Johnnie_Sack - you make a very good argument for international basketball being replaced by the NBA. In the same way as the team representing a city has become the best group of players that the team can buy, then why not allow the national team to be the best group of players that the country can buy? That makes it easier for a country to put up a team that represents its real strength in the world - i.e., economic - rather than a team that represents the strength of the basketball programmes in that country.
We would also get the best players in the world playing at World Championships and Olympics. That would be much more even and competitive than the current system, where the best 10 players from each country are there and the next best 10 from that country don;t get to play at all, even if they are better than the best players from another country.
Can't wait 'til Qatar wins the Worlds and Olympics with the NBA All Star winning team. Now that's a vision for all of us to love.
And Ausieboomers4eva - you know how many coaching clinics and developmental sessions Kasumi Takahashi has undertaken with local rhythmic gymnasts since she did so well at the Commonwealth Games? Well, a lot less than Monique Allen, Lauren Mitchell, Sam Offord, Josh Jefferis and others who've done well for Australia internationally (admittedly in other gymnastic disciplines) over the years. Hell, half of the elite gymnasts who've represented Australia end up judging and putting back into the sport as coaches and administrators. I look forward to Kyrie Irving using the opportunities and profile that representing Australia would give him, to put back into the Australian basketball program. Maybe that should be a condition of the clearance?