Team USA Basketball had an exhibition game last night in Las Vegas in which many of the big stars didn't play. 34 players were in this week's minicamp as the United States started doing some early preparations for the 2016 Olympics in Rio di Janeiro. USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo has said that he would like to just pick 12 guys for the Olympic roster instead of having tryouts and having to cut players. One player who really hasn't been on the minds of many people about playing in the Olympics is Kobe Bryant but he reportedly might give it a go, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Colangelo said it would be a great story if Kobe were to be on the Olympic team in Rio but there are obviously no guarantees. Colangelo did say that he has spoken to Bryant about it and that Kobe would love to end his playing career at the Olympics.
"And so, he also mentioned to me in a private conversation that if he had his druthers, he would love to ride off into the sunset playing one more time and winning the gold medal. And that would be the end," said Colangelo.
Despite Kobe wanting to play in the Olympics he also reportedly made it clear that he doesn't want to be handed a spot on the roster just because of his legacy. Bryant is a proud man and he wants to prove that he deserves to be on the 12 man roster that will be heading to Brazil next summer. Kobe is a two-time Olympian having won gold in both 2008 and 2012 but whether he gets a shot to win a third gold in 2016 will have a lot to do with his play this upcoming season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant is coming off two straight seasons that ended with injuries so he will have to prove, first and foremost, that he can remain healthy. In 35 games last season Bryant averaged 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while making just 37 percent of his field goals. Kobe being able to end his illustrious career after winning a third gold medal would be a heck of a story but he is really going to have to prove that, at age 37, he could still play with the best of the best if he is going to be afforded that opportunity.
