Over the past few months, NBA Commissioner David Stern has indicated his desire to pull most superstar pro players out of the Olympics following this summer's games in London. The idea is that the Olympics will begin focusing on showcasing under-23 talent, while the biggest names in the NBA will begin participating in what has been known as the World Basketball Championship.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the proposed rebranding of the world championship into "The World Cup of Basketball" would allow the NBA to partner with FIBA and receive a share of the event's revenues. As it stands, the NBA does not see any money from the Olympics. Wojnarowski's sources indicate there is almost no chance that the league's top stars will be allowed to compete in the Olympics after 2012.
The change is likely mostly motivated by financial concerns, but some owners would prefer that The World Cup of Basketball be taken even further.
It remains to be seen what the final result will be, but it is looking like a virtual lock that this will be the last year you see household NBA stars representing the U.S. in the Olympics. Cheer for them while you can.
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