FIBA: 85% ng NBA players maglalaro sa Olympic qualifiers

MAHIGIT 85 percent ng NBA players ang maglalaro para sa 2020 Tokyo Olympic Qualification tournaments, wika ni International Basketball Federation (FIBA) secretary general Andreas Zagklis kahapon.
Sinabi ni Zagklis na naniniwala siya na ang ilan sa mga sikat na NBA players ay may sapat na motivation para sumabak sa naantalang Tokyo Olympic Games sa susunod na taon.
“It’s clear from the feedback we have received from our players around the world, including NBA players that they consider the Olympic Games as a highlight of their careers. So the motivation is there,” tugon ni Zagklis.
Hindi lang Covid-19 ang pumigil sa Olympic Games para ipagpaliban ng isang taon apektado rin ng global schedules ang lahat ng sports.
Kinumpirma ng FIBA na ang men’s Olympic qualifiers ay itinakda simula sa June 29 to July 4 sa 2021. Nagpasya ang NBA na paiksiin ang season, na ang playoff ay gaganapin sa pagitan ng May 22 to July 22 sa susunod na taon.
“I think there is a great understanding of what it means for the NBA and its players to play in the Olympics,” sambit ni Zagklis. “The Players Association and the owners took the decision to play a shortened season which would mean 26 out of 30 teams will have finished by [the Olympic qualifiers] and all the teams will have finished in time for the Olympic Games.”
“I believe that this means we will have, in the Olympic qualifiers, more than 85 percent of NBA players available,” wika ng Greek.
Ang FIBA 2019 Basketball World Cup ay kinabibilangan ng Argentina, Australia, France, Spain, Iran, Nigeria at United States ang na-qualify para sa Tokyo Olympics.
Ang apat pang natitirang bansa sa 12-team Olympic tournament ay reserba para sa bawat isang mananalo sa apat na qualifying tournaments, ay lalaruin sa Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, at Serbia.
Ang China ay mag-lalaro sa Canada-based tournament, kasama ang Canada, Grace, Uruguay, Czech Republic at Turkey.