Four years ago, numerous NBA stars forged notes from their mothers and said their dogs ate their playbooks — anything to avoid representing their country on the world’s biggest stage.
Now, playing for Team USA is not just the honorable thing to do, it has become cool, too.
Dwyane Wade epitomizes the about-face taken by NBA superstars. He’s about to face the world’s top teams, just five months after he finished his NBA season prematurely because of injury.
“Dwyane could pack it in until next NBA season,” Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said on a conference call Monday, “but he’s here working out so that he can represent his country.”
Wade is rehabilitating his left knee, vigorously, so he’ll be able to practice with Team USA come late July. Wade has been in his hometown of Chicago, working with esteemed trainer Tim Grover.
Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo visited Wade in Chicago and said: “I saw him do a few things, in terms of explosiveness, that showed me that he was pretty much back. Speaking with Tim Grover, he thinks by the time we open up the official camp, he’s going to be 100 percent.”
While we praise Wade’s dedication, there are, of course, a few perks that come with playing for Team USA. It’s not like this is a chore, or that he’s doing someone a favor. With Wade playing on the team, a guy whose Q-score is higher than his points per game, he will be on an international stage able to reach out to fans around the globe. That should sell a few cellphones.
Let’s be honest. Wade would have been just fine financially if he rested this summer.
But he’s a man of his word, be it the word he gave to Colangelo or to Carmelo. See, in 2004, Wade and Denver’s Carmelo Anthony had each played just one NBA season when they joined Team USA in Athens.
“We were young pups, and we had the opportunity to sit and watch a team that wasn’t a team,” Wade said. “So we said, in 2008, we want to be respected as a team. In the last three years, Coach K and the staff has done a great job at bringing that camaraderie.”
And so, last summer, when Wade was rehabbing his shoulder and knee injuries, he still joined his Team USA teammates while they trained for international play.
And now, it seems, he’ll be back on the court, just in time to enhance his jewelry collection.
