USA Basketball's Jerry Colangelo has been pretty steadfast in his ways when it comes to the rules surrounding Team USA. Anyone that wanted to play in next summer's Olympics had to attend the three-day minicamp in Vegas. Even if you didn't play in the exhibition like Stephen Curry or had to leave early like LeBron James, if a player wants to play for Team USA in 2016, they had to make an appearance at the minicamp.
Kobe Bryant was not at the minicamp but the Lakers star talked with Colangelo about his absence and expressed his interest in playing for Team USA next summer. Even though he was so strict about attendance at the minicamp, Colangelo is open to the idea of Bryant playing on the 2016 team.
From ESPN's Dave McMenamin:
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said Thursday at the conclusion of Team USA's minicamp that he has had a conversation with the Los Angeles Lakers guard about that very scenario and has not ruled out Bryant for the 12-man roster next summer.
"I was quoted on Kobe," Colangelo said after USA Basketball's intrasquad scrimmage at the Thomas & Mack Center. "In response to a question about him, I said it would be a great story if he did [play in Rio].
"And so, he also mentioned to me in a private conversation that if he had his druthers, he would love to ride off into the sunset playing one more time and winning the gold medal. And that would be the end. But he was very quick to say, 'But, I don't want a spot. I need to earn the spot. I need to be capable of playing at that level to be considered.' And I said, 'You got that. That's always there for you, Kobe.'"
"There's a guy who's made great contributions to the game, again, one of the great players of all time," Colangelo said of Bryant. "He helped us win the gold medal in Beijing. Trust me, he really did. And so he's entitled to an opportunity.
Bryant is entering his 20th season with the Lakers and has hinted at retiring. Winning a gold medal before he retires, would be a great way to end a Hall of Fame career. But Colangelo has stated that there will only be a 12 players picked for the 2016 team, wouldn't giving preference to Bryant take away a spot from a more deserving player?
Colangelo has actually awarded a career achievement roster spot before as McMenamin points out. On the 2008 Olympic team, Jason Kidd was added to the team to serve as a veteran leader even though a younger player could've been selected. However, that 2008 team was almost exclusively filled with young players as James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard were in their low 20s then. All of these players should be on the 2016 team and are now in or nearing their 30s so the need for a veteran leader is not as necessary.
Bryant may be "entitled to an opportunity" as Colangelo says but it will be hard to justify giving him a roster spot. Especially when a more deserving player like Klay Thompson followed Colangelo's rules by attending the minicamp.
