I'd say this pretty definitively sums up Rajon Rondo's desire to play for Team USA
"I'm not focusing at all on the Olympics. At all. At all," Rondo said before handing out 15 assists in Boston's 115-107 win over Miami, his 18th straight game with 10 or more, the NBA's longest streak in 20 years.
Rondo, who still would be young enough to play in the Games in 2016 or 2020, then was asked if he ever would have an interest in playing in the Olympics.
"No, I don't," he said. "I just don't… Wondering why? I love my summers. I'll leave it at that."
Hey, you can't force a guy to do something he doesn't want to do. If Rondo doesn't care about Team USA, then he doesn't care about Team USA.
Personally, I'd consider it an honor to wear my country's name on my chest and go compete internationally. But I know not everyone thinks that way. I also don't think the Olympics mean today what they meant 20 years ago. At least not to Americans.
There are international competitions all over the place. And with the proliferation of leagues around the world, and the influx of foreign players in the NBA, Olympic competition just doesn't carry the same weight it used to.
So I probably wouldn't make the same decision as Rondo… but I get it. As long as he's focused on getting healthy in the summer and working on his game, then I'm cool with this.
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