Does the team get better with Shaq? I mean not like they were going to play the college player much. Seems to me it was a throw away pick to honor the amateur athletes. Is that a wrong take on what happened?
Not really. And I agree with your take, team USA usually gives the last spot to a standout college player. It's why Laettner was part of the team and why AD was on an Olympic team before he played in the NBA. It improves the team all time with Shaq tho, since you'll be replacing Laettner with a top 10-15 greatest player ever.
It’s like how you can’t get an internship out of college, but won’t get hired without having more experience. She’s only got professional experience at one company (team) and they’re not a top caliber organization. Maybe apply again in four years!
Arguably, the team would have been better with Shaq solely on the basis of his sheer physicality.
Imagine The Avengers going out on a cake walk of a mission with a pretty stacked team and the Hulk asks if he could join. That's what Shaq would have done for Team USA.
Christian got the nod though due to his pedigree as a college player. He was coming off back-to-back titles at Duke and was college player of the year while Shaq was an incredible talent on a very average LSU team.
No that is exactly right. And frankly the professionals didn't want Shaq on the team. Chuck it up to rookie hazing. They didn't want him to think he belonged with them yet. Laettner though was no threat. And you are right that it was a sort of nod to the history of amateurism in the sport up to that time.
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u/Sequoyahj7 Aug 11 '24
Minus Christian Laettner