Last Updated: 12th August, 2002 8:40 AM EST
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Team USA makes a run at Jordan
Added: 12th August, 2002
Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune reports that the USA Basketball Committee is trying to coax Michael Jordan to play in the World Basketball Championships.
With the top NBA stars like Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett not participating, this could be the first time a U.S. professional team loses in international competition. And with the games in Indianapolis in the off-season, it is expected to be difficult for sponsors to sell tickets.
That is why USA Basketball officials, according to committee sources, have approached Jordan privately about joining the team, which begins training Friday in San Francisco.
Committee insiders say that the chances are slim that Jordan would participate, but their thinking is that if he doesn’t come back to play with the Wizards this season, the WBC would be an appropriate stage to set up a possible Jordan farewell at the 2004 Olympics in Greece. That would provide Jordan a perfect bookend to his professional basketball career, which began in 1984 when he starred on the U.S. Olympic team.
And even if Jordan decides to return to the Wizards, joining the U.S. team would give him an opportunity to begin getting in shape for the NBA season.
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Team USA makes a run at Jordan
Added: 12th August, 2002
Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune reports that the USA Basketball Committee is trying to coax Michael Jordan to play in the World Basketball Championships.
With the top NBA stars like Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett not participating, this could be the first time a U.S. professional team loses in international competition. And with the games in Indianapolis in the off-season, it is expected to be difficult for sponsors to sell tickets.
That is why USA Basketball officials, according to committee sources, have approached Jordan privately about joining the team, which begins training Friday in San Francisco.
Committee insiders say that the chances are slim that Jordan would participate, but their thinking is that if he doesn’t come back to play with the Wizards this season, the WBC would be an appropriate stage to set up a possible Jordan farewell at the 2004 Olympics in Greece. That would provide Jordan a perfect bookend to his professional basketball career, which began in 1984 when he starred on the U.S. Olympic team.
And even if Jordan decides to return to the Wizards, joining the U.S. team would give him an opportunity to begin getting in shape for the NBA season.