NBA Players Shouldn't Be Paid To Play In The Olympics
By: Ryan Wooley
It's been three days since Celtics guard Ray Allen uttered the comments to FoxSports.com that he thinks NBA players should be paid to play in the Olympics, and I'm left wondering where is the outrage!?
When did playing in the summer games go from representing your country, to lining your wallet for personal gain?
I've never been one to say what an athlete should or shouldn't do with their money, or complain about how much they make. But to say publically that you should be paid to do one of the most honorable things in your life, outside of serving your country, is lunacy.
I don't doubt that playing all summer long takes a toll on the body, especially after playing an 82 game season and putting together a deep playoff run. But it's their choice to play and they either want to represent their country or they don't. And if it's so hard to go that long without a break, then maybe the Olympics need to institute a rule similar to the NFL with the Pro Bowl where if you make the Super Bowl you don't play in the Pro Bowl, so if you make the playoffs in the NBA, you don't play in the Olympics.
It just amazes me that a millionaire of all people would even come out with such idiotic comments and then try and justify them by saying they're losing money by being overseas, because they can't hold summer camps.
Ray Allen is making $10 Million dollars this season while Dwyane Wade is making close to $16 Million, and that of course is on top of what they're already making in yearly endorsements. So please forgive me for not shedding a tear when they say they're losing money.
What about the other Olympic athletes that are probably losing money because they have dedicated the last four years of their life to their particular sport? Should they be paid too? They don't have the millions of dollars to fall back on like many pro basketball players, so let's help them out.
Hell, why not just make the Olympics a new sports league that takes place every four years and pay everybody! I'm kidding of course. But that's how stupid these comments are from both Allen and Wade.
At least LeBron James and Chris Bosh were smart enough to not answer the question directly and just say they're happy to represent their country and look forward to doing so again this year.
If playing overseas is such a burden, then do us all a favor and stay home. I would much rather see the United States compete with people who want to be there and not medal than pay anyone for taking part in the Olympics.
Follow Ryan Wooley on Twitter @WooleyMammoth85
