Mark Cuban Calls For Major Change to Olympics
If it was up to Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban, there would be an age restriction for basketball in the Olympics.
Cuban was a guest on SiriusXM NBA Radio and said he believes there should be an age restriction for basketball, just like there is in men's soccer.
Cuban also went on to say that the league should create its own "international World Cup."
"What I would tell (former commissioner) David Stern and then (current NBA commissioner) Adam [Silver], I'm like, 'You know how in soccer for the Olympics is 21 and under or 22 and whatever it is," Cuban began.
"And then they own the World Cup? And the World Cup's a bigger event? I'm like, 'Give them more young kids.' Do the same thing as soccer. Let the 21 and under play for the Olympics and then create our own international World Cup."
The age limit for men's soccer in the Olympics is under 23 years old, but each team is allowed to have three players who exceed the limit.
Cuban adds that injuries to NBA players is something he has always worried about and noted that the players' teams take all the risk.
"I complained about it every single year, because with my attitude, guys are going to play for the Olympics, Comcast NBC is making billions," he said. "The IOC is making billions, and even FIBA is making a lot. I don't know exactly.
"And we are giving all these guys for free and taking all the injury risks," he added. "Now there haven't been dramatic injuries, but all you need to know is that if a guy is a free agent and hurt, he ain't playing."
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) removed age restrictions for basketball in time for the 1992 Summer Olympics, which allowed all NBA players to take part.
Since then, the United States has dominated competition. In the pro era of men's Olympic basketball, the U.S. has won eight out of a possible nine gold medals, with the only exception being 2004, when Team U.S.A finished with a bronze.
Adding an age restriction would greatly limit the pool of players the United States can use from the NBA, and it may also even the playing field a bit with the rest of the world.
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