Dwyane Wade wants to get paid for playing for Team USA

Oh noes! Someone's exercising the First Amendment!!!!!

I don't like D-Wade. But he's just expressing his feelings. He probably doesn't care whether he gets paid for playing in the Olympics, rather, he's saying that it would be nice if he got some form of compensation for representing the US.

Personally, I think he should appreciate the fact that he's representing his country regardless of whether he gets paid or not. Have fun, play hard, and smoke the rest of the world on the basketball court.

Thread title somewhat misleading.

 

I read this piece on Wade earlier at work and was immediately disgusted.

It's the amount of apologists that is sad; there should be more widespread disappointment. Only on a 2012 NBA forum would this shift in fundamental values of athletes be so tolerated.

Then again my favorite olympic moment was the miracle in 1980, maybe some people's is watching Wade dunk.

What is out of context about this? Sounds eerily like the same comments he made during the lockout. Basketball >> The World in his mind; it's just the way the man thinks.

 

If a guy's going to "exercise his first amendment right" to share his feelings, should we not be entitled the same in response? I'm not sure what you mean here.

People say weird things all the time. The first amendment doesn't absolve them of criticism.

 

Isnt it funny how most americans hate black athletes guts, but when its time to serve our country, they think we should all be united


We need more Muhammad Ali's

 

You know what, I read this and the comment you made right above it and I've somehow ended up agreeing with you. I forgot that this board has people who can't stand the fact that other people on this board don't really like the players that they like.

 

umm really? I didnt know that.. where are your facts to support that claim? so u are saying most americans are all racists.. okkayyy...

I think most people hate athletes who feel they are entitled to the world and that everyone should worship them. Doesnt matter what their damn skin color is.

 

Can't fault the argument. A lot of money is made from him and others playing, and they do it for little monetary compensation. It is a serious investment of time and wear and tear on their part.

But I also think of a person I know who quit his full time job and on top of that spent +$100k out of pocket to qualify for the Olympics, knowing he has no real chance at a medal. Just the achievement and honor of participating in the Olympics. He was working a regular IT job, not exactly the income of NBA players.

I guess I'm just saying if there's a pity party, Wade is still at the bottom of the list of people who will get one at the Olympics. It would probably be better if he said it on behalf of many Olympians in various sports instead of just millionaire NBA players.

 

Just representing America isn't good enough anymore?

Representing America just isn't a priority for some people. They don't do it for the nation state

 

Wade got a child to support and an ex-wife, but still it is a privilege to play for Olympics. Here are Wade's sponsor:

Nike – $12 million in 2011
Converse
Gatorade
Topps
Staples
Sean Jean
T-Mobile
Lincoln cars
Mission Skincare
Hublot watches
McDavid

I'm pretty safe to say, he will be top 5 in Olympics earnings for 2012. Nike will pay him a lot more when he wins gold and I'm sure he'll get more when McDonald's pay him for participating. I give more credence to Ray Allen because his list of sponsor is going to be a lot shorter and his career is ending. If Wade does not get paid to play Olympics, he would never play, no players will ever play because sponsors will take care of them like all Olympics.

 

There's a reason you're still a rookie after 2 months.

 

College players should get paid, especially since they are now forced to spend time there (or go overseas). I'm not talking about million dollar salaries; at least bonuses since some high school phenoms are losing money with the new NBA rule. Also, none of this was really direct enough to be considered anything other than just some random musings by a basketball player.

Its like me saying, "It'd be nice to have a mansion, or win the lottery, or etc." and then somebody comes out and tells me "think of the children in Africa! They have less than you do! You should be honored." I hate people who do that. Me owning a good chunk of change is irrelevant to the condition of the children in Africa.

Just like this is irrelevant to the prospect of representing your country. Is he going to quit because he's not getting paid? No. Can't fault a guy for wanting things; its human greed.

Objectively, I admit it was a r****ded thing to say, but it wasn't as bad as some people make it out to be. Slippery Slope fallacies all around in this thread.

 

And if he doesn't quit posting D&D subjects in other forums, he won't even be a rookie much longer.

Your race trolling will not be tolerated much longer LOLatSoccer.

 

how is that racism anyway, if a white/asian player demanded pay to play for olympic, the outrage would just be the same

 

my bad guys

 

We b*tch about Yao going to China every summer, but when certain players don't want to represent the U.S., they're traitors?

Ultimately it's still the players' decision. However, it's damned if they do and damned if they don't.

 

Anthony Davis will be added as a finalist for the U.S. Olympic roster, according to sources.

Davis, 19, averaged 14.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.7 blocks this past season for national champion Kentucky.

Team USA must submit its final 12-man roster by June 18.



Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/news#ixzz1tpAPA76w

 

I thought they get paid out if they win a medal?

Most countries give X amount of money for winning gold medals.

 

Some of it has to do with the sport. The Olympics isn't that important to NBA players these days. They didn't dream about getting gold medals when they were kids. An NBA Championship has more meaning (and legacy) than an Olympic gold medal in basketball in this country. Multiple NBA Titles > Multiple Olympic Gold Medals.

If you look at other sports, they differ. Every young Track and Field athlete that has potential to be an elite runner dreams of one day capturing gold at the Olympics. It's the gold standard of that sport. Multiple Olympic Medals > Everything else. If you can break a few records along the way or run some of the fastest times in history, then it makes it that much better. People will break their backs to get to that level. And they rely heavily on sponsors, which don't pay much at all, throughout their careers. You HAVE to perform well and win a lot of races throughout your career if you want to get paid (not from the sponsors).

 

The Olympics just started to become important again to NBA players after the 2004 debacle. Ever since then, it's been a high-priority item and is considered an honor. NBA superstars want the world to know they are the very best and the smashing failure in 2004 (plus Colangelo taking over a year later) keyed the turnaround. The profile is so high that now younger players lobby to be a part of the Select Team that practices against them.

 

I bet Shane Battier who's on the same Heat team and was a Team USA participant would AGREE FULLY with D Wade's comment.

Representing your country for the sole spirit of competition and integrity and upholding No-Getting-Paid Amateur status, is supposed to be viewed in the same type vein of honor deed as doing charity work and community service. But it really isnt

The security guards, janitor crews and concession stand people are getting "compensated", the athletes CAN'T?

I know Wade was NOT trying to start some compensation activism movement, but his comment is more agreeable than it even comes across.