The coming tournament will be a marketing fest. That much is always certain. With Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Dwight Howard as the headliners, there will be plenty of hype, plenty of buzz, but, at this point, little reason to actually watch the games.
What could happen that hasn't been seen before? The U.S. team could get its international act back together and turn the opposition into smudge marks on the court, a tradition begun by the 1992 Dream Team in Barcelona. Or it could struggle a little, come together, and still win the gold medal, like the team that played in Sydney in 2000. Or it could become tired of this little exercise and pack it in early, like the guys in Greece.
Which will it be this time? Does it really matter?
"We respect the game so much," Wade said. "We respect the team basketball that they play internationally so much."
Not enough to actually play it in the NBA, of course, but it is a deep and abiding respect. Wade was one of those coming home with the bronze four years ago, so at least he knows what he's talking about.
The rest of the team - Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd and Deron Williams - knows that it won't necessarily be easy, but the first-timers have no idea what they're getting into. Anthony, Boozer, James and Wade have those third-place medals in the back of the sock drawer. Perhaps they can warn the others.
What they all know, however, is that their various shoe companies and sponsors love the idea of Olympic exposure for their clients, even though the other-side-of-the-world scheduling will put some games on television at odd times, and others will be broadcast well after the result is known.
