Luis Scola named Argentina's flag-bearer, but he's not impressed

sinobball · Jul 27, 2016

sinobball · Jul 27, 2016

sinobball · Jul 27, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/23/s...scola-argentina-olympic-flag-bearer.html?_r=0

Luis Scola thought Argentina’s time might have passed.

The Golden Generation had grown old, the younger players had not grown up enough, and when the Argentines went out weakly two years ago in the Basketball World Cup, Scola considered walking away rather than chasing more medals.

But Argentina is back in the Olympics, and this time Scola is not just leading the basketball team.

He is leading the entire delegation.

Scola will carry the flag in the opening ceremony, capping an amazing turn of events. Two years ago he was not sure he wanted to keep playing.

“I had the chance to play four Olympics, to play 10 years in the N.B.A., to carry the flag for my country, win an Olympic gold medal,’’ Scola said. “I mean, different things that happened along those days that I couldn’t even dream of those because it would be too wild to dream. So it’s been quite a journey, it’s been quite a ride.”

It began with the national team in 1998 and would peak with Argentina’s rise to the top of world basketball. The Argentines won gold at the 2004 Olympics, bronze in 2008, a silver medal at the 2002 world championships, and were once ranked No. 1 in the world.

Manu Ginobili became the face of those teams while going on to win four N.B.A. championships with the San Antonio Spurs. But it has been Scola, 36, who kept playing with the national team, carrying it through qualifying tournaments when Ginobili could not or would not play.

“His career with the national team is just unbelievable,” Ginobili said. “He’s played every tournament there was to play, and every single one of them at a very high level. So Luis is our guy. He’s our main guy, especially since we don’t have a lot of size. We need him in the paint. He’s been the most reliable guy ever.”
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That is why it became so hard for Scola when the program appeared to have crumbled.

The 2014 World Cup in Spain was supposed to be the farewell for the group known as the Golden Generation. But Ginobili got hurt, leaving Scola to try to carry an undermanned team largely alone.

He hated that Argentina did not compete for a title, but even more so that he felt the federation was not doing enough to further the sport he had done so much to grow in his country. Scola, who wants to play all year, even considered ending his international career.

He said that 2014 “was a very rough year and yes, I thought it could be it, because it was a lot of bad things going on. The federation and the guys running it, it wasn’t really working. It was going very, very bad and I just didn’t feel like I wanted to play for them anymore, and we were all feeling the same.”

But a change atop the federation, which is now led by Federico Susbielles, energized Scola, as did the return of Ginobili, 38, who thought he would be retired by now. Two other mainstays — Andres Nocioni, 36, and Carlos Delfino, 33 — are also headed to the Rio Games and will be walking in the opening ceremony behind their teammate.

“It creates better hope, better energy, so I feel refreshed,” Scola said.

Scola signed with the Nets last week after spending last season on the best team in Toronto Raptors history. He is no longer as effective in the N.B.A. as he is in international play, but he remains a popular and respected teammate.

“I’ve played with Scola five years total. I’ve never had a bad day with him. Never,” Kyle Lowry of the Raptors said.

Scola is realistic about Argentina’s Olympic chances in a difficult group that includes Spain, Lithuania and Brazil — the team that ousted Argentina two years ago. The Argentines are not good enough to duplicate what they did in Athens, but Scola hopes they will play just as hard.

“Obviously what we achieved in 2004 was the highlight of our careers, something that has never been done for our country,” Scola said. “It was a great run. Obviously right now we’re in a different stage. It’s going to be a little bit more difficult for us right now, but we’re going to compete. It’s going to be fun.”

A version of this article appears in print on July 23, 2016, on page D2 of the New York edition with the headline: Veteran Argentine Forward Adds Flag-Bearer to His Résumé. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe
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AroundTheWorld · Jul 27, 2016

He look ok.

Juxtaposed Jolt · Jul 27, 2016

Has Ginobili ever been the flag-bearer for ARG?

DaDakota · Jul 27, 2016

One of my all time favorite Rockets...and we let him go for nothing.

DD

sinobball · Jul 27, 2016

Juxtaposed Jolt said: ↑

Has Ginobili ever been the flag-bearer for ARG?
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Pete the Cheat · Jul 27, 2016

craguin · Jul 27, 2016

rocketsmetalspd · Jul 27, 2016

DaDakota said: ↑

One of my all time favorite Rockets...and we let him go for nothing.

DD
Click to expand...

I also hated his released and the team has never recovered. Still haven't filled the PF position since. Scola will always be a Rocket in my eyes:grin:

RocketsFan0 · Jul 27, 2016

rocketsmetalspd said: ↑

I also hated his released and the team has never recovered. Still haven't filled the PF position since. Scola will always be a Rocket in my eyes:grin:
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him and lowry.

iNoseBleedRed · Jul 27, 2016

Ok, he look.

JayZ750 · Jul 27, 2016

Luis has had a really solid NBA career. It's easy to forget he once put up 18 and 8. Those numbers in today's NBA would make him an upper echelon PF... Even thought not quite star level.

Good for him.

daywalker02 · Jul 27, 2016

Olympics? It look Ok.

daywalker02 · Jul 27, 2016

craguin said: ↑

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arabrocket · Jul 28, 2016

Scola came to the NBA at age 27 I think and made a really good career. I loved him as a rocket.

TracywtFacy · Jul 28, 2016

Still remember that game where he shot 14 of 17 or something... Sweet touch.

roslolian · Jul 28, 2016

DaDakota said: ↑

One of my all time favorite Rockets...and we let him go for nothing.

DD
Click to expand...

We didnt let him go we amnestied him, wiped his contract off the books so we could sign Dwight.

Also to the dude complainig about Lowry we traded for a guaranteed lottery pick that was the centerpiece asset used to get Harden.

If you're complain make sure you have the facts correct first smh would you rather have Scola and Lowry or Dwight and Harden?

fmp087 · Jul 28, 2016

roslolian said: ↑

We didnt let him go we amnestied him, wiped his contract off the books so we could sign Dwight.

Also to the dude complainig about Lowry we traded for a guaranteed lottery pick that was the centerpiece asset used to get Harden.

If you're complain make sure you have the facts correct first smh would you rather have Scola and Lowry or Dwight and Harden?
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Option c. Harden and scola.

Jugdish · Jul 28, 2016

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Luis Scola named Argentina's flag-bearer, but he's not impressed

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