This is last Olympics for stars like Kobe Bryant.
Yahoo Sports reports that the NBA has entered discussions with international basketball entity FIBA to create a “World Cup of Basketball” in which they would control the revenues generated from international competition.
Commissioner David Stern says the NBA will take time to deliberate how it will proceed in the future, but multiple league and international sources insist there’s little chance the league will ever send its best players to the Summer Olympics beyond the 2012 London Games. The NBA has long wanted to best protect its financial investments in players by better controlling the medical and training staffs used in international competition.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told Yahoo! Sports he isn’t aware of the NBA’s specific intentions in possibly moving its star players to the re-branded World Cup, but says he has lobbied for much more complete control of the tournament. He sees no reason to partner with FIBA or anyone else. He wants the NBA to own, operate and profit on a global tournament using the league’s stars.
More to come on this story, for sure.
