NBA:Olympics bid

NBA,Olympics,march,3-2011:The NBA heads to London this week to play the first regular-season games ever to be hosted in Europe.
It is understood the games could help Great Britain’s bid to play in the London Olympics.
With only two weeks left until world governing body FIBA makes a decision on whether Britain has met its targets to take up the spot traditionally reserved for the hosts, this weekend’s games could not be better timed in terms of boosting basketball’s profile in this country.
NBA commissioner David Stern has never hidden his belief the British team should be allowed to play next summer, and is delivering on a long-held promise to bring regular-season action to this country to help the cause.
It comes in the form of two games between the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets at the O2 Arena.
Neither team is a particularly glamourous draw, sporting losing records and out of contention as far as this season goes.
But their rosters contain a number of big-name individuals who will be back next summer with their national teams.
American Brook Lopez, Italy’s Andrea Bargnani, Spain’s Jose Calderon, Lithuania’s Linas Kleiza and Brazil’s Leandro Barbosa are just some of the players in town this weekend who will be expected back for the Olympics.
Calderon, the Toronto guard, was part of the Spain team that won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and he already has one eye on next year.
“I’m very excited about this trip,” he said. “These are two important games for us, and games have never been played in Europe before, so it will be nice to be close to home.
“It would be great for me to be back here in the finals (next year). The 2008 Olympics was the best experience. We’ve got a good team and it would be great to get back but we’ve got to qualify first.”
FIBA has asked Britain to show that, in addition to the huge improvements made in on-court performances by the national team, there are long-term plans in place to ensure the Olympics can have a legacy for basketball in this country.
The NBA is hoping games like these – as well as the newly-announced women’s regular-season game and further NBA pre-season game to be played in Manchester – can be a part of that.
“This comprehensive schedule of premier basketball events will help grow the sport for years to come,” said NBA Europe senior vice president Sophie Goldschmidt earlier this week.
“This partnership shows our ongoing commitment to deepen basketball’s footprint in the country.”
FIBA are due to make an announcement on Great Britain’s participation in the Olympics at their executive committee meeting in Lyon on March 13.
Andy Hunt, chief executive of the British Olympic Association, has called for both the country’s men’s and women’s teams to be allowed to take part in London 2012.
He said: “Basketball in Great Britain has made excellent progress since the introduction of the British Federation in 2006, with both the men’s and women’s teams qualifying as group winners for the EuroBasket Championships in 2011.
“They have surpassed expectations and there is no question that they are now capable of producing credible performances at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
“We fully support Britain’s basketball players in their quest to inspire the home crowd with their performances at London 2012.”
British Basketball chairman Bill McInnes said the official backing from the BOA could prove significant.
He said: “Our international federation FIBA, which has provided exceptional support during the past five years, will be considering the allocation of the 2012 host country places for basketball at its central board meeting on March 13.
“I am sure that today’s decision will provide an additional boost to the case for the GB teams to be part of 2012.”

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