The 2012 Olympic Games, my favorite basketball dream team

The 2012 Olympic Games, I like the most is a basketball game.LONDON — Often obscured in the haze of celebration of the Dream Team is this fact: The United States actually voted against allowingN.B.A. players to participate in the Olympics in 1992.As it turned out, American self-interest was trumped by global embrace. The outcome was hugely beneficial. Basketball soared internationally and now can rightfully claim to be the world’s second-most-popular sport behind soccer.

I've always enjoyed NBA basketball,so I have been paying attention to them.According to USA Basketball, the national governing body, the performance of Olympic players often increases in subsequent NBA seasons. Kobe Bryant dismissed the under-23 idea as stupid. Carmelo Anthony said players should be allowed to decide on their own, regardless of age, whether to represent their country. "David Stern's views are based on him protecting his players," said Pops Mensah-Bonsu, a British forward who formerly played for the Mavericks and the New Orleans Hornets. "But it's the Olympics. If you put age limits, you'll take away from what it really means. "