Rondo has no interest in EVER playing in Olympics

[Overrated]

http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/04/11/12/Rondo-Allen-not-interested-in-Olympics/landing_heat.html?blockID=706938&feedID=3798

Two summers ago, Rajon Rondo famously withdrew from USA Basketball. Now, the Boston Celtics’ star point guard says he’d never want to re-join the Olympic hoops program. Per Fox Sports: “Rondo, who is one of the NBA’s top point guards and is averaging a league-best 11.3 assists, wasn’t one of the 20 players selected in January as finalists for Team USA’s 2012 roster in London. And even if another player were to possibly be added, Rondo, 26, said there would be no need to call him. ‘I’m not focusing at all on the Olympics. At all. At all,’ Rondo said. Rondo, who still would be young enough to play in the Games in 2016 or 2020, then was asked if he ever would have an interest in playing in the Olympics. ‘No, I don’t,’ he said. ‘I just don’t… Wondering why? I love my summers. I’ll leave it at that.’ Rondo didn’t help his standing with USA Basketball when he went overseas as a finalist with the World Championship team in 2010 before soon returning to the U.S. Rondo believes he would have made the team that eventually won gold had he decided not to bolt when the Americans were in Greece before going to the event in Turkey. ‘I decided to leave,’ said Rondo, whose departure was described by USA Basketball as one for family reasons. ‘I was homesick.’ Rondo said he never spoke to USA Basketball officials about possibly being a finalist for the 2012 Olympics. [...] ‘I don’t even know who’s on the list,’ Rondo said.”

[Overrated]

I think he’s just hurt that he was gonna be cut (and instead left on his own terms). Either he’ll get over it and change his mind at some point, or he’ll hold a grudge forever. I wonder what he’ll do...

[cons]

good. its kinda silly anyway IMO. olympics should be more for amateurs - track and fieks swimming gymanstics skiing etc. i like watching the olympics but if a celtic never plays im ok w that, rather have them rested for what we really care about - the nba season.

[Fafnir]

I read this as he's p---ed at USA basketball for leaving him off the team. Thus he'd rather not go through all the tryouts anymore if he feels like he'll be cut.

[Marcus13]

Yeah, he was just mad about being the next one out.

With that said, I have no idea why an NBA player would want to play in the Olympics for free, either.

[BballTim]

  I'm glad. The team's better off with him taking the summer off. In 2010 the Celts played through game 7 of the finals and he spent at least half of the short offseason with team USA. I think that's one of the main reasons that he was struggling with health issues for most of last season.

[Finkelskyhook]

Good.  Meaningless pickup game.

[Celtics18]

I haven't rooted for the U.S. National basketball team in years anyway.  Depending who plays, Serbia and France are looking like they'll be my favorites next time around.  I still have a soft spot for our old buddy Semih, as well.  I might be giving Turkey some love, too. 

[manl_lui]

its ok, he should spend his offseason working out and getting ready for the NBA season

as for the US Olympic Team, GO USA!, I don't know why, I can never cheer for another country in basketball including China. I just think Basketball belongs to the US and we should get the gold every time.

[LooseCannon]

If Rondo can gain French citizenship, I don't think I'll be rooting for the USA, especially if guys like Lebron and Wade are on the team.

[Tai]

Is it possible that Rondo didn't want it announced he was cut? Sure. Then again, you're essentially telling me he was bumped by Rose and Westbrook, who we all know ESPN slobbers over daily. 

I think I'll take Rondo at his word for this one.

[apc]

If Rondo can gain French citizenship, I don't think I'll be rooting for the USA, especially if guys like Lebron and Wade are on the team.

when LeBron on Wade said "not one, not two, not three..." were they talking about the Olympics?

[ballin]

Obviously as a Celtics fan I like Rondo, but it's pretty clear that he's making excuses on this one. "I was homesick"? Says the guy who travels on the road for half of the year playing basketball? Get outta here.

That, coupled with the fact he's written off any possibility of joining Team USA in the future, tells me he left because he knew he'd get cut.

I don't doubt that he likes his summers and he doesn't view it as a big loss, but he knew he'd be cut so he bolted before it happened. People don't just go to Greece for a week and get "homesick".

[blink]

I didn't know if I should start new thread for this, but I will add it here for now.

Apparently D Wade feels he should be paid to play for the US Olympic basketball team...and sounds like Ray does too.  Kind of makes me sick to my stomach.  I can understand not wanting to commit the time required, but to ask to get paid is just greedy.

http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miamiheat/story/_/id/7801502/nba-olympians-compensated

[blink]

So within the context of Wade's comments, I feel if Rondo doesn't want to do it for whatever reason it is better just to not to it rather then asking to get paid to do it...