What if for the Olympics a good NBA player such as Baron Davis or Andrew Bynum...

Question

who couldn't make the U.S. team applied for citizenship with an underdog country such as Angola or Great Britain to play for their team, and ended up winning a gold medal with them? Would you be angry or happy?

Answer 1

Your question sounds like you're referring to Chris Kaman playing for Germany because Dirk asked him to apply for citizenship.  

But... it wouldn't make me angry nor happy.  I frankly don't have any patriotic emotions like that.  I like watching the Olympics and of course I am rooting for the US team but I'm just not emotionly invested in it.  

Answer 2

I think you have to be born from your country to play for your country.

But going along with your scenario, i wouldnt be mad.  The player(s) know the consequences of playing for another team voluntarily and they will get booed when they return to the NBA.  

And heck if they can join an underdog team and beat the US basketball team, then they must have been very good. Kudos to them for them for that part.

But i would scorn them for escaping the place they wore born and playing against their own home country.

Answer 3

That could only happen if the player had at least some ties to the other country. My anger would depend on the strength of those ties. If Joakim Noah played for France, or Nigeria  or even Sweeden, i wouldn't have a problem because he has substancial ties to each of those nations. However someone like Chris Kaman whose ties to Germany end with his grandparents seems to be more of a mercenary than a patriot.