an honour in itself, and only those players are invited who have made an impact in the NBA, and who are tipped as being future Olympians for the country. Playing in the select team gives them an early look into Olympic basketball and the way preparations go for it.
Irving received a great deal of praise while at the training camp, and players such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James gave him the nod of approval.
But David Stern’s idea of sending an under 23 team for 2016 may bring an end to Irving’s hopes of representing his country in the Olympics some day. Stern’s idea came after team owners including Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks raised concerns about their stars competing in the Olympics and risking injury. Irving will be 24 by the time the 2016 Olympics arrive, and will not make the team if the proposal goes through.
"All the other teams have pros, and I feel like the world is sort of catching up to our game now. So to make it 23 and under would defeat the whole purpose of having a pro team go over there and win the gold medal every year. To represent your country is a great honour. To be picked on that team is an honour. It's the best players in the world. If we had a 23-and-under team, I feel like we'd be really good as well,” said Irving.
Irving is looking forward to returning to the court after fully recovering from his injury, and his eyes set on the upcoming NBA season where he will have the opportunity to rise from a breakout talent to a respected point guard in the league.
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